Jonnie & Joy – Running Home

Running Home from indie rockers Jonnie & Joy is a nice compact release which offers a surprisingly wide variety. It still sits squarely in the rock genre but unique instrumental sounds, diverse songwriting approaches and precision production make this a really solid collection of tracks. The girl-power vibe and emotional lyrics contribute well to the album’s already high energy.

Can You Hear Me provides a unique opener to the album, with gentle acoustic guitar arpeggios, a lilting country-influenced vocal, and a subtle saxophone line in the back of the mix. Don’t be fooled, though, the chorus drops with heavy-handed distortion and larger-than-life drums. The lead vocal expertly runs the gamut from soulful crooning to full on rock growl. This does a great job of covering every raw nerve exposed in the lyrics. With its broad stylistic spectrum, this track sets the tone for the rest of the album.

If the first track left you curious if this is indeed a rock album, Hold Tight gives a definitive answer. Driving drums and classic rock and roll rhythm guitar set the tone and hold steady for the whole track. The “we can do it” feel of the lyric also puts this song squarely in the rock genre, broken up by a distorted, harmonic-filled lead guitar solo. The song isn’t a complete trope, the electric piano in the mix gives it a more unique sound and balances out the harshness of the guitar tone really nicely.

Lost Soul takes us to another staple of rock music, the stadium anthem, complete with a crowd of cheering fans. Add the synth part and the 80s rock influence on this track is revealed; harkening back to Europe, Boston, Foreigner, Styx, etc. Jonnie & Joy continue, however, to remind us that they are their own act. The verse is a little more poppy and backs down a bit from the rock style. The whole middle section is an extended bridge that is compositionally complex in a way that Styx championed but a lot of other rock acts never bothered with; this is a great addition that keeps the track from feeling too clichéd.

Never Cry brings back the stylistic flexibility of Can You Hear Me. A softer, balladesque verse is complemented by a more raw chorus. The poppy bass line on this track keeps the energy up and is a great balance with the longer melodic lines of the lyric. The minor harmonic content of the pre-chorus continues the tradition of juxtaposition against the brighter sounds of the rest of the track. I find the synth solo and bridge to be a bit out of place with the feel of the verses and chorus; the breakdown and tiny buildup have a similar effect, the first half of the track is more engaging than the second.

Night Stalker brings back both of the instruments that give this EP its unique sound: the saxophone and the electric piano. The track features dark minor harmonies with some jazzy chords thrown in. Jonnie and Joy really know how to use opposing forces at the right moment to keep the listener interested; this track shows that approach off as its darker lyrical and musical feel breaks from the rock and pop tracks that precede it. The more classic sounding guitar and saxophone solos are a more fitting and interesting here than the synth breaks in earlier songs.

Running Home is both the title track and the closer. It opens with softer, more folksy instrumental and vocal, reminiscent of the album’s opening. This is a great choice for the last track. We’re reminded one final time of Jonnie & Joy’s true genre as the chorus again drops us into pretty heavy rock territory. The folksy bits keep coming back though and retain the listener’s interest well. The final chorus hangs on the lyric “Running Home”, giving the closing a bit of an incomplete feel.

Ultimately, Running Home makes extensive use of well-established sounds and techniques of

rock music, but it definitely throws curveballs at essential moments, artfully bringing in elements of country, pop, and even jazz. It is also really expertly mixed and produced; studio effects are used sparingly for a really clean, authentic, and very unified sound. The writing, performance and production all work well together to make for a pretty fun listening experience.

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Review by Cyrus Rhodes