By Brent Thompson

Texan Jesse Dayton was raised on a diverse host of musical influences and now he’s revisiting the songs that inspired him. On Mixtape Volume 1 [Blue Elan Records], Dayton stretches himself by covering a wealth of stylistic ground. Gordon Lightfoot (“If You Could Read My Mind”), The Cars (“Just What I Needed”), Jackson Browne (“Redneck Friend”) and AC/DC (“Whole Lotta Rosie”) are all fair game here and Dayton sounds up to the challenge. In fact, Dayton accomplishes the most difficult task of placing his own stamp on familiar, well-worn material. As we delve into Mixtape Volume 1, we can also take heart that a new set of listeners will be introduced to these songs.