Jolee Gordon is a 23-year-old singer/songwriter, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who was born and raised in New York City. Gordon is very active in the Boston/NYC DIY scenes and has been a part of bands like Houndsteeth, Queen Crony, tr0ut and Chatterbox, to name a few. The Good Parts is her first solo project. You can tell a lot of thought goes into this album with Gordon adding a bit of quirkiness and wackiness from her personality into this recording. You can really see Gordon’s imprint on this album from the album art to her contributions on vocals, keys, bass and beats – Gordon really sees to it that the songs here reflect her love for indie pop and “weird wacky shit.” A mix of alternative with indie pop and more, this is something out of the ordinary that will speak to fans looking for something a little more out of the box.
The Good Parts starts out with “Mother,” where heavy synths add a retro-styled ‘80s vibe to the music. Once Gordon’s vocals come in, you can feel the music growing weirder. Sounds of bass and beats adds to the eclectic feel. Gordon’s vocals tie in an intimateness to the track, feeling like she is performing right in the same room with you. More synths sound out on “Neighborhood.” There is a touch of dissonance to the electronic music as Gordon’s soothing vocal makes its way through this number. There was an eccentricity to the music that really kept things interesting. On “Be Here,” as beats come in along with vocals, the trumpets add an old-time-y feel that makes this sound like a soundtrack coming from a black and white film. The beats and synths add a touch of modernity to the music. As Gordon’s vocals cascade over the sounds, you can truly feel the emotions emitting from her voice. Dashes of oddball flourishes add a finishing touch to the piece. On “I Can’t See It,” the indie flavors are full-on here. I loved Gordon’s delivery here and the energy of this number was very dynamic. This felt more pop-oriented with catchy riffs and melodies. The ‘ooh-oohs’ in the background vocals were also a highlight. On “Prove It To You,” moody bass erupts through the start of this song as drumming beats drums up the drama. Gordon’s steady vocals make their way on this track. Feeling very indie pop in vein, this song proved to be one enjoyable listen. On the title track “The Good Parts,” some retro keys make an appearance on this track adding a carnivalesque flavor. The quirky and whimsical vibes really made this song. Gordon’s indie vocals on the chorus is spewed out in a fast-paced manner. I really enjoyed the execution of this track. This felt like a good way to close the album. Recorded in the bedroom, there was a very bedroom pop feel to this recording. Like the genre, there was an intimacy audiences can glean from the album, like she was just six feet away performing the song for you live. With a sound indicative of her person, The Good Parts takes the best out of Gordon’s quirky nature and mixes it with a great synth, alternative and indie pop sound. My only critique was that the songs on this EP felt too short, feeling more like vignettes. Perhaps by diving deeper, this will better flesh out the ideas next time around. Overall, I look forward to seeing more from the artist.
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May 2024
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