Music
Press
"Music is well written - lots of textures, nice melodies. You guys have a very cohesive sound - the music is upbeat & the performances are all well done." - staff member
"Wow, very cool! Great performances by the entire band, and the production sounded very professional. This sounds like a good "jam" tune that would be a great crowd pleaser on a sunny Saturday afternoon at the county fair. - Art Catharsis, Vancouver, WA.
"Kind've jam-funk-rock, it's pretty cool. I like the mix of male and female vocals, good call there. The production is really solid from what I can tell - an excellent mix. The instruments sound great on their own. The arrangement is right on. good song. - adkgroup from Needham, Mass.
"Love those guitar sounds. Need to see this band live, lots of stuff goin on. The guitars rock. Both vocals are awesome and work well together." - BushLeagueband
MOTHER JONES: LOS ANGELES, CA. GOLDEN BOYS: "Mother Jones calls itself a “rock and roll jamband.” They’ve certainly got the vibe, as much of their material starts with a laidback, melodic groove and then picks up pace and intensity. The Grateful Dead, Dickey Betts, mid-‘70s Eric Clapton as well as world beat influences are all evident. At the same time, the band fits neatly into the modern-day jam scene. After a year-and-a-half of touring in California and Arizona, the band is getting ready for more widespread touring to help promote its debut, Life Is Illusion. The album boasts memorable, hook-laden songs and interesting picking and is more than worth the price of admission."- Relix Magazine, Dec. 2003 issue. - Mick Skidmore
Mother Jones has something in common with the magazine that has the same title; liberal media. Specifically, they were featured as the “Jam Band Artist of the Year” for 2006, and Neil Young has actually deemed them worthy enough to be on his website as “songs of the times”. The first track is “Lost in Emotion”, and if individuals did not have a copy of this album, they would definitely guess that the track is twenty or thirty years old.
Hints of The Manfred Mann Band and Chicago present themselves during this first track, with a funky bass and dual vocals filling out this very catchy track. The term “jam band” seems to be incorrectly applied to Mother Jones during their “Union”. When I think of jam bands, I think of the String Cheese Incident and Phish. What I hear from “Union” is a seventies pop-rock band, with tracks like “Lay Me Down” sounding much more like the Starland Vocal Band than Trey Anastasio. While it is true that Mother Jones work very deeply in a specific niche, the rich instrumentation that is present during each and every song on “Union” makes for a solid disc that will stand up to repeat listenings. Despite the fact that pretty much all of the tracks on “Union” break the five minute mark, the interesting instrumentation and arrangement of that instrumentation allows the band to not have to rein it in immediately.
The Heart meets seventies rock sound of “In Your Lies” shows that the band can vary their output if they wish to; this gives an already energetic album a shot in the arm; individuals will just be that much more transfixed by Mother Jones here. For individuals that want a current sound to their band, Mother Jones may not play the style of music that will excite them on to buying “Union”.
However, if the quality of the music is what is important, the music here on “Union” is without comparison. The arrangements link together expertly played instruments, and the smoothed-out vocals give the band a shine that acts like a cherry on top of their sweet, sweet sundae. The best thing about Mother Jones is the fact that they could conceivably do this album without much in the way of changes; the music here is timeless, and there are very few in the way of things that could or should be changed.
Top Tracks: Lost in Emotion, Round and Round
Rating: 7.5/10
- Neufutur Magazine
Mother Jones - Union
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000FSML90/thecelebritycafehttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000FSML90/thecelebritycafe-
A mixture of rockin’ songs and more subdued ones describes Union, from Mother Jones. The album’s title is the perfect one since it partners classic rock and acoustic rock into one harmonious blend.
“Lost in Emotion” has what sounds like saxophone play along with upbeat guitar and drum and cymbal work. The beat can only be explained as groovin’ as the female vocalist emotes how her feelings have overtaken her, with lines like, “I’m lost in emotion, I’m livin’ in a dream, I’m swimmin’ in an ocean, I’ll be next to you.” Her voice is cool and collected and could show listeners she is comfortable with being engulfed by her sentiments.
