Stanley June

Stanley June is a solo rock musician from Johannesburg whose first album, Imitating Art, is an artistically undefinable alternative rock effort.

It’s hard to pin down a comparison to illustrate his specific brand of alternative. A variety of influences like Alter Bridge, Bon Jovi & Shinedown are listed on his Facebook page, but their individual “contribution” to the music is veiled – Stanley June seems to appropriate concepts and ideas, without borrowing too directly from anyone.

Often, music is seen as a collaborative art, but Stanley June’s self-produced debut (probably a budgetary & artistic decision, rather than a commercial one) doesn’t fall short due to lack of manpower. The music has a full “rock band” arrangement, with pianos, acoustic guitar and guest vocals complementing the electric guitars on select tracks. Anyone who has seen him perform live, will also attest that the lack of a backing band doesn’t hold him back.

Lyrically, Imitating Art touches on familiar images and genre tropes, like Dancing In The Rain, romantic mistakes and self-doubt, and the emotionally trapped girl (with the ribbon in her hair) who’s looking for escape. Several songs are the masculine type of love songs that might be associated with groups like Alter Bridge: focusing on the emotion without becoming too “sensitive” or “poppy”. June’s music rests on the edge of pop-rock, without ever toppling over.

With this confident debut, Stanley June seems to express himself, tell stories, and above all else share his passion for music with the listener – and he does so in his own way, but flavoured with a familiar alternative.

Album review by Floris Groenewald - SA Music Scene

Johannesburg-based singer Stanley June does more than just imitate art. TygerBurger caught up with him while he was touring Cape Town recently. Stanley describes himself as an "ordinary next-door guy" who likes making music and performing, but when it comes to music, he's an all round creative. Besides writing and performing his own songs, he also produces his own music videos, creates his own album art and runs a studio where he records and produces his own music.

"I love the entire process of just putting everything together, working from the starting point to the finished product," he says.

Like other artists, he isn't always happy with the end product, but knows that the music will lose its intimacy if he keeps hammering away at it. - TygerBurger Newspaper

The Johannesburg solo artist, Stanley June, recently returned from his highly successful Cape Mini Tour and we can’t help but share the details with you!

This was the third Cape tour that Stanley undertook, but this one exceeded the previous two by a far stretch. “The audiences on this tour made it extra special. Every venue was filled to the brim with people eager to witness live music stripped down to its core; eyes and ears fixed to the stage in dead silence. It was unbelievable,” he says.

Stanley opened for Jesse Clegg at the famous Die Boer Theatre in Durbanville and the reaction was overwhelming.

Thereafter his tour led him to the beautiful coastal town of Onrus River, where he played at a sold-out Sprokkelster Theatre alongside blues maestro, Albert Frost. The theatre’s owner and manager, Louise van Zyl, had the following to say about Stanley: “It was a privilege to have the young artist, Stanley June, performing at Sprokkelster. His talent and potential blew the audience away and we hope to welcome him back to the venue soon.”

He ended off his tour with a show at the Barleycorn Music Club – a music showcase platform that has been around since 1975. De Etheridge, one of the club’s organisers, also only had praise for Stanley after seeing him live: “Stanley June made his debut appearance at the Barleycorn Music Club with professionalism. We wish him the best for his future career.”

Apart from his shows, Stanley had an equally busy publicity schedule. He was interviewed on Whalecoast FM, the regional radio station in Hermanus. Stanley also appeared on the live morning TV show on SABC 3, Expresso. One of the show’s main presenters, Katlego Maboe, interviewed him and he performed two songs live. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayNQkkxUoJU

Then Stanley also paid the regional Cape Town newspaper, TygerBurger, a visit, where Arts and Entertainment journalist, Louisa Steyl, interviewed him about his career, tour and upcoming plans. Read the interview online here: http://www.tygerburger.co.za/220662/news-details/stanleys-music-no-art-imitation

Be sure to keep a close eye on Stanley June’s online links for details about what he’ll be up to in 2015. We can give you a sneaky hint: he will be playing alongside one of SA’s best reckoned guitarists in Gauteng in February… - Student Brands

Johannesburg, South Africa born and bred musician Stanley June found his calling as a musician early on after finishing high school. In several local bands including Face of Change, June learned how to become a professional musician. Stanley June and Face of Change created a stir within that community before they called it a day back in 2010.

While part of Face of Change and other bands before them, Stanley June developed his ability to play many different musical instruments. Although it was basically his ability as a bass player that gave Face of Change its backbone, June can also play the guitar, keys and other instruments.
When Face of Change went their separate ways back in 2010, June took his abilities as a multi-talented musician and started creating music on his own in his own studio called Musicswan Studios. While June plays nearly everything by himself, the one-man band way of writing of his music does not suffer from the usual staleness that can sometimes occur with some DIY artists. Stanley June is currently promoting his current release of Imitating Art.

Imitating Art from Stanley June begins with the track “Limbo”. The track has an Alternative Rock feel that will remind people of a combination of something from U2 and Coldplay with a bit more of an Alternative Rock edge than a Pop-Rock feel. The track features a very melodic, guitar-based musical base. The modern feel of the music of the track makes it perfect for today’s radio formats as the track has a very commercial feel to it.

While “Limbo” features that Alternative Rock edge to it, the next track of “Safe and Sound” finds Stanley June bringing a bit more of the pop-rock quality into the music. The driving feel of songs like “Clocks” from Coldplay brings the track to life. The guitar play on this track really brings out the guitarist in June. The track ends up being one of the standout tracks on the release.
The track “Girl With the Ribbon in Her Hair” is one of the most interesting tracks on the Imitating Art album from Stanley June. The track features music that seems to borrow from both Pop-rock and Alternative Rock influences in the music. The music has a slight Alternative Rock edge to it but still has plenty of Pop-Rock feel to it. The Pop-Rock feel of the song comes in with the simple feel of the lyrics as the listener may come to sing along with the track without much effort. You could easily imagine finding this song on either Top 40 or Alternative Rock radio formats. “Girl With the Ribbon in Her Hair” is another track that is definitely bound to become a favorite on the release.

Stanley June slows the pace of the music down with the track “Dancing in the Rain”. The music of the track brings to mind bands like The Alarm, Big Country, U2 and other Great Britain bands as the song’s commercial feel places the song more on with the British flavor of current Rock and Roll. The slower pace of the song lends itself well to the emotional feel of the lyrics. You can almost imagine slow dancing to the song with that special someone.

With the track “Words Fall Short,” the feel of the music from Stanley June changes dramatically. While the majority of the album contains a guitar-based sound, “Words Fall Short” finds June creating a track with the piano as the main instrument, with the guitar adding a lot of support as the two instruments combine to create a Rock ballad with Stanley June and Sharon De Caires creating a duet. Stanley June and De Caires sing a song about not being able to find the right words. The simple feel of the piano and the guitar on the track brings to mind songs from another time period when the style of writing was a lot less complicated. The simplicity of the music allows the vocals from both Stanley June and Sharon De Caires to come through clearly. The addition of the electric guitar solo on the track adds a nice texture to the song.

The Imitating Art album comes to a close with the title track of the album. “Imitating Art” is a track that sounds like something that would have been found on Power Rock radio formats back at that time. The song also contains lyrics that contain a ballad-like feel to them.
Listening to the Imitating Art album, you can hear that Stanley June clearly has the talent for writing well-crafted songs. And with the fact that much of the album was created by June, you can tell that he is a well-rounded musician. That combination helps to create a very strong release in Imitating Art.

Artist: Stanley June
Album: Imitating Art
Reviewer: Matheson Kamin
Rating: ***** (five stars) - The Rock and Roll Report

Reviewed by Alice Neiley
Rating: 5 stars out of 5.

When I was in middle school, I used to sneak out of Sunday school just before the end, sneak the car keys out of my mother’s purse, and run out to the parking lot. The radio show, Casey’s Top 40, aired every Sunday at 11am, and I simply wouldn’t miss it. I’d start up the car and lie down on the floor of the back seat, listening to the music, feeling it vibrate through. Some of the worst pop songs made that 40, but the best always rose to the top of his chart—mostly alt rock, especially in the late 90s. Well, all I have to say now is that I’d stand in for Casey anytime. If I could put Stanley June’s entire debut album Imitating Art at the top of the chart, that is.

Save for a few appearances of talented musician friends, every instrument, vocal, and mixing technique is performed by June. After working with various bands early in his career, he’s struck out on his own with this album, working an impressive one-man-band angle that’s unusual for alternative rock. There are tinges of Aerosmith and Bon Jovi in his style, but the album as a whole—diversity of tracks, instrumental surprises—is firmly rooted in the unique. Also, the richness of sound is such that you’d never know he’s the sole musician. Both his skill and energy are palpable.

For the purposes of this review, I think it best to outline the details of my favorite tracks, and leave the rest to imagination, to mystery and allure, to leave you wanting more. Because, quite simply, you absolutely must purchase it.

The first track, “Limbo,” is haunting right from the beginning—synth guitar followed by electric guitar and June’s strong, vaguely Nickelback-like vocal timbre. The melody, both in verse and chorus, is extremely catchy, and the instrumentation escalates into every chorus with vocal harmony. My favorite parts of the tune, however, are when the background goes quiet and it feels as if we’re in a small performance space, alone with June—intimate and connected.

“Dancing in the Rain,” track 4, demonstrates how deftly June walks the line between alt rock and pop rock, a very tricky feat to say the least. Even the title “Dancing in the Rain” brings to mind a typical romance song and lyrically touches on various challenges and insecurities in love. The lilting, vocally focused melody adds to this ‘pop’ feel, but then…ELECTRIC GUITAR CHORD. Suddenly, the song shoots off into alt-rock land, thickening the air with layered synth electric guitar, and drums. This departure allows “Dancing in the Rain”, as in many of June’s other endeavors on the album, to explore the deeper, more complex emotions at the root of the song, rather than indulging in pop-sentimentality.

Tracks 8 and 9, “Slow Down” and “The Winter Has No Hold,” begin slow and simple—“Slow Down” solely with piano, vocals, and minimalist drums, and “The Winter Has No Hold” with light guitar, drums and vocals. These instrumental choices, along with the comforting lyrics, immediately establish the message of safety and connection within a relationship. About 30 seconds into “Slow Down” however, the simple instrumentation explodes into fiery walls of sound, heavier drums, and very versatile electric guitar solos.

Conversely, “The Winter Has No Hold” stays fairly consistent in its mellowness, and the most interesting moment is when all the instruments cut away entirely save for very, very light percussion and vocals. Again, these are love songs which, rather than relying on sentimentality, dig at the real heart of the matter—our darkness, our desperation, and our love—what we share of our deepest selves with others.

The strength of June’s debut is, in a word, captivating. Not to mention, it’s catchy. Not only would I put every track on a Top 40 list for its musicianship, but also because I can see myself lying in the back of a car, turning the radio up to its loudest, waiting with anticipation for the announcer to place Imitating Art at the very top of the chart. - ReviewYou

In a smoke-filled room with rock music streaming from the stage, the crowd whipped their hair and swayed their bodies while waiting for Stanley June to take the stage on 9 May.

Opening act, Carri Wolfe got the crowd going at The Bohemian in Westdene, playing folk songs that were surprisingly upbeat.

The event was to mark the debut of Stanley June Band’s video – Imitating Art, which was set underwater. June said, “Instead of taking the whole video-making process on my own shoulders like I have in the past, I got a few friends in the industry to lend me a hand with this video.”

He added that the idea of the video was to take ordinary, every day scenes and have a look at them from another angle. The best way to do this was to have them submerged in water.

Much to everyone’s anticipation, the band rocked the crowd with songs from his new album well into the wee hours of the morning. - Northcliff Melville Times