Olustee by JJ Grey & Mofro - Review
Olustee is a triumphant and heartfelt return home from Florida’s own JJ Grey & Mofro, the band's first release after nearly a decade of performance and song craft from frontman JJ Grey— a period that has seen the singer/songwriter amalgamate his poetic sensibilities with evocative songwriting and memorable melodic subtleties, all presented over an eclectic and tastefully lush blend of instrumentation. The Mofro band is playing tighter than ever on the record, brandishing an incredible grasp of group and soloist dynamics to incorporate dense harmonic movements with nimble melodic interplay. Featured appearances from the Budapest Symphony Orchestra offer additional cinematic flair, weaving classical strings into the Mofro band’s soul, funk & blousy compositions. What's left is a record that is grandiose in it’s intimacy and utterly convincing with its sentiments, the tracklist bouncing from orchestral ballads and profoundly personal lyrics to fast-n-loose funk grooves and care-free banter— with only a handful of minor missteps along the way.
The most immediately compelling moments from Olustee are its bookend tracks; the opening tune, “The Sea'' is an ardent account of JJ’s kinship with the open waters and his place in the universe, a beautifully written meandering of contemplative ruminations and rich imagery. The song begins with repeated zeppelin-esc acoustic guitar licks sparsely adorning JJs sweepingly soft vocals. A gentle bassline washes over the instrumental, slowly lifting everything up as the song ebbs into the chorus. Impressionistic keys and swirling orchestral strings slowly build with the track, culminating in a gorgeous bridge and finalizing chorus. Likewise, Olustee’s final song, “Deeper Than Belief,” closes the album on a profound and orchestrally accented account, complimenting the former track to establish a satisfying continuity to the record. A rumbling bassline, melodramatic keys and a fluttering woodwind encapsulate JJs earnest ramblings of belief and perseverance, a simple hi-hat keeping halftime. The most stunning vocal performance on the album belongs to JJ on the final pre-chorus of the track, a shouted and impassioned vocal run ushering in a climatic instrumental swell that closes “Deeper Than Belief,” and consequently Olustee, with an emotionally infectious display.
The theatrics of tracks like “The Sea” or “Deeper Than Belief” are juxtaposed throughout the tracklist with cuts like “Top Of The World,” a boisterous event of celebratory (if not a bit banal) lyrics and searing hot trumpet and sax lines, and “Wonderland,” a punchy, in-your-face snare-led groove beckoning good times and carefree festivities. These tunes offer a refreshing variety to the tracklist and prove enjoyable in their enabling for the Mofro band to flex their chops, yet the songs cannot help but to come off a bit trite and uninspired lyrically in comparison to the highlights off the record, failing to present themselves as much more than feel-good fluff pieces.
The meat of the tracklist offers the spectacular three track run, “On A Breeze,” “Olustee,” and “Seminole Wind.” The first of which comes equipped with a soulful country infused instrumental, expertly swelling and deconstructing as JJ croons an ambiguous tale of remembrance. Perhaps it’s the distant memory of a past lover, or rather an old friend taken by time; with any interpretation of the narrative, the potency of emotion from JJs lyrics and delivery instill the track with an impactfulness not to be ignored. “Olustee,” the title track, is a blazing blues-rock cut infested with heavy riffs, searing electric harmonica lines and full chested cymbal crashes. JJ sings with an at-first-subdued but eventually full-bellied menace, narrating the 1998 wildfires that ravaged his hometown and album namesake, Olustee, Florida. The lyrics are simple but precise in their impact and the instrumental is a carnivorous inferno fit for the subject matter. “Seminole Wind” is an impressive reimaging of the lauded 1992 country tune by John Anderson that finds a welcome home both sonically and conceptually on Olustee. JJs take on Anderson’s lyrics are as convincing as anyones, recounting the sorrow and celebration of Florida’s endangered everglades. The instrumental is more fully realized here than anywhere else, stretching the original song an extra three minutes with electrifying trumpet lines, ushering the track in and out with the memorable piano melody of the original tune.
Perhaps the only true blemish on Olustee is its tenth track, “Rooster.” The instrumental is an incredibly captivating funk-driven groove outfitted with an infectious drum pattern. JJ, however, drops his vocals into a lower register and inflicts upon his delivery with a flirtatious bravado that is more jarring and unflattering than anything else. The lyrics are so obtuse and unsavory that it's hard to imagine the same JJ that penned “The Sea” and “Deeper Than Belief” could have been responsible for this— stooping to moments that find him slinging phrases like “full legit” and “straight up molded out of clay.” Consequently, “Rooster” sticks out like a sore thumb at the end of an otherwise exceptional collection of songs.
As the dust settles, Olustee is left as an almost encyclopedic account of JJs songwriting and the Mofro bands playing, touching on each and every base throughout the tracklist— for much of the better and select few times for the worse. For that reason, JJ Grey & Mofros first album cut back with Alligator records feels like a true homecoming, and a record truly worth the wait.
Rating: 7.8/10
Best Song: Deeper Than Belief