J GRGRY is sort of a Seattle area supergroup comprised of current/former members of The Drama, Dolour, Motopony, Ian Moore, Blake Lewis, and many more. Davey, the drummer for Modest Mouse is currently their tour drummer. J GRGRY just released their EP GOLD TEETH + GLASS EYES last week. The EP features a mixture of electronic indie rock that knows how to write a catchy pop tune, as shown by the opening track “eFlower.” The band stopped by to leave a distinctive mark on what the EP is about, going into depth on each song and its creation.
Purchase GOLD TEETH + GLASS EYES here
1. eFlower
This is probably the most deceptive song lyrically! On the surface it sounds like the song is about longing for a lover, but the song is actually about my extremely severe battle with alcoholism.
2. Cave Birds
“Cave Birds” is a song I wrote as I was nearing the end of a serious relationship. I was reflecting upon other times I had been in relationships and concluded that a large percentage of the reason I was in them was because of outside pressure and expectations to do the “normal” things that all people are expected to do.
3. Rare Poisons
I wrote this song about days when I was in my late teens and Capitol Hill, which is a neighborhood in my hometown of Seattle, WA. It was the most electric place. Artists, Queers, Musicians, and Performers of all sorts littered the cafes, used clothing and record stores, and it was just a really magical place for a young queer musician like myself, as one would imagine. I was trying to capture the spirit of some of those beautiful nights I was so lucky to experience as I watch the city now becoming more and more unsustainable for the Artists that built it into a bastion of acceptance, soul and creativity.
4. Porcelain Doll
This song was written about experiences I’ve had over the years with people who prey on generosity and kindness of others. People who that when there is “no meat left on the bone” they throw you away move on to the next person.
5. Bees
This is a song I’m really proud of for the way it tackles my struggle with alcohol. Almost ever line in this song makes my heart race because for whatever reason the words just so vividly bring me back to the depths of the dark place alcohol held me in.
6. Erase the Shore
Most of these songs were written in a little cabin I have access to on the San Juan Islands. It’s an extraordinarily peaceful place for me and being up there with just my dog and internet or cell service enables me to really focus on songwriting. It’s the way I work best. This song came to me up there, just while I was reflecting on global warming and how harsh our civilization is on the environment.
7. Giants
“Giants” is a song about the power of depression and how hard an illness it is to talk about out of fear of judgement or misunderstanding. It’s hard to even translate the lyrics and try to explain how they paint this picture of my depression to me, but needless to say, I view my depression as a “Giant” in my life.
8. Ships
This one is about the difficulty of being raised in an ultra religious environment as a queer person.
9. Floodlands
This song also tackles issues of depression. There was a time when I was at my very lowest, when I bought a one way ticket to Italy with the intention of “leaving this world.” This song is about the depth of that low that I was feeling then, and how there was always this little part of me trying to be hopeful and remain strong and try to keep climbing all the walls in front of me.
Photo by Mike Naglieri
