Review #30: Jackie June (On the Move)

-

Review #30

Artist: Jackie June
Single: On the Move
    In the world of late 90s and early 2000s rom-coms, the viewer sees the camera pan down to a shot of Manhattan or Los Angeles from above. This is followed by a cut to that particular film's female protagonist as she walks down the street holding hot coffee that she most likely is about to spill on someone who we will have to get to know for the next 90 plus minutes. All the while, "On The Move" by Jackie June is 100% setting the tone for these opening shots and would be listed as the first song on that CD soundtrack compilation. Remember those?
They were the best. Now we have "playlists" … "sigh".
    "On The Move" is our first taste of new music released by Jackie June in 2020. Likely gearing up for some more big releases, June is coming off a strong 2019 which included the release of her debut EP, "Wildflower" and an opening slot for 80's pop sensation, Tiffany at Debonair Music Hall
in Teaneck, NJ.
    Though I am guessing here, when listening to this single I get a strong feeling that Jackie was channeling inspiration from artists such as Alanis Morissette, Natalie Imbruglia, and maybe even Vertical Horizon. The overall tone of the song perfectly fits the breakout eras of these artists and carries a nostalgia known to us aging millennials. I would love to hear this song accidentally slipped into some road trip mixes this summer.
    On the technical end, the song is beautifully and professionally produced by Jason Haag and features studio musicians, Jon Loree, Julien Renvoise, and Michael Hitchcock. The song’s lyrics come from a collaboration of talent comprising of June herself, Haag, and Chris McKenna. "On The Move" also contains vocals engineered by Mark Brown of Musik Haus Studios. Brown did a great job of keeping June's voice strong but also consistent with her previous release. It is great to hear that Jackie's voice is her own and there isn't much editing trying to change that.
    As a first single for the new decade, I think this track tops 2018's "Chasing Nightmares" and nudges June's trajectory toward a more optimistic brand of pop rock. And while I do love my dark, brooding, and straight up depressing jams, I do occasionally enjoy a good ole happy bop once in awhile. I look forward to hearing what else June has in store for us this year and if you haven't heard "On The Move” yet, you can find it on all major streaming sites.

Ryan Hanratty
Frosted Green Productions



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review #31: Freddie Bourne (The Troubled Boy at the Bonfire Disco)

-
Image
Review #31 Artist: Freddie Bourne EP: The Troubled Boy At The Bonfire Disco  Freddie Bourne has yet to cease to amaze me.      While I know it's been a minute since Frosted Green's last review, you may recall that  I also took a listen to Freddie's previous release, "Vulnerable Commercialism " (listen to it here ). That less than typical live EP in my opinion, felt like a very refreshing look into what goes on  in the mind of the modern-age singer-songwriter. Well now he's back again to flip the tables!      "The Troubled Boy At The Bonfire Disco" is the musical love-child of Ed Sheeran , Coldplay , Mashmellow , and Avicii . Yeah I know, strange baby. It's really good though!      As I began listening to this EP I was met with about what I expected ... at first.  On "I Hope You Don't Forgive Me", there is forty-seven seconds of very pretty and professionally produced finger-picking and...
Read more

Review #16 : Freddie Bourne (Vulnerable Commercialism )

-
Image
REVIEW #16 Artist: Freddie Bourne Album: Vulnerable Commercialism There is a lot to enjoy on this release, but the three most important things are that it is unique, it is heartfelt, and it sounds amazing. Freddie Bourne is a solo singer/songwriter from Jackson, NJ who shows off his professional vocal and piano skills in this new live EP called Vulnerable Commercialism . Being his fourth release, Bourne clearly felt like it was time to try a different approach to releasing new music. These new songs were recorded infront of a live audience in what seems to be a very intimate setting. Not knowing where the show took place I think enhanced the listening experience for me. I spent a lot of my time listening, trying to place where the performance could possibly be. My brain for some reason placed him in a hotel bar, but I mean a good one. Not like a Holiday Inn , but like Hilton or something fancy! Okay, I’ll stop now. I’m clearly showing that my wallet has not taken me...
Read more

Review #20 : Blue Vervain

-
Image
Review #20 Artist: Blue Vervain Song: Cycle     Sometimes less is more, and Blue Vervain’s debut single, Cycle does a great job of giving listeners a slight taste without giving away the new band’s entire vibe.     After listening to Cycle a few times, it’s easy to understand why BV felt this was the right choice for their grand unveiling. This song is merely a wonderfully done tease of what is to come. It’s brief, it’s interesting, and it dives into a variety of sounds.     While there is a chance that the full album, Wounds, dropping September 6th, may sound nothing like this single, I still think Cycle is a solid choice in the sense that it’s progressive simplicity sparks curiosity. What I found in this song is a well blended mixture of genres. The beginning, well the first half of the song really, feels very much like a track produced by an artist living in the new singer-songwriter age. This odd area in music, in some scenes has ...
Read more