On “Lay Me Down,” there is more of what sounds like the saxophone, accompanied by drum and some piano in the background. This track has a jazzy flow to it as the female vocalist sings softly about being content with what she has, with lines like, “Lay me down don’t lay me in misery…Made the most of what life’s given me, winds of mercy on my side.”
“In YourLies” has robust guitar and drum work that mimics that of a power ballad by a rock deity. Each chord and beat are fevered as the female vocalist asks the male vocalist if she matters to him as much as he matters to her, as she belts out lines like, “Baby, I been wonderin’, baby I been ponderin'. Am I in your heart? Am I in your eyes? Baby, I been worryin'. All I wanna know is, am I in your life? Am I in your lies?” The male vocalist chimes in now with similar inquiries which could make listeners wonder if the lines of communication have been crossed, with emphatic lines like, “Girl won’t you stop pretendin'? Girl, won’t you show some feelin'? Feel it in your heart, feel it in your soul…All I really wanna know is, am I in your life? Am I your lies?” Both vocalists show how passionate they are about each other and how much they ache to know how the other truly feels.
Mother Jones’s Union has songs that deal with relationships, whether they are working or not, and each portrays the spectrum of emotion from calm and collected to ardent and committed.
Reviewer: Sari N. Kent
new
Reviewer's Rating: 9
- Celebrity Cafe
Union is a technically proficient record with some strong performances on it. 'Lost in Emotion' sounds a touch like The Style Council. 'Lay Me Down' begins with a Zappa style riff that acts as a motif throughout the tune. 'In your Lies' features a riff cut from the same cloth as Lenny Kravitz and features great Hammond playing courtesy of Marshall Thompson. 'The Universe Song' has a funky, country feel to it.
'Milkin the Cows' see the band let rip with everybody getting a chances to display their musical prowess. This record has an Acid Jazz-lite feel to it. Mid 90's Santana or a rockier Brand New Heavies spring to mind. - Americana UK
Discography
Mother Jones released their 2nd album, "UNION" in 2006, mastered at Capitol Records & recorded at Paramount Recording Studios.
Their 1st album, "Life Is Illusion", was also recorded at Paramount Recording Studios in 2003.
All of "UNION" and much of "Life Is Illusion" were recorded on 2" analog tape at Parmount.
Photos
Bio
A dynamic, six-piece, multi-genre jam band from Los Angeles, Mother Jones, LA Music Awards "Jamband Artist of the Year", has assembled a powerhouse of some of the West Coast’s finest musicians and vocalists.
After forming over 6 years ago, they have released two strong, well-received albums and have been consistently touring and performing throughout California and neighboring states. With it’s arsenal of performers and songwriters the band has developed a unique and powerful sound that is all their own, delivering the complete package of great songs, powerful performances and flowing jams to fans and listeners.
Their most recent album, 'UNION', held steady in the top 20 for several months in early 2007 on the Jam Radio Chart at Jambands.com. Having been awarded “Runner Up” in Relix magazine’s August “Jam Off” competition they are currently listed in the magazine’s “On The Rise” section. At least 6 songs from 'UNION' have received regular airplay at over 60 stations around the US, and throughout Europe. Songs from both 'UNION' as well as their first album, 'Life Is Illusion', have been listed as “Track of the Week” at Garageband.com, where they have also won several “Critics Choice” awards. They’ve been listed in the “Top 10” on the Internet Jam station, “Ear Candy for the Mind”, at Live365.com, where they are a “Featured Artist” in the Live365.com library.
'UNION', was mastered at Capitol Records by Evran Gocknar and recorded at Paramount Recording Studios in Hollywood by Barry Conley using all analog recording- creating a rich, warm sound. With members of Mother Jones coming from a wide variety of musical backgrounds, their music is influenced by everything from Rock and R&B, to Bluegrass, Folk and Country, to World Beat. Their diverse originals and energy-driven performances have captured the attention of both Jam music fans and industry professionals throughout the world.
Links
