JEFF

"So here's the story: two brothers, Jake and Jamin Orrall grew up side by side in Nashville, Tennessee under the watchful eye of their father, the legendary producer Robert Ellis Orrall. Naturally, the brothers themselves became aspiring and heavily talented musicians; Jamin specializing with drums, Jake with a guitar. Bursting into their teens, in 2002, our protagonists soon formed a band together known simply as the brotherhood JEFF, along with a micro label named Infinity Cat Recordings (set in the basement of their family home). First releasing material by the famed 'kid-punk' band THE SEX, Infinity Cat soon turned its focus onto the brothers debut LP, I Like You, and Jeff were born. The brothers have since found fame through other mediums, namely in the co-creation of their 2003 post-punk band, BE YOUR OWN PET, in which both Jake and Jamin were founding members along with Jemina Pearl and Jonas Stein. However, early in the bands career, Jake left to spend a year in Iceland and was replaced by current bassist, Nathan Vasquez. With the recent successes of byoP it is hard to believe that Jeff is the brother's first love, and yet their new LP, Castle Storm presents a welcome reunion and return for the brother's number one project. Despite the re-developed work-force, direct comparisons can still be drawn between Jeff and the brother's 'side-project' Be Your Own Pet. For instance, the reliance on heavy guitar hooks and thumping, eccentric drum patterns are the same, as is the notorious eccentricity and liveliness of both bands. If anything does tell Jeff and byoP apart from each other, and fans of byoP might find this is hard to believe, its that the latter are if anything the slightly more mellowed, chilled out, melodic pop variations of Jeff's heavier, more dramatic, and at times messy hardcore vibe. Don't get me wrong, the Orrall brothers are extremely accomplished musicians, its just that Jeff are more a kick in the nuts during a bikers bar brawl, where byoP are a mere slap on the chops during a tussle at the country club. Furthermore, the aforementioned energy levels packed into the brotherhood's new record are no less than remarkable, even more so than byoP's recent offerings. Reminiscent of early '90s, Dirty-era Sonic Youth, Jeff's third release sounds like Lee Ranaldo on a thousand amphetamine hits. Jeff also seem to subscribe to the recent alt-indie trend of instrumental two-pieces ever present in the north-east American states at the current time. You need only look as far as Jack Whites Detroit based blues-rock revolution to see this, in which his own band The White Stripes and such more recent acts as the 'moog-rock' trio Whirlwind Heat are redefining the rules in terms of required instruments. No longer are four band members needed to shake a venue at its foundations, and this seems to influence the brothers more than ever. Songs like "Doo It", "Glen Echo", "I Don't Need Your Tas-T", and the comical "Continental Breakfast" pack the punch of the album, which -to be honest - offers very little respite from its head on attack on your ear drums. Maintaining its 'fast n' loud' vibe throughout, Castle Storm is a record to get the scenesters' rocking and the popsters' running. If Be Your Own Pet attracted the crowd, the Orrall brother's latest record will truly set the men from the boys."
- Subculture Magazine