Standing out like a shining monolith poking out from the sand, alt-country and roots rock band Stellar Jays is chipping away at the days leading up to their new EP, Mojave, set to greet listeners this November.
Harnessing a rich electric guitar-driven instrumentation that holds inspiration from the California deserts, the Seattle band offers something exciting in the vein of a Wilco or Old 97s.
With brisk percussion and resonant reverb, the title track, “Mojave,” hit streaming services yesterday, September 13th, 2024, offering endearing vocal harmonies and 90s-style twangy guitar solos. The drums’ syncopation and sandy tone generate an invigorating get-up-and-go kind of jive that makes the listener want to dance along. A testament to the band’s introspectiveness and use of music as their chosen outlet, they sing, “A song for no one / No one but me.”
“What If I Told Ya” sweeps the second spot on the three-track EP with a call and response ballad-like waltz, telling the tale of a yearning lover trying to keep the sparks alive. As electric guitar balances sweet delicacy and dissonance, vocalist Brian Siems creates the perfect lead-in for fellow bandmate Alison Perkins to enrich the song’s themes splendidly. Slide guitar carries the tune into its three-part harmony outro that drifts like the dunes on a windy summer night.
Taking it back to the more alt-rock side of things, “El Dorado” hones in on the feelings that come with the discontentment of one’s surroundings and the complexities that come with pulling oneself out. “I’m still searching for my El Dorado / But with each setting sun it gets harder,” the chorus sings, referencing the Spanish term for “gilded one” and the universal pressure of time. Building until its release, the song ends with harmonica, percussive groove, and chords filled with nostalgia and angst.
Through tackling subjects interweaved with the complicated human experience, Stellar Jays maintains a driving optimism throughout their work, whether in lyricism or musical embodiment. Mixed and mastered at Earwig Studio in Seattle, Mojave displays the band’s versatility when it comes to genre experimentation and matching their sound to the message.
Composed of Siems (vocals, guitar), Brian Besand (guitar, vocals), Bob Congleton (bass), Perkins (keyboard, vocals), and Tim Schuringa (drums), Stellar Jays welcomes Mojave as their second EP after their debut album, Early Winters (2023), which was recorded and mixed by Don Farwell (Foo Fighters) and mastered by Rachel Field (Pearl Jam).
As Stellar Jays hones their sound with Mojave, their roots coming out of the alt-rock and Americana Seattle scenes haven’t lost their grip in the best way.
