Having grown up north of Seattle, James Berkley clearly derives some influence from the quintessential era of coffee shop singer/songwriters (i.e., Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, etc). This is showcased on his latest single, "Holy Ghost." Plenty of sliding chords and string slaps fill out the sounds of this sparse track. The cover art we received calls it a "demo," and it has that feel of missing some production. In spite of this, the music still sounds full enough for the length of the track (under 2 minutes). What helps is solid backing vocals that make up for a lack of other instrumentation. Berkley's voice also carries its own weight in filling out the sound. The song itself is about encountering the Holy Spirit while out and about, surrounded by creation. The words aren't groundbreaking poetry, but they at least avoid all the cliches that could come from a tune like this. It's a song that encourages contemplation in its own sparse, thoughtful way. The lyrics mention listening to music with "the window down low," and this is certainly a song that could fit such a setting. "Holy Ghost" may just be a snippet of James Berkley's larger musical output, but it sounds like a spiritual successor to early Shawn McDonald. Fans of that genre of singer/songwriter will enjoy Berkley's latest and have something to listen to while driving through nature.

- Review date: 6/5/25, written by John Underdown of Jesusfreakhideout.com