Jared Lekites

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“ The impressive Beatlesque opener "Love That Lasts" lead by singer /guitarist Jared Lekites comes out and grabs you right away. The follow up is a folksy "Looking For A Diamond" which is made for a late night campfire, complete with handclaps and harmonica solo. Although his style is the familiar retro strums and harmonies, it's all well written and constructed. "Electric Car Ballet" bounces along and ends with a gorgeous ascending harmonic, and you have your first "must own" track for the stereo in your new Nissan Leaf. It gets a bit Buffalo Spingfield-ish with the moody "Unrequited Love Song" and ending track "Let Your Hair Down Once In A While." This EP fits in your playlist like a comfortable pair of jeans. Fans of The Beatles, Hollies, Beach Boys and James Taylor will surely love it.

— Aaron Kuperferg, Powerpopaholic (Jun 17, 2010)

“ "Love That Lasts" recalls Brian Wilson's solo work, as it's both anthemic and melodic, while "Looking for a Diamond" sports a quirky melody and a glorious harmonica solo in the middle. "The Electric Car Ballet" is a fun number extolling the demise of the combustion engine, and "Let Your Hair Down Once in a While" is a bit more brooding than its title might indicate, but is a wonderful track nonetheless.

— Steve, Absolute Powerpop (Jun 8, 2010)

“ His EP is an incredible, beautiful Brian Wilson-esque burst of creativity. Go get it.

— Mixtape Jones Radio Show (Dec 11, 2010)

“ Melody, deep harmonies, hooks? I can't get enough of them in this computer-dominated music hell perpetrated by the remnants of a mortally wounded music industry (thank the gods that music does not need a corporate structure to survive). No fancy gimmicks here. No videos with images that flash by so fast they want to make you want to stick a fork in your eye. This is music stripped down to what Lekites hears--- what Lekites wants.

— Rock and Reprise (Jan 16, 2011)

“ Listen to one song by Jared Lekites, and immediately you know there’s something different about him...

— Edmond Outlook (Mar 5, 2011)

“ Within five seconds you will completely immerse yourself in this song and thereupon acknowledge the Brian Wilson comparisons. In a complimentary way (and probably unfair to Jared), after listening, I had to resist an insurmountable urge to switch over to the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" on my iTunes...

— Mike from Jivewired (Jan 30, 2011)

“ The musician wrote all the songs and plays all the instruments on his new EP Looking For Diamonds. Let me tell you, he certainly found a few.

— Snob's Music (May 20, 2010)

“ Where [The Electric Car Ballet] scores for me is in keeping that Beatle-ish feel, and of course the endless 'spot the source' games and although Jared is obviously highly influenced by the band, it doesn't detract from the quality or style that he brings to the party. Recommended Beatles-influenced pop rock.

— RebelRiffs UK (Jun 13, 2010)

“ "Too Far Gone", with some nice harmonies from K.C. Clifford, is a pop delight with that California sound, while "Star Map" wouldn't sound out of place on Brian Wilson's "Smile". "Along the Lines of Love" is a gorgeous piano-based ballad, "For Lack of a Better Heart" reminds me of an old Joe South tune, and "Girl Don't Tell Me" makes nice use of Laurie Biagini on vocals to sound like a lost 60s classic.

— Steve, Absolute Powerpop (May 11, 2012)

“ Lekites has certainly perfected the 1960s California retro-pop sound. Star Map is a lesson in poignant and majestic melodies which makes for a quick listen. That is to say, there is nothing on this CD that weighs it down. Even Along The Lines Of Love, which clocks in at over five minutes, comes nowhere near the over-extended-my-stay stage. Frankly, it's the best song on this disc, and Lekites avoids redundant chorus structure and the ever-repetitive fade out, common mistakes among other artists who attempt to pen pop standards that exceed the industry-standard 3m 30s time frame for this genre. In my opinion, Lekites is Brian Wilson light, or maybe even Brian Wilson incarnate, at least as far as style and substance is concerned, if not song writing ability, and this song best exemplifies that revelation. I know that's a strong declaration. Lekites lives up to that promise.

— Mike from JiveWired (Apr 21, 2012)

“ It's totally excusable to ape Brian Wilson when you're aping him THIS WELL. [Star Map Part Two] is imaginative, compositionally brilliant, and executed perfectly...and all in a little bedroom studio. Jared's music helps me realize what's possible in terms of making music completely independently. Brilliance will always come through, even without record labels, mainstream radio or any of that biz.

— The Mixtape Jones Radio Show (Dec 13, 2011)

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