JAIMIE VERNON – THE MUSE STILL LINGERS

There was a scourge of new releases flooding my mailbox the last two weeks from busy rockers who had spent their summer vacation in steaming hot recording studios making the sweaty into sonic saltwater taffy. It’s encouraging to know that despite the bottom falling out of the bottom of the music economy, artists are still optimistically churning out art with the hope that some ear will be turned, some feet will tap and some groins will mobilize all in the name of soothing the soul.

The Jefferey Brothers Band are back to rock the world with 2015’s Rok Cartel Music Group sophomore release ‘Lets Rock Lets Roll’ which features 10 all new, original tracks including the singles “Driven Me Wild” and the album’s title track. The band was formed in Midland, Ontario in 2000 and consists of twin brothers Josh Jeffery (lead vocals, guitar) and Nick Jeffery (drums, backing vocals). Mixing such diverse influences as AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, Cheap Trick, ZZ Top, Molly Hatchet and Buck Cherry, the band rose to the top of the Indie Rock scene in Ontario – partially on the back of their live appearance on the TV show “Arbor Live” which has an audience of 300,000. Their hard work attracted the attention of Rok Cartel Music Group in 2003 who signed them in 2004.

(Editor’s Note – Dear bands…Disabling embedding for your YouTube videos means less media will come your way. Just a friendly word of advice.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10zS4_qXXAQ

With original material already in their arsenal and quickly becoming audience favourites, The Jefferey Brothers Band released their debut EP, ‘Splitting Headache’ (also the name of their publishing company), in 2005 to critical acclaim. The release has gone on to sell 10,000 units to date on the back of non-stop touring in clubs and open air festivals in Canada, the United States and Europe. The group has performed with such acts as renowned singer Bernard Fowler (Rolling Stones, Herbie Hancock), Quiet Riot, Great White and Helix among others.

The Jeffery Brothers Band’s first full-length album, ‘Cuttin’ Loose’, was released in 2010 and showcased their dynamic 1970s styled rock which has become a staple of their live shows. I reviewed the album and said this about it:  This is old school Rock and Roll, bitches. The Jeffery Brothers have perfected the blend of ‘70s straight up guitar driven rock and modern recording and production (courtesy Glen Robinson at Studios Multisons in Montreal) for an equal marriage of head banging and rump shaking not heard since AC/DC’s ‘Back In Black’. Standout tracks here are “I Wanna Rock” (http://youtu.be/N4T4VKYYMo4 ), “Kickin’ Me Down” (which I think should be renamed after the song’s chorus hook “I Just Want You To Leave Me Be”, IMHO) (http://youtu.be/C5xIWD_xi10), “Bamboozed” and the title track.

‘Lets Rock Lets Roll’ builds on familiar territory – its roots still steeped clearly in AC/DC’s wading pool along with acts like Helix and Airborne. There’s no mistaking that these guys like to party – especially on the title track and “Driven You Wild”. Add to it cock-rockers like “Pink Panties” and “So Lit Up” and you’ve got a night of drinking, carousing, and losing control of your ability to talk in the morning.

With the real AC/DC rolling along on what will most likely be their last tour (unlike Black Sabbath who are using the words “Final Tour” as a slogan similar to The Who’s 47 final tours.), The Jeffery Brothers are here to claim the mantle and push the ball across the field for the remainder of Rock and Roll Eternity. Somebody’s gotta do it. They’re young, they’re hungry. They epitomise the rebellion and promise of laughing at their elders. They are perfectly in tune to the ageing rock audience and the youngsters who’ve been weaned on Mommy and Daddy’s (and Grandpa’s) record collections.
 The amazing part is that AC/DC never compromised musically. Nor Iron Maiden who are about to embark on a similar world tour for their latest entreaty. But what happens to artists whose muse drifts away? Mature rockers who realize that 6 nighters and a Sunday matinee on the road isn’t all its cracked up to be? Grandparents themselves who still love to create musical art but don’t want to do it at the cost of their health, or their sanity, or their mortgage payments? It’s a tough transition to move away from a genre and a style and leave it in the past. Ask Lee Aaron. She gave up being the Metal Queen for jazz in the 2000s. She’s highly adept at both, and fortunately for everyone involved, when she wants to strap on the leather chaps and a Strat she is still fully capable of still delivering the balls.

Roxanne Tellier, our resident female blogging curmudgeon for DBAWIS, used to paint on a spandex body coating, stockpile VO5 hair treatment on her chocolate locks and give Darby Mills  and Pat Benatar a run for their money. She’s seen her fair share of smoke filled rooms and stale beer on the dancefloor as a frontwoman without peer. Like all of us ‘evergreen’ artists she probably yearns for those days of endless nights on stage when both the band and the audiences were fast and frivolous. But sometimes, you gotta grow up and find your real voice – literally and figuratively. She came real close with her band Delta Tango. It was a transition between rock and pop. Hear what they were doing here:

Roxanne’s current vocal style is smooth and sultry and far more adept these days at adult contemporary with accented jazz trimmings. Take her new EP ‘Three Waltzes (and a Parade)’ f’rinstance. It’s laid back and comfortable. Not in a comatose inducing way, but like a sifter of brandy and a leather couch in a penthouse loft sort of way. Back in the late 1970s we’d have called this Yacht Rock. Now it’s a cliché, but back then it was the soundtrack to our post-teen romances and early College life (before sex, drugs and rock and roll fucked it all up!). Some styles are ageless. Roxanne’s found that sweet spot with help from her husband Shawn O’Shea who co-wrote two songs (“A Man Without A Woman” and “Passion Parade”), long-time former bandmate Peter Verity who contributes one song (“Desperate Heart”) and a restructured adaptation of Tom Waits’ “Take It With Me”.
Don’t take my word for it. Go listen to “A Man Without A Woman”

And “Passion Parade”

Send your CDs for review to this NEW address: Jaimie Vernon, 4003 Ellesmere Road, Toronto, ON M1C 1J3 CANADA

=JV=

Jaimie’s column appears every Saturday

Contact us at dbawis@rogers.com

Jaimie “Captain CanCon” Vernon has been president of the on again/off-again Bullseye Records of Canada since 1985. He wrote and published Great White Noise magazine in the ‘90s, has been a musician for 33 years, and recently discovered he’s been happily married for 16 years. He is also the author of the recently released Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia and a collection of his most popular ‘Don’t Believe A Word I Say’ columns called ‘Life’s A Canadian…BLOG’ is now available at Amazon.com http://gwntertainment.wix.com/jaimievernon