One Name, No Waiting

King of Yesterday (Maverick Records)

Jude

By Kory Wilcoxson

I usually don't have a lot of patience for one-named artists. There's something so pretentious about it that the sound of the artist patting him or herself on the back tends to drown out the music. But unlike some of the other great Uni-Names, Jude wears his pretension with the kind of sideways smirk that makes you wonder if his rock star glasses and glittery smile are meant to be self-effacing.

A listen to the album confirmed that suspicion for me. King of Yesterday is a fun, if unfocused, trip through the many moods of Jude (sounds like a potential memoir title). The CD jacket says the album was recorded in twelve days at a pool house studio, and it has that sort of carefree, backyard-barbecue feel.

But there's nothing lackadaisical about Jude's musicianship or his vocal and emotional range. King is truly a trip, from the bipiddy-bop feel of "Oh, Boy" to the "Shallow Hal" homage, "The Not So Pretty Princess." (See? There's that smirk again). And when you think Jude is only about jammin' with the boys, he sneaks in "I Do," a surprisingly touching ballad about letting go of love. Where did that come from? I don't know, but I like it.