Review | Jamestown Revival - The California EP
[T]exas boys Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance make up the Los Angeles based, southern-indie-roots band Jamestown Revival. The duo have just released their fantastic new EP Califorina, a collection of 3 original songs, and one perfect John Prine cover, which would be a perfect accompaniment to laid back night on the porch with a pipe and a bottle of fine whiskey. The guys may have left their hometown of Austin behind for a change of pace but it’s clear in these tracks that their love of the big bright stars at night has a firm grasp on their souls.
The EP kicks off in glorious, hoedown fashion with the boot-stomping, “Fur Coat Blues,” and it’s tough to move on to the other 3 tracks without swinging on back and giving this one a few more listens. Hints of the restlessness that sent them westward can be found in the lyrics “Lately I’m scared of being alive/I got this hesitation/And it’s running wild/But what’s the use of living in doubt/I’ve only got one shot ’till my time runs out.” The second track “California (Cast Iron Soul)” finds the band questioning their new home and wondering what it was that drove them there in the first place as they sing “California/I don’t even know you/And you’ve taken me away from home.” The contemplative third song, “Golden Age,” is an ode to the days of the glorified western outlaw and the wide open prairie he roamed. The EP closes out with a cover of the classic John Prine song “Paradise.” It’s a fitting end to a collection of songs about leaving what you know and love behind to gain a new perspective on life and how to live it.
Take a listen to the opening number, “Fur Coat Blues,” above and after you danced around the room for a spell get yourself a virtual copy of The California EP.