"oh my my, I think about it every time you try..."
Step into the very tightly wound fray of J.Graves music and it feel very much forged from the fiery, feral passion that burn from inside Jessa Graves's sinewy persona. Her hyper kinetic expression when she plays and her telecaster worn high actually makes me flash on John Dwyer (OSEES). Live, their unique intensity is indescribable and I wonder how they both come down and are actually able to sleep. When it comes to J.Graves, I also feel like Jessa's symbiotic connection with touring members Kelly Clifton (bass) and Aaron MacDonald (drums) AND the fact that their sound is intrinsically three piece heightens the sonic connection in a big way. A three legged table after all will come crashing down if even only one leg fails it's purpose.
The dual video release of "Marauder and "Go It Alone" from the band's choose your own adventure album "Fortress of Fun" packs a diverse wallop. "Marauder" with it's palm muted chunkiness and beautifully cool harmonic rings moves like an 80's alt rock / post punk affair. Jessa's high falsetto periods at the end of her vocal lines and her overall vocal countenance made me think of Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) and I have never noticed that before. Kudos to the Kelly's every moving bass anchor and Aaron's jagged drumming.
"Go It Alone" actually had me thinking of The Pretenders as well (or maybe that sonic connection is just fused in my head still). Of the two, this track might have bigger eruptions but within the staggered construction and vocal yelps and passionate screams I still feel a huge sort of 80's alt rock smoldering and burning power. Absolutely love the bass and drum rhythm during the sort of first half of the verse structures. It sounds so percussively engine like and so fucking potent.
Amazing songs, amazing passionate, frenetic constructions. J.Graves, how do you sleep? How do you even sleep?
"Marauder / Go It Alone" 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
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THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
https://www.facebook.com/jgraves.xyz
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0o6k3hGli4YOXmrwrvGni7
https://www.youtube.com/jgraves
https://www.instagram.com/jgraves.xyz/
J. Graves is passionate dance-punk. Tense relationship rock, sanguine lyricism, guitar music, chord changes that sound like secret longing, a rhythm section that thuds, skitters, and melts over the determined voice of Jessa Graves. The heat of the cataclysm gives off a vapor known to galvanize meatspace into writhing, dancing heaps, creating rabid, loyal fans.
Recently J. Graves has been featured in NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest who said of their song “Eleven”, “Pairs well with: dancing away from your mistakes...”, Vortex Music Magazine celebrated J. Graves as an “Artist To Watch”. Against all odds, J. Graves is back in 2022, with a crushing new LP Fortress of Fun, a choose your own adventure record due out this fall.
With comparisons to Sleater-Kinney, Karen O, and, Siouxsie And The Banshees for it’s stylistic approach and raw power, catching a J. Graves show became a goal for music denizens of the Northwest. Along her trajectory Graves annealed other talent with her drive and ideals. Kelly Cifton, perhaps the best bassist (and certainly the most exciting to watch) in the Pacific Northwest, and the unassuming Aaron MacDonald, who would be a watchmaker --for his distinct timing and style, were he not a drummer.
On top of all this (!) you should know, nothing can substitute the experience of a live J. Graves show. You must be in front of the liquid rhythm section and pounding chords of the band to feel the blast. In performance Graves eyes roll furiously and her jawline sets as she contacts the emotion that produced her songs. She contorts herself around a fender slimline telecaster, and, in fits and starts, springs forth with contagious, inspiring performances. J. Graves is efficiency personified, the body of rock ‘n’ roll. The living example of repurposing personal and emotional refuse for growth. Through chaotic, cathartic music, J. Graves is defining the future of music, giving us all life, from their Deathbed.
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J. Graves, Portland, singer songwriter, indie rock, alt rock, post punk, dance punk, new album "Fortress of Fun", "Marauder and "Go It Alone" Official Videos,
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