Review #6 : Joe Billy

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Review #6

Artist: Joe Billy
Album: Don’t Mind Me
    Being an all out folk punk artist takes guts. In my opinion a lot of what makes these types of songs what they are is the songwriter’s ability (and courage) to say the things that the lay listener doesn’t want to hear. It means calling out much of the bullshit in the world that most of us do our best to gloss over or shove to the back of our minds. Joe Billy, while also being one of the kindest musicians I have met, does exactly that.

    Don’t Mind Me is this singer/songwriter’s third album released to date and as a returning listener, I can tell you he gets better every time. A mix of fantastic songwriting, solid guitar playing, well-placed lead parts, and a delightful kazoo solo make this LP his best yet.
    While I am a bit biased having filmed this song at a past Frosted Green concert event, I stand by my opinion and belief that Hey You, number 4 on the 7 song tracklist, is Joe Billy’s best and also most genre neutral song on the album. While “calling out” isn’t the best way to say it, Hey You “calls us out”, rather politely might I add, on our constant need to be everywhere else but where we are at the moment. “That fancy phone that is practically a part of your face”, and my face as well, is just one of the many distractions Joe is suggesting we set aside for three minutes to appreciate the atmosphere and people around us. This message, while working well with his genre and themes, is a pretty widely needed in today’s society and I feel as if this track is a good olive branch to those music fans who have yet to find their way to the folk punk genre.
As for the rest of the album, folk punk fans will undoubtedly be pleased. Songs such as, A Song About How I Piss Myself Off and i wont miss any of u, tackle several of the tough issues I mentioned previously. The creative writing and wordplay make these tracks stand out to me and honestly, they don’t mince words… and they shouldn’t. Joe Billy says what is needed here 
and that is pretty much that.

    Outside of lyrics, a folk punk fan like myself will more than likely enjoy the simple acoustic guitar and repetitive riffs that this artist and the genre naturally provide. A stumble upon listener however, depending on the method of consumption, may not be able to decipher when one track ends and the next begins without glancing back at the player. While that is not even a true critique, the style, sound, and delivery this singer/songwriter provides can very much find a comfortable home in the ears of Bob Dylan, Frank Turner, Chuck Ragan, and Laura Jane Grace fans.

With all that said, if you’re so inclined go check out Don’t Mind Me on Bandcamp, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon Music, and Apple Music. Keep an additional eye out as well for an upcoming music video that he has been teasing on social media!

- Ryan Hanratty
Frosted Green Productions


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