"come close enough, I could be the lonely one..."
Experience "Valentine" and the burning fuse intensity of Jessa Graves's vocal performance might just overwhelm all else, at least at first. Grave's aesthetic leaves everything on the floor or in the air with a clenched fist quality expressed in a gritty back of the throat croon that will effortlessly slide into artful falsettos that don't lose any punchiness. That eclipsing vocal attack is supported by a quiet / loud motif, evocative single double time dirty guitar notes with strident chord strikes, a beautifully powerfully structured bass attack that walk up and down provocatively and tightly wound drums. The jammy musical narrative that draws sheer elegant and punk power from the 3 piece configuration that can be as dense as it wants to be but leaves open spaces to release the tension is just simply captivating. I have always loved great 3 piece bands like J.Graves and while listening I flashed on both The Police and Screaming Females.
J.Graves is based out of Portland comprised of the aforementioned Jessa Graves (lead vox, guitar), Kelly Clifton (bass) and Aaron MacDonald (drums).
"Valentine" is from J.Grave's album "Fortress of Fun" and if you go here: https://www.jgraves.xyz/fof you can experience the songs with accompanying videos in varied ways. I don't want to say too much, don't want to ruin the fun, the adventure of it all but just do it. Do it.
-Robb Donker Curtius
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
https://www.facebook.com/jgraves.xyz
https://www.instagram.com/jgraves.xyz/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0o6k3hGli4YOXmrwrvGni7?autoplay=true&v=A
https://www.jgraves.xyz/fof
https://www.jgraves.xyz/
https://jgraves.bandcamp.com/
“I have some wild ideas, and this is one of them,” laughs Jessa Graves.
It’s good to have the support of your bandmates when it comes to creative ideas, but Portland’s J. Graves is doing something very new that required a little extra long-term understanding from bandmates Kelly Clifton and Aaron MacDonald: a “choose-your-own-adventure” album. Titled Fortress of Fun, each single comes with a music video, which ends with a choice, which, in turn, leads to another video.
In this concept, new single Valentine is the first stepping stone, leading viewers into a visual world full of piercing music, nice beaches, swords, and chain-mail armor. Under the surface, however, Valentine is a song that brims with barely contained despair; a tumult unfettered by its brighter sound. Buried beneath howling refrains and gaunt overdrives lies something equal parts mournful and angry as Graves reflects on an unhealthy relationship that ended just as harshly as it existed.
In the digital world, Fortress of Fun puts the tracklist into the hands of the listener, leaning into the idea that people can (and should!) listen to their songs in any order they want. One thing is for certain, however: no matter the order you choose, you’re bound to feel something both heavy and exciting as you make your way through the emotional maze of the album.
* * *
We get by with a little help from our friends
J. Graves, alt rock, post punk, Portland, Oregon, Jessa Graves, singer songwriter, musician, guitar strikes, 3 piece, jammy, pressure cooker aesthetic, "Valentine", “choose-your-own-adventure” album,
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
https://www.facebook.com/jgraves.xyz
https://www.instagram.com/jgraves.xyz/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0o6k3hGli4YOXmrwrvGni7?autoplay=true&v=A
https://www.jgraves.xyz/fof
https://www.jgraves.xyz/
https://jgraves.bandcamp.com/
“I have some wild ideas, and this is one of them,” laughs Jessa Graves.
It’s good to have the support of your bandmates when it comes to creative ideas, but Portland’s J. Graves is doing something very new that required a little extra long-term understanding from bandmates Kelly Clifton and Aaron MacDonald: a “choose-your-own-adventure” album. Titled Fortress of Fun, each single comes with a music video, which ends with a choice, which, in turn, leads to another video.
In this concept, new single Valentine is the first stepping stone, leading viewers into a visual world full of piercing music, nice beaches, swords, and chain-mail armor. Under the surface, however, Valentine is a song that brims with barely contained despair; a tumult unfettered by its brighter sound. Buried beneath howling refrains and gaunt overdrives lies something equal parts mournful and angry as Graves reflects on an unhealthy relationship that ended just as harshly as it existed.
In the digital world, Fortress of Fun puts the tracklist into the hands of the listener, leaning into the idea that people can (and should!) listen to their songs in any order they want. One thing is for certain, however: no matter the order you choose, you’re bound to feel something both heavy and exciting as you make your way through the emotional maze of the album.
* * *
We get by with a little help from our friends
J. Graves, alt rock, post punk, Portland, Oregon, Jessa Graves, singer songwriter, musician, guitar strikes, 3 piece, jammy, pressure cooker aesthetic, "Valentine", “choose-your-own-adventure” album,
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