If
Jaron Lowenstein’s name sounds familiar, that’s because
Getting Dressed in the Dark -- his debut as a country artist -- isn’t his first project.
Lowenstein spent most of the ‘90s and early 2000s playing with his brother in the pop duo
Evan & Jaron, whose popularity reached a brief peak in 2000 with “Crazy for This Girl.” The brothers threw in the towel three years later, prompting
Jaron to launch his own career as a Nashville-styled songwriter.
Getting Dressed in the Dark often owes more to
Lowenstein's pop influences than Nashville's country tradition, but it also plays to his strengths fairly well. He’s an affable vocalist and adequate storyteller, and he mines a recent breakup for the bulk of his irreverent, sometimes surprisingly dark lyrics. “Pray for You” opens with a gospel flourish before taking a few twisted turns (“Honey, I’ll pray for you… I pray your tire blows out at 110”), and “I Hope You Hit Traffic” continues the snarky automotive theme. ~ Andrew Leahey