Drive off towards the sunrise, adventure ahead and the weight of the past firmly behind you. JJ Rane pays tribute to Western Canadian Rock, with the gritty depths, soaring riffs, and raspy vocals of the five-track EP Back into the River.
Stylistically carved out of an admiration for the raw alt-rock of the early 2000s, Back into the River explodes into the space, with the anthemic intensity and soulful, poetic sentiments of its title-track, and is quick to introduce a sublime balancing of electric guitars, expressive vocals, structural precision, acoustic softness, and the live crash of drums. Contrast is masterfully incorporated, and the EP is off to an intoxicating start.
As we roll into the more spacious and partly whispered Hell of a Lie, the EP’s first single, the voice is now unmistakable, and the use of smoothness to juxtapose the grit and distortion of the guitar sound is an equal part of the project’s devotion to eras past. There’s also a story loaded with imagery and implications, and a strong hook resolve that lingers in the mind after listening.
In the Middle of Two Worlds softens the weight further still, a hazy to muggy set-up and mellow voice paving the way for a rather anthemic soft-rock ode that’s beautifully evocative. This mellow enchantment marks a key turning point, and the perfect mid-EP track to encourage a moment of reflection and wonder.
Wake Up follows with divine Americana fingerstyle and paired vocals that echo through hypnotically. Once again, JJ Rane intertwines the deeply personal and the strikingly poetic, offering images and ideas that capture attention and provoke thought all at once.
Bringing the EP to an immense finish is an alternative version of the title-track. Back into the River II adopts an acoustic take on the unforgettable anthem initially, building up into something a little Arctic Monkeys-like in its shoulder-swaying fusion of softness and grit, later evolving into the pure and choir-like unity of a fully immersive final fifth. This choice for the curtain-call works brilliantly in securing the sentiments, melody and title of the EP, and secures all acquired interest in the JJ Rane sound and style both from the studio and the stage.
Written during the historical years of lockdown, Back into the River welcomes a host of talented musicians, each of whom helped bring its stories and intentions to life during a remote recording period. The project features Jon Button on bass (Sheryl Crow, The Who), Nik Hughes on drums (Bush), Mike Smith on drums (Chayce Backhamm, Trapt, Tantric), and Lea Cappelli on vocals (L’FREAQ). The EP’s first single, Hell of a Lie, was also mixed by legendary producer Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar, Grady), allowing the power of its presentation to connect unignorably through the airwaves.
Download or stream Back into the River. Find JJ Rane on Instagram.
