Embodying the spirit of Southern Rock and Country, The Prairie Joggers have found a singular trademark that is timeless. For their latest album "Weight of it," they have distilled those evergreen sonics of Americana, disregarding commercial music veneer and loaded with unadulterated songwriting bound to leave an impact on the listeners. Under the raw and unpolished makings, these tunes house candid songwriting that is remarkably down-to-earth and emotive. Let's get to know more about them and this album!
Hailing from the chilly region of Winnipeg, The Prairie Joggers have wholly adhered to the genre of folk-rock, but not without distinctive features— their musical catalog so far is laden with songs featuring overdriven guitars that buzz plenty loud, and lyrics bleak enough to cut sharp. Their debut "Move Along" (which has since gathered thousands of plays) marked their commencement in the scene and set the template for what they have to offer: plaintive, scratchy guitars with narrative and cynical vocals meeting together to form a rustic yet sophisticated performance. Their sound is adjacent to the blues-heavy folk/country bands such as The Creedence Clearwater Revival, sticking closely to the roots and trading modernistic elements for a warmer vintage timbre.
Over the course of this year, they released parts of the album as singles and EPs, accumulating the anticipation from their audience. Handling