MUSIC REVIEW: Jo Below - “New Worlds” EP
Jo Below… now, if I recall correctly, back in the Musicalypse days, I found an EP from these guys (I believe it was 2021’s “No Control”) that I really enjoyed for a window of time, and somewhat forgot about. Their name has stuck with me though, probably because I had gotten them confused with Somehow Jo (another Inverse Records band, though they’re very much more prog rock and sound nothing like Jo Below). So, when they popped up in my email today for having released a new EP, “New Worlds,” I had to sit down and give it a spin, which ended up turning into several spins.
“New Worlds” is a 5-song EP that immediately grasps the listener’s attention for having both extremely funky and interesting guitar lines from Roni Seppänen, as well as absolutely rockin’ and interesting vocals from Johanna Kari. Furthermore, Olli Vartiainen on drums and Jonne Lindqvist on bass keep things from getting stale in the rhythm section. It’s also worth mentioning that there are some… I want to say organs in “Broken Promises” and keyboards in “Who Are You,” though I couldn’t figure out who to credit for them. Johanna is a diverse vocalist who isn’t just singing pretty notes; rather, she’s playing around and experimenting, throwing some grit in at opportune moments, while softening up in other critical moments. The production is really nice as well, sound clean and modern without being so polished as to take the flavor out of the instruments.
Now, since I don’t have a lot to tell you about the band, I’ll at least share what the press release informed me:
“Jo Below’s music is influenced by a wide range of styles, varying from Southern rock to grunge and pop-punk. Driven by singalong choruses, heavy rock riffs, and high-quality production, the band serves an exciting blend of classic rock and modern American-style hard rock.”
That’s pretty spot on. There’s a lot of influence from country-rock and Southern rock music in the guitar sound, which is probably my personal favorite part of the EP, because I absolutely love that sort of music. Plus, there are these ‘90s alternative moments that get juxtaposed against that country sound in songs like “Who Are You” that I find really impressive. Then, there’s some grunge, alternative, and country-rock in “The Unknown.” It’s like someone’s cooking with all of my current favorite spices!
If you can put on “Broken Promises” and not immediately fall in love with it for that guitar sound, there might be something wrong with you. Then when they switch over to electric guitars? That’s masterwork! They just tease it though, softening up a bit so they can build it up again. This leads into a nice singalong chorus… it could have used maybe a little bit more of a hook, but that’s me nit-picking at best, because it’s still really effective and isn’t too predictable. The song caps off with some repeated catchy guitar riffs… perfect! These fabulous guitar lines continue into “Forever Mine,” which also takes a more alternative spin and Johanna puts on a grittier edge, to very good effect!
The acoustic guitar sound in “Who Are You” is great, reminiscent of the sort of music you hear in movies when a main character comes to a really profound understanding at the end. The gentler vocals suit it nicely and the addition of the pianos add a little extra something special to the sauce. Then, “Life on the Line” is a bit more of a straightforward rock ‘n’ roll song, laid-back yet still making sure to keep your attention with little emphases like the backing vocal lines.
The EP then wraps up with a little change once more as the drums take center stage to kick things off, though that country-rock guitar flavor joins in quickly enough. Here, we also get a taste of Johanna using a bit of the country style in the vocals too during the verses, though the overall ambience doesn’t necessarily feel like a country song; I still feel like I’m swimming in a pool of rock music. The absolute funk in the guitars between verses is candy to my ears and I like the way the vocals are layered overtop of it when they join in. At this point, I also noticed that not all four of them play at the same time with the same regularity as most bands. There are plenty of moments where the drums and bass are silent, or there are no guitars… interesting! This song has excellent drama and dynamics, it’s a really solid closer and I’m sorry this was only an EP and not a full album.
So, straight-up, I recommend this album for anyone who wants something that’s bright but still rockin’. Beyond that, I recommend it for people who have a taste for country music but who dislike the way it’s turned poppy in recent decades. I also recommend it if you like fierce vocalists (and even better if you like female vocalists) or unique guitars. I also recommend it if you like music’s that’s catchy but still complex and interesting, but not to an extent that it’s too progressive. Ultimately, it’s a pretty easy EP to enjoy, so maybe I should just say that you should give it a chance! Personally, I’ll have to keep my eyes open to see if they’re playing live sometime—I think that’d be a show worth checking out.
Tracklist
Broken Promises
Forever Mine
Who Are You
Life on the Line
The Unknown
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