Grave Jones prepares the world for his upcoming album ‘Heartrage Hotel’ with the raucous ‘Smithereens’
Grave Jones heralds the release of his debut solo album, ‘Heartrage Hotel‘, with the explosive lead single ‘Smithereens‘ following the discreet release of four singles in 2020 (‘Crazy Train‘, ‘Without A Doubt‘, ‘World Gone Mad‘ and ‘Young Love‘), with the extravagant new album set to arrive early next year. Jones pulls influences from his time as a philosopher and writer, in entertainment as a model and rock star, and in adventures that have taken him from his native Lebanon through Paris, Milan, Stockholm and beyond. Between the glamour of rubbing shoulders with Milla Jovovich, The Libertines, Kate Moss and Scarlett Johannson, and the reflective stretches that see Jones weave his rich and deep experiences into art, Grave Jones captures magic quite unlike anything else.
Photo Credit: Waleed Nehme
Combining the heavy guitar riffs that used to function as the soundtrack for Jones’ youth with the catchy vocal melodies bolstered by the more contemporary-inspired electronic production, ‘Smithereens’ captures a style that transcends any one setting or period. The tone-drenched and unapologetically raw vocals certainly live up to the loud namesake of the new single, and these lyrical patterns are rounded off nicely with some polished, distorted guitar pedal effects and gravelled, grizzled drum sections that veer slightly into Shoegaze territory. Finally, Jones connects these dots with a textured, atmospheric voice delivery that adds a more softly thoughtful touch to the record, as he cries with honesty at the anger that he points inward and out.
His ‘Heartrage Hotel‘ album also marks the highly anticipated return of Jones’ bandmate Salloum to the underground post-punk scene, following the heights of success their previous band project, Slutterhouse, enjoyed. They shared the stage with indie staples like Super Furry Animals, Klaxons and Sleigh Bells, and they worked with legendary producers Eric Chedeville (Daft Punk, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sebastien Teller) and Dimitri Tikovoi (Nick Cave, Kill The Young, Placebo). However, after the band’s success performing at festivals across the globe like Dubai Sound City, Stockholm Fashion Week and Liverpool Sound City, and the band inked sync deals across MTV 2 and EA Sports 2, the prior band split as Salloum left the music world ahead of his triumphant return almost an entire decade later.
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Words by Jacob Braybrooke