Reviews

The Jeremy Graham Band - JGB EP

By Stoney ⋅ May 17, 2008 ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

The Jeremy Graham Band - JGB EP

With a history that dates back to 1992 as part of the highly successful regional touring Augusta act Shiloh, the Jeremy Graham Band is a fine-tuned, tried and true six-piece country band peppered with straight up rock & roll. With all that the members have accomplished over the years, including working with such artists as John Micheal Montgomery, Kevin Sharp, Lee Roy Parnell, Neil McCoy, Jodee Messina, Aaron Tippen, Brad Paisley, Radney Foster, Confederate Railroad, Exile, Trace Adkins and Merle Haggard, it’s surprising that the Jeremy Graham Band have only just recently released their debut CD, an EP simply titled JGB.

Typically country music acts in the CSRA have been more of the cover/house band variety so original releases by Augusta country artists have been far and few between and while the few that have come out over the years have been solid efforts, the debut EP by the Jeremy Graham Band is hands down the best area country release to date.

With a hilarious opening that is supposed to sound like the band stumbling through the woods during deer hunting season, Deer Huntin’ Club may be the only time in the history of modern music that the words “it’s a goat” are muttered. Supposedly based on an excursion to a woodsy country resort similar to the one mentioned in the song, the scene for this fun opening tune is quickly set when frontman Jeremy Graham sings “you can tell your getting closer by the trail of beer cans, just some good ol’ boys havin’ fun at the deer huntin’ club.” Beer, guns and ammo? Sounds like the premise of a Jeff Foxworthy story!

Not to be pigeon-holed as merely a bunch of beer-chugging members of the NRA, the Jeremy Graham Band dive straight into the melody-filled ballad Lost in My Head. With an infectious chorus, heartfelt lyrics and beautiful steel guitar courtesy of the bands own LM English, this tale of love long since passed would fit in easily on country radio with any of today’s top hits.

Mid-tempo and catchy, Missin’ Her Tonight is a prime example of what might happen if Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett and members of the Eagles got together and wrote a song. Yet another one for good ol’ country folk to sing along to.

While the Jeremy Graham Band may have a unique history, the same could also be said about the song Unconditional, a southern rock style number that actually has some of its roots in the Augusta rock scene. Written by musician and one-time Shiloh soundman Keith Ford, Unconditional originally took life as a regular tune performed by Augusta groove rock band 420 Outback, whom Ford was a member of. Given new life courtesy of the Jeremy Graham Band, the current version finds itself with a more Marshall Tucker feel to it than anything else.

Now it’s no news that classic rock and new country go hand in hand like say, drinkin’ and deer huntin’, and nothing proves that more than Lit, a down and dirty tune complete with that 70’s guitar rock distortion and sounding very much like Foghat’s Buy Now, Pay Later. One listen to this song and anyone who rocked their way through the 70’s may just find themselves conjuring up fond memories of Stroh’s beer, dirty jeans and passing ’round the… well you get the idea!

Patriotism and love for the American way of life has been an important topic for country music and classic rock artists to write about as far back as both types of music have existed and in 2008 it’s certainly no different. So it’s not surprising that The Wall/Remember Me, a song about the memorial that will be dedicated in honor of the victims of 9-ll on May 18th, closes out the Jeremy Graham Band’s debut release. Not only did the band write this as a stirring tribute, they will also take part in the May 18th tribute in New York along with Gary Sinese and John Voight. Yet another Augusta band taking it cross country!

Overall, the JBG EP by the Jeremy Graham Band is a must buy for fans of good modern country music. Great tunes and superb production. The only flaw, and it’s a minor one, can be found in the track listing on the cover and in player menus that support track listing, as Unconditional is listed as the second song but is actually the fourth song on the CD.

A tiny inconvenience when listening to a great album.

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