Jell

Victoria's Jell makes Grammy long list
Adrian Chamberlain, Times Colonist
Published: Saturday, November 03, 2007

Victoria rock band Jell has made the long-list ballot for the 2008 Grammy Awards in seven categories, including best new artist.

Jell has been recognized for its independently released album, Drown. As well as best new artist, the group is long-listed in the categories of: album of the year, record of the year (for the single Awake: Lost Weekend), song of the year (Awake: Lost Weekend) twice for best record performance by a duo or group with vocals (for the singles Drown and That's Alright With Me), best rock song (Awake: Lost Weekend) and best rock album.

The band consists of Rob Willey (vocals, guitar) his brother Alex Willey (bass) and Evan James (drums). The long-list nod puts Jell in the running with hundreds of other artists in each category. Ballots will be send to thousands of National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) members, who will vote to determine a short-list of five nominees in each category.

In a release, the band wrote: "The members of Jell know they have little chance competing against such rock heavyweights as Linkin Park, Foo Fighters and Fallout Boy. But to be placed beside them on the ballot for the biggest awards in the music industry is a major feat for any unsigned Canadian band."

The nominations came through the band's association with Big Noise, a Rhode Island-based artist development company. Its president, Al Gomes, is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. It was Gomes who submitted Jell's album, Drown, to the Grammys.

The band will perform Nov. 10 at Steamer's Pub, with guests Sunday Buckets.




© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2007
- Times Colonist

Jell is maticulous about there music.
Live and in the studio, they play with purpose; demontrating their talent subtly through creative songwriting and smooth execution. Jell is influenced by the melodic side of modern rock, balancing well crafted pleasent grooves with heavy bass lines and overdrive guitar. As Jell's peach fuzz thickens up, with a little luck and some hard work, thair recognition and notoriety might someday match their considerable talent.
- Braden Mack - Files Magazine

Jell's sound is appropriately laid back in attitude, with lazy dreamy vocals flaoting with apperent insouciance over a coarser and occasionally abrasive body- despite the darker subject matter. Indeed, Rob Willey's introspective lyrics are integral, and give depth and meaning to the whole. Jell have an ear for a tune, as well as a aural sense of understatement.
- Ian Ross - Attractions A and E

Rockers starting to gel
By Patrick Blennerhassett - Victoria News - June 04, 2008

Victoria bandmates look to create their own niche

Sitting around a James Bay backyard, the members of Victoria rock band Jell are taking it easy.

Guitarist/vocalist Rob Willey, brother and bass player Alex – they both live here – and drummer Evan James enjoy a couple of beers and ping-pong games as tunes blast from a CD player inside.

The band’s sound fits this scene – rock, but not hard rock; laid back along the lines of the Stone Temple Pilots, Oasis and Red Hot Chili Peppers – a genre that defined the late 1990s rock movement.

The three friends say they grew up listening to these very bands, even as far back as when they attended South Park elementary, where the trio first got together and started jamming.

Rob and James first played together at the tender age of 12 and the band still maintains the same style of music, Rob said.

“We’re trying to do something new, but at the same time maintain some of our influences,” he said. “That’s really the big period for us, the 90s rock and the late 60s rock is probably our favourite time periods.”

About six years ago they got serious and formed Jell. The band’s debut release was 2005’s Stuck.

The title track draws from a number of influences: Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, The Doors, Our Lady Peace and Metallica, with all of them sort of jelled into one sound.

The band has also played a wide variety of venues. They’ve criss-crossed Canada, ventured down to California to play at the famous Whisky a Go Go nightclub in West Hollywood, where legendary bands such as The Byrds, The Doors and The Kinks launched their careers.

Rob said independent touring has been an excellent experience. “You could be playing in front of five people or you could be playing in front of 200 people. You never know, usually five people though.”

“Playing music as a job is basically what we’re after,” added Alex. “When we’ve toured before, it’s not really been to make any money, it’s kind of just to get our name out there.”

The band will be re-releasing its sophomore record Drown with a bunch of new tracks this Friday at Sugar Nightclub. They’ve also just finished their sixth music video, “Try” off the new record.

Rob said with the changing music industry, getting your sound out there anyway you can – MySpace, videos, touring, is a must these days to try and land some real support.

“The industry is changing but we still want a record deal,” he said. “That’s kind of what we’ve been working towards and everything always changes. But at the end of the day, you still need some sort of record label to invest money in you and push you.”

Even without the help of a label, Jell has so far done extremely well for themselves. Drown was long-listed for a number of 2008 Grammy Awards through the band’s affiliation with a National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences member in Rhode Island.

The band was also nominated for Live Performance of the Year at the 2006 Island Music Awards. When it comes to defining the band’s sound, jelling might be the most appropriate word. You can hear a multitude of sounds coming in and out – Foo Fighters, Audioslave, Velvet Revolver, even bassist Alex busts out the cello on a couple tracks. When it comes to penning songs, they just do it and worry about explaining it all after the fact, Rob said.

“It just happens song by song, or a couple songs. We go through phases and we’ll write some songs that are heavier. Then a couple months down the road it will change. It’s never really a conscious thing. I just kind of write them and however they come out is how they come out, I guess. But we definitely try to switch it up and do different things.”

patrickb@vicnews.com

- Victoria News