Artist: Jet Velvet
Title: Jet Velvet
Style: Retro-Pop/ Modern Rock
Label: 7K’ Records
Rating: 8.99 out of 10
By C.W. Ross
While the band name Jet Velvet might not sound familiar to you I’m sure that you’ve heard the names of the two singer/ songwriters Paul Dexter and Matt Bissonette that make up the core of the band.
Their previous collaborations have included songs for on TV shows like, “General Hospital,” “Friends,” “CSI Miami,” “Vegas,” and “One Tree Hill.” Paul Dexter is also a founding member of the band Mayfair Laundry. Dexter’s also written songs for artist like, Nicole C. Mullen, Bryan Duncan and Crystal Lewis and Patty Cabrera.
Matt Bissonette list of songwriting credits include, David Lee Roth and Rick Springfield, along with recording credits with Brian Wilson, Don Henley, Steve Perry, Joe Walsh, and Joe Satriani.
While there is a Christian string that runs throughout both Paul Dexter’s life and music this release isn’t really a ‘Christian’ release. Although some of the songs could have a double meaning depending on what viewpoint of your own you bring to them.
That being said this release will be enjoyed by Christian and non-Christian alike because the music that makes up the songs found on this self-titled release use a very catchy style of music that combines a retro-pop sound with a modern rock one that I found really pleasing to my ears.
Jet Velvet also adds in a good amount of keyboard and computer generated sounds into the songs. You’ll even find some whistling on track-2, “Florentine.”
Music Critics have compared the band’s sound to that of, Owl City, Fountains of Wayne and Cheap Trick. I’ll add The Clarks to that list of bands.
I could really relate to the album’s first track, “Call Me Sir,” that is about knowing that you’re getting older when some calls you, ’sir’ for the first time. Having recently celebrated a birthday that I would have needed several sets of hands and feet to count the years on I can really relate to the song’s growing older theme. The song features the band’s signature retro-pop meets modern rock blend that really works well in the song.
Track-3, “Listen to You,” opens with ocean and bird sounds and features an island music element that lurks underneath the entire song.
Things slow down for the melodic piano lead track-4, “Far Away.” The song has longing lyrics found in it that are left vague enough to either be about a recently broken relationship or death of a loved one.
The last two tracks that I’d like to talk about are, “Educationality,” a track that only last for 1:39 but is interesting in that it sounds like someone giving a speech on the radio that’s set over top of a strong bass line that drives the song. The end result being a song that sounds very interesting.
The other track that I want to mention is the last track, “Think It Over,” that builds up getting louder as it goes on in the beginning until it settles down into a medium modern rock style. The song features an array of drum beats that I’m pretty sure where machine made.
With Jet Velvet’s self-titled debut release found on 7K’ Records the band offers up a brand of fresh and slightly inventive music that will make listeners instant fans of the band.
