The Jesse Minute
Providence, Rhode Island, United States | SELF
Music
Press
“The Jesse Minute has created a sound with strong female vocals, powerful guitars and a rhythm section that drives the songs like a freight train. The bands explosive live show has already captured the attention of local venues and promoter’s, securing regular New England appearances. They have already shared the stage with national and regional touring acts such as New York Dolls, Supersuckers, The Charms, Chesterfield Kings, Varsity Drag, The Murder Mile, Envy On The Coast, Southcott, Code 4-15 and The Twilight Collective … Expect this band to be rocking a city near you, expect to have a good time and expect to have their songs in your head for days to come.”
- The Providence Journal
“The Jesse Minute garnered the highest vote total in any category, even before their latest record was released. Handfuls of promising demos culminated in their long-awaited debut release Do or Die (75OrLess Records) earlier this summer, an infectiously hot record with lead singer Missa exuding a sexy snarl and big pipes on gems such as “Tinnitus” and “Against Them.” TJM have shared the stage with big-timers like New York Dolls and Supersuckers among the 50 shows they played in 2008, and toured across the Midwest this year in support of Do or Die.”
- The Providence Phoenix
“The band has only been together since May, but their fine-tuned member search mechanism, in place for more than a year, has seemingly paid off, proving that if you look hard enough to find the right people, band chemistry is not long to follow. Introducing the Jesse Minute, a five-piece punk-inflected act that takes its cue from girl-fronted alt-rock archetypes like Letters to Cleo and Veruca Salt. The band is new to the scene, but the players are not, and their experience shows…The work they’ve issued so far is on the solid side, with Missa’s quirky voice at the top of the mix and some interesting post-punk guitar work. You can hear it for yourself on MySpace..." - The Providence Phoenix
“The Jesse Minute are a newcomer to rock ‘n’ roll gang wars… already making waves with their fast alt-rock sound. They opened for the New York Dolls a few months ago at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel courtesy of a victory in an online contest poll. Having caught a recent show of theirs, I could tell that show must have really gone a long way in terms of building a fan base. For the purposes of an audio description, think of them like a Letters to Cleo reunion with different members and different songs. Only in their infancy, The Jesse Minute’s brand of pop-punk could still roll over the competition like the Blitzkrieg, should they land a slot in something like the upcoming WBRU Rock Hunt.”
- Marc Clarkin, MOTIF Magazine
"It's back-to-back wins for the Jesse Minute, who garnered the most overall votes in any category last year (with only a six-song demo in tow) before unleashing their official debut Do or Die last summer. Do or Die is an all-killer-no-filler pop-punk romp, as lead vocalist Missa comes out firing on "This Is Not What I Signed up For," and the big chug driving "Ben," "Against Them," and "Cattle Drive" dares the listener to remain stationary. This just in: the Jesse Minute just finished recording Shut Up and Play, set for release in July, and the quintet will also release their first live album, This Happened . . . Live @ AS220, recorded in March at one of the first shows by TJM's new (tight-as-hell) rhythm section. Missa and the boys will hit the road later this summer, including shows in Ohio, Kentucky, and Wisconsin. And mark July 17 on your calendar, when the Jesse Minute returns to AS220 for the Shut Up and Play release party."
- Providence Phoenix
This one-woman wrecking crew from the pop-punk juggernaut that is The Jesse Minute kills it on stage with sass and brass. Missa’s vocals remind me a lot of Kay Hanley from Letters to Cleo singing over a Bouncing Souls backbone that the band grinds out. The Jesse Minute had kind of an up (release of their debut full length Do or Die on 75orLess Records and a two-week tour) and down (going on hiatus for a few months while they searched for a new rhythm section) 2009. The Jesse Minute are back in action kicking it into overdrive with plenty of chances upcoming to catch them live. This is a band that has really come a long way the past few years and have really honed down their mix of sugary pop meets punk rock mayhem. - Motif Magazine
“…Do or Die is an amphetamine-fueled disco destroyer party. Tunes like “Ben” and “Cattle Drive” come out of the gate like storm troopers with guitarists Brian and Jim leading the charge. “Teen Model” kicks off with an almost ’50s classic pop song till the band accelerates into their normal pole position on the pop-punk autobahn. The Jesse Minute are like high grade tequila, because although they hit hard and tend to veer songs off into unexpected terrain, singer Missa’s sugary vocals always leave you hangover free…”
- Motif Magazine - Marc Clarkin
"What a year thus far for Providence-based quintet the Jesse Minute. They won the plaque for Best Punk/Garage Act in our Best Music Poll (again), released their first live album (This Happened . . . Live @ AS220), and will wrap up yet another extensive tour with an official album release party for Shut Up and Play (75orLess Records) next weekend at AS220. It's a meaty platter of breakneck chords and rhythms coupled with the operatic pipes of lead singer Missa Hills (known to all only as Missa). Shut Up and Play is faster, louder, and harder than their '09 debut Do or Die, laced with dynamic bursts and bolstered by a new rhythm section."
- Providence Phoenix
Red Tide Records
Do or Die
12-song CD
The Jesse Minute is the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup of Providence. I am so old, or perhaps I love chocolate so much, that I can remember ancient commercials for peanut butter cups, like it was the most amazing discovery known to man. How many failed experiments had to be test-marketed before peanut butter and chocolate took off? Pickles and peanut butter? Onion Juice? Pork soda, anyone? Perhaps mixing pop and punk, as the Jesse Minute do so well, is not earth-shattering. They risk either alienating everyone, or getting millions of fans. They are really good at what they do, but there are millions of bands doing the same thing. Perhaps that's why they titled this album Do 0r Die. At times they remind me of Skunk Anansie or Letters to Cleo, often within the same song. Jen Trynin mined similar territory in Boston not long ago, and took it all the way to a major label. I believe this band could too, if those things continue to exist. The Jesse Minute were voted best garage-punk act in the Providence Phoenix in 2009. I'm not certain I would put them in that category, but the Jesse Minute is a very good band with a great singer and a decent collection of songs on this record. (Eric Baylies)
- The Noise - Boston
Discography
Shut Up And Play - 2010
This Happened - Live @ AS220 - 2010
Do Or Die - 2009
EP Demo - 2007
Photos
Bio
Taking the Northeast by storm since their inception in 2006, The Jesse Minute has raised the bar for pop punk music with their relentless gigging and flawless live performances. From the seedy streets of Providence, RI, The Jesse Minute crafts memorable songs that are played with energy and conviction. The current lineup includes: Missa (vocals), Jimmy (guitar), Mikey (guitar), Sean (bass) and Vic (drums). “On stage, everything clicks,” says Jimmy. “We all feel the music when we play and it’s evident by the strong energy that comes off us and feeds the crowd.” Drummer Vic agrees, “There is a unity that we share that keeps us grounded and motivated. We know exactly what each other’s thinking. It’s a bond that no one can understand unless they are doing what we do.”
The Jesse Minute’s list of gigs reads like an encyclopedia, having played well over 200 shows in the last two years and making stops in 16 states. The band’s press is equally as impressive. They won the Providence Phoenix’s Best Music Poll for Best Punk/Garage act in 2009, 2010 and are nominated again this year. They have been featured on numerous compilations, have landed rotation on college and internet radio shows, and always have gigs scheduled 2-3 months in advance. They've already shared the stage with the likes of Far From Finished, New York Dolls, Supersuckers, The Charms and the Pink Spiders in such venues as The House of Blues (Boston), Lupo’s and The Met.
The Jesse Minute’s stage presence and work ethic is second to none. Because of that, they have made a name for themselves in a vast pool of talent that surrounds the Northeast. Their sound is unique; blistering melodic pop punk beats mixed with the sugary and operatic pipes of singer Missa Hills. They've been compared to Discount, Tilt and The Bouncing Souls, while maintaining an identity of their own.
Armed with a van, some amps and a good old-fashioned hunger for playing music, The Jesse Minute will continue to bring their music to the masses. If you missed The Jesse Minute on their last few tours, it won’t be long until their explosive show rolls through your neck of the woods.
Look for The Jesse Minute in a town near you in support of their 2nd full length album, Shut Up And Play, out now on 75 Or Less Records.
Links
