Jesse Smith and the Holy Ghost
Jesse Smith and the Holy Ghost
(Standby Records)
Fans of 80s and 90s alt rock: rejoice. Jesse Smith & The Holy Ghost’s self titled debut is your new favorite record. It’s a churning, slugging, anthemic album with a slight southern tinge. There’s a bit of everything on the record: hard and biting riffs, soul shattering drums, and even a couple of singalong-worthy choruses that you wouldn’t expect. The album is the band’s second and their Standby Records debut, and they’re not pulling any punches.
The first punch is the ethereal opener, “Mystic River”, which is followed by a slew of hard hitting anthems such as “Center of the Universe” and “Light Blind”. “Runnin” is possibly the poppiest song on the album, a radio friendly jam that will be lodged in your brain for days. “Empty” calls back to Smith’s Christian rock roots, with lyrics speaking of the devil and God. “Outro” closes the record, sounding like a chant echoing off the walls of a cathedral.
If it’s your cup of tea, Jesse Smith & The Holy Ghost is great. The production is tight and flawless, the songs themselves are solid and can withstand the test of time. The band brings their all and dares you to judge them, completely unselfconscious, making the kind of music they want to make and not caring if you like it or not.
Purchase Jesse Smith & The Holy Ghost here: iTunes | Physical
