Music
Press
"Portland's beloved baby, Jonah, does it again- comes crashing in like a turquoise wave with another overwhelming, dynamic album of lush, encircling Brit pop and Emo. With wet guitar, lush texturing and layers upon layers of cushy backdrop, this is music you can fall back and sink into- just like the ideal beanbag chair. A listening experience like this will impress on your mind the sensations of a warm swim in tropical waters or sleepy days spent in a bed full of pillows with the rain dancing on glass. Do something nice for your weary soul and let "Safe Distance" quell your hopeless hunger. What can I say? I love it. " - CDBaby review of Safe Distance - Derek Sivers, President
"The melody-heavy Portlander's have created remarkably beautiful and sleek, yet cerebral, pop. Experimenters such as James and Radiohead are evident, but this is fueled by a fiery sense of the dramatic. Whether it's shifting from ethereal ballads to shimmering rockers, it's always led by cavernous guitars and vocal gymnastics that are operatic. There's all the splendor and intensity of a winter coastal storm here." - The Oregonian - Andre Hagestadt
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Review of Safe Distance EP
Melodically aggressive, Jonah is a well-balanced musical machine gliding ferociously through a panorama of evocative lyricsand provocative rhythms. Clean and sonically inviting, their songs embrace numerous incredible moments. On this 5 song EP entitled Safe Distance, Jonah's third release, lead singer Henry Curl's voice has never been better. Originally intended for promotional purposes only, demand for Safe Distance prompted the band to put this EP into duplication. The melodic pop and rock of Jonah's music presents an ever present and rich wave of instrumental textures and feelings. Moving like a tide, it pulls the listener along through harmonically explosive instances that ride emotions to the top then draws them back for recovery, only to explode once more. In this way, their music is fully habit forming. An example of this is the opening song on the CD. “Tremor” is a ruse with its innocent keyboard hook playing gently behind Curl's emotive voice. Only seconds later, the hook is set behind a dynamic and volumescent wall of sound occupying every perceivable sense. Because their songs rise and fall in a swell of emotion and power, giving the feeling of expansiveness, it's as if every song is both a rocker and a ballad set in medium tempos. Recently, Jonah has seen action with their music appearing in well-known TV shows such as Dawson's Creek. In June of 2003, the band signed a deal with the LA management team Alan Mintz and Chris Long (Nirvana, Queens of the Stoneage, Counting Crows) and has had several major label showcases in LA. The EP's one live cut, “All Things Remain,” is as clean, energetic and perfect as a studio track. If this song is representative of the band's live performances, then Jonah should spawn a feeding frenzy among the industry sharks. - PerformerMag
- Performer Magazine
Portland, Oregon-based pop-rock band Jonah's latest release, the Safe Distance EP is a glorious pop record, the type of warm, vibrant record that gets equal play on adult alternative and modern rock radio stations. Comparisons could be made to Coldplay, but Jonah's mesmerizing vocalist and talented cast of musicians deliver their own brand of pop music here. Compelling, beautiful, and dreamy, the enchanting pop and subtle sounds of the band, who keep things interesting with a slight rock backdrop, but primarily rely on their lush pop creations, is so full, so heaven-esque at times, you can't help but lose your breath when hearing this EP. - In Music We Trust
"Portland's beloved baby, Jonah, does it again- comes crashing in like a turquoise wave with another overwhelming, dynamic album of lush, encircling Brit pop and Emo. With wet guitar, lush texturing and layers upon layers of cushy backdrop, this is music you can fall back and sink into- just like the ideal beanbag chair. A listening experience like this will impress on your mind the sensations of a warm swim in tropical waters or sleepy days spent in a bed full of pillows with the rain dancing on glass. Do something nice for your weary soul and let "Safe Distance" quell your hopeless hunger. What can I say? I love it. " - CD Baby
Discography
Trust Everyone Before They Break Your Heart (2007)
Safe Distance EP (2003)
Save the Swimmer (2001)
Tracks streaming on NW Radio, Demo Diaries, Promosquad, and regular rotation on radio stations including 94.7 KNRK, KUFO and KINK in Portland, KRXF 92.7 in Bend, KEXP in Seattle, and a host of other stations around the country.
Photos
Bio
Since the 2007 release of Trust Everyone Before They Break Your Heart, Portland band Jonah has been steadily attracting attention from fans and critics alike. From press in SPIN Magazine and the Studio City Sun to regular radio play on Portland's KNRK 94.7, KUFO, and KINK, Seattles KEXP and numerous other stations around the country, not to mention sold out shows with Australias Youth Group and the Silversun Pickups, Jonah is turning heads with their unique brand of anthemic pop music. The band recently returned from a West Coast tour and is gearing up to hit the road again. Stay tuned!
About Jonah
After the release of their Save the Swimmer debut, and the bitter sweet pop symphony of the subsequent Safe Distance EP, it was time for Jonah to step back and dream up where they wanted to go musically with their next offering. They had won over fans and critics alike with their adherence to the majestic side of what pop music could be, something resembling an early U2s passionate earnestness colliding with the hypnotic and dark beauty of Radiohead. Songs from both records had made their way onto nationally syndicated TV hits and garnered radio rotation, as well as landed spots on many compilation discs nationwide. But the bands sound was evolving and needed the experience of a seasoned producer to guide them. They chose Marshall Altman, a veteran from the world of A&R at both Columbia and Hollywood Records and producer of such notable artists as Marc Broussard, Zebrahead, and Matt Nathenson. Altmans friend and colleague, Joe Zook (Modest Mouse, Counting Crows, Remy Zero), was enlisted to engineer the recording.
The result is the long-awaited second full-length album from Jonah: Trust Everyone Before They Break Your Heart, a tightly wound pop testament that displays the breadth of the bands talents. From the dance pulse sheen of Runaground and the chaotic avalanche of Times Up to the cinematic dream pop of The Joy of Drowning, the songs are statements to the whole: portraits of love and loss, the betrayal of the heart and the elusive promise of happiness and success, all set against a backdrop of eternal optimism for the human condition. The centerpiece of Henry Curls bright and dramatic tenor is echoed in the shimmering waves of Chris Hayes understated, less-is-more guitar playing, pinned down by the concise and seamless pulse of Matt Rogers bass and Jake Endicotts explosive drumming. It is the sound of a band evolving into something brand new, without loosing what made them so appealing in the first place.
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