Jesus On The Mainline E.P. Review

Jesus On The Mainline E.P. Review

Jesus on The Mainline are a 15 piece band based in New York City Drawing from broad influences including the fields of jazz, soul, bluegrass and rock they are not a band that deserve pigeon-holing, better to just let the music do the talking and that's exactly what they are doing on the self-titled E.P. release.

The band were formed in 2012 which, alongside lead vocalist Andrew Nesley, who draws on his contemporary jazz background, are singers Mel Flannery, Amanda Brecker and Tim Emmerick, while a sprawling instrumental section lead on horns, percussion, keyboards and guitars.

“War,” is set to make it sound exactly like a war. Chaotic and the sounds of marching armies bring this in with a feel of trudging to battle though the words sometimes do get drowned out by the intense music it is none the less a wonderful riotous track.

“Sister City, Brother Bone” and “Angel From Montgomery,” are thumpingly melodic with dustbowl base lyrics. Throughout the tracks the music is strong, and the smooth vocals on Angel are soothing and warming to the ear. 

The trombone solo in “Sister City” is a standout blues number, sad and smouldering and it's used again on Angel that along with the horns makes it even more of a joy to listen to.

“Sweet High and Dry” with a chorus that hits all the right notes. The keyboard/organ is gorgeous and at times you wish it could continue for longer than it does.

"Jump Right In” is a fast upbeat song but it does seem to go on for a while and isn't the strongest track on the e.p.

“The Last Place That Love Lives” is powerful and the lyrics stand out as being well thought over before putting pen to paper. A wonderful strong track

And then the band do their cover of “Lithium” to finish off. The Nirvana track is not an easy one to pull off (I can’t even sing along when I’m in my car). Their arrangement is novel, but also not disturbingly altered in the way Tori Amos’ “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is, or straightforward like every other Nirvana cover. On their website, they talk of selling out shows left and right, and who wouldn’t want to see the band that pulled this off live?

This EP is full of great moments, great horns and brass. Sometimes it overdoes these instruments on certain tracks but its certainly something I enjoyed listening all the way through and you can only but imagine what it sounds like live with all the band members together on stage.

http://jesusonthemainline.bandcamp.com/album/jesus-on-the-mainline

Tom Hickox Free Download - The Angel Of The North

Tom Hickox shares a brand new track ‘The Angel Of The North’ from his upcoming debut album ‘War, Peace And Diplomacy’.

Listen to ‘The Angel Of The North’ here: http://soundcloud.com/tomhickox/tom-hickox-the-angel-of-the/

Tom   Hickox   is   a   serious   talent   for   serious   times.   His   music   inspires   strong reactions. The Daily Telegraph have already hailed his “depth and intensity” calling him “a true original”.  The Sunday Times described Tom arriving on the music scene “as if from a different planet, and certainly from a different age.” Fuse magazine swooned over his “outrageously daring lyrics” and the “deathly beauty” of his arrangements.

Comparisons have been made to such masters as Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Randy Newman but all agree that Tom’s particular take on the art of the singer-songwriter is unique. Tom’s late father Richard Hickox CBE was one of Britain’s most renowned conductors, a Grammy award winner with over 280 recordings to his credit. Tom’s mother was an orchestral timpanist. Tom, however never had formal lessons. “I knew as a kid I couldn’t possibly compete with my dad, and I didn’t want to. My parents let me doodle on instruments around the house. Really, I am untrained musician but I have a lot in my guts and in my ears that I picked up by osmosis.”

During his teenage years Tom sought solace in literature getting into Beckett, Pinter and Orton. As his passion for literature became more prevalent he joined a school rock band and began writing his own music. “I wrote my first song using a poem in the back of the Big Issue and I got a lot of joy out of that.”  After studying English at Manchester University Tom went on to do an M.A in sound recording and self-released a DIY album, Fear In A Handful of Dust, mixing strings and electronica that won him many admirers. He has now picked up a publishing deal with Warner Chappell.

Tom has now completed his debut album ‘War, Peace And Diplomacy’, news on this release to come soon.

Tom Hickox Free Download - ‘The Angel Of The North’

Tom Hickox shares a brand new track ‘The Angel Of The North’ from his upcoming debut album ‘War, Peace And Diplomacy’.

Listen to ‘The Angel Of The North’ here: http://soundcloud.com/tomhickox/tom-hickox-the-angel-of-the/

Tom   Hickox   is   a   serious   talent   for   serious   times.   His   music   inspires   strong reactions. The Daily Telegraph have already hailed his “depth and intensity” calling him “a true original”.  The Sunday Times described Tom arriving on the music scene “as if from a different planet, and certainly from a different age.” Fuse magazine swooned over his “outrageously daring lyrics” and the “deathly beauty” of his arrangements.

Comparisons have been made to such masters as Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Randy Newman but all agree that Tom’s particular take on the art of the singer-songwriter is unique. Tom’s late father Richard Hickox CBE was one of Britain’s most renowned conductors, a Grammy award winner with over 280 recordings to his credit. Tom’s mother was an orchestral timpanist. Tom, however never had formal lessons. “I knew as a kid I couldn’t possibly compete with my dad, and I didn’t want to. My parents let me doodle on instruments around the house. Really, I am untrained musician but I have a lot in my guts and in my ears that I picked up by osmosis.”

During his teenage years Tom sought solace in literature getting into Beckett, Pinter and Orton. As his passion for literature became more prevalent he joined a school rock band and began writing his own music. “I wrote my first song using a poem in the back of the Big Issue and I got a lot of joy out of that.”  After studying English at Manchester University Tom went on to do an M.A in sound recording and self-released a DIY album, Fear In A Handful of Dust, mixing strings and electronica that won him many admirers. He has now picked up a publishing deal with Warner Chappell.

Tom has now completed his debut album ‘War, Peace And Diplomacy’, news on this release to come soon.