J. Graves: “Marathon” (2019) Vinyl Review

J. Graves is a rock band fronted by vocalist and guitarist Jessa Graves, with Barret Stolte on bass and Dave Yeager on drums. The trio is based in Portland, Oregon, and has released its debut full-length record. Titled Marathon, it features all original music, written by Jessa Graves. This band delivers some great garage rock with strong vocals and an unbridled punk energy. In addition, these tracks feature some seriously good lyrics. Take these lines from “Leap Year,” for example: “And oh my hands did take from you/The things that matter most/Did you forget that all along/That I was just your ghost.”

Side A

The record opens with “New Favorite,” a good, solid rock song with a driving beat. It is Jessa’s vocal performance that sells it. “I tell you all the things/I like about you/And I told you from the start/So tell me anything/You like about me/Because it’s tearing me apart.” I love that surprising moment when the other musicians drop out. Jessa is a singer who is not afraid of pauses, of silence, and this works to draw us in farther and give the music more power. And when she sings of someone who has lost control, she allows her voice to lose a bit of control. This song ends quietly with the line “I don’t know what you’re doing to me,” like a confession of weakness, which packs a harder punch coming from a voice with so much strength. “New Favorite” is followed by “Doctor,” which also has a solid rock sound. Yet the sound seems to surround a vulnerable center, as she sings, “I hope you meant it when you said you’d never leave again.” Interestingly, there is power behind her voice as she sings that.

“Unlove” rocks, a song to shake ourselves loose. This music reminds me of what made me fall for rock in the first place when I was a kid – that energy, that abandon, that strength. And it is delivered by a voice that has a raw power. “I need you/I need you now/It’s winding me up/It’s pulling me down.” Then “Eleven” begins rather quietly, which is a surprise. But it is not long before it kicks in. “Truth be told/I was telling you lies/And it’s hard to see the way/You come undone/Hard to say the words/And now you’re gone.” There is immediacy to her vocal performance which is incredibly effective. This track ends quietly with the line “And now you’re gone,” and by the final word she is on her own, even her fellow musicians have left her. It’s a wonderful moment. The first side of the record then concludes with “Over And Over.” I love the rhythm of this one, which has an undeniably catchy aspect. This is one of my favorite tracks in part because of that rhythm, but also because of Jessa’s vocal performance, which is exciting, at times intimate, then suddenly exploding. Just some fantastic work here. This track ends suddenly, which caught me by surprise the first time I listened to the record.

Side B

The second side opens with “Chapters,” the hi-hat work adding some fun to the rhythm, and getting you moving. As you listen to the lyrics, you get the sense that things are ending. “Did I come at a bad time/I feel it’s over now/And I feel it/When you’re down/And I feel it/It’s over now.”  But the song’s title seems to imply that it’s not, that this is a small section of a longer tale. And she ends this one with the line, “But I think it’s worth a try.” That’s followed by “Used To,” which features some intriguing lyrics. These lines stood out to me the first time I listened to this album: “And no one here/Will question me now/How could you do it?/How could you do it?” I love the moment when she allows us in, when she gets softer, more intimate, particularly as you know she’s going to explode again. Is she on her own? Are we on our own? What happened here? Jessa finishes this one with the line “You don’t know me anymore,” stated so simply that you know it must be true.

“Leap Year” has a raw punk energy that makes me think this group’s live performances must be intense and delicious experiences, leaving both the band and audience happily drenched in sweat. “You were all alone/And I hate to be alone.” Then “A Cabin” has a bit more of a bright feel, opening with these lines: “Maybe/I thought you could save me/But I’m feeling lately/That things will work out in the end.” Yeah, there is something cheerful about this one, right? Even as she sings “This is when it gets bad.” Still, this song has that raw, bare, honest sound to her vocals which is so appealing. The record concludes with another powerful, unabashed rock song “Animals,” which comes thumping in. This is another of my favorite tracks. “Want ‘til you want enough/Take ‘til you got it all.”  There is some really good work on bass, and toward the end, there is a cool section of bass and drums. When the song kicks in again, it arrives with a tremendous force, and then suddenly the record is over.

Record Track List

Side A

1. New Favorite
2. Doctor
3. Unlove
4. Eleven
5. Over And Over 

Side B

1. Chapters
2. Used To
3. Leap Year
4. A Cabin
5. Animals 

Marathon was released on September 13, 2019, and is available on both vinyl and CD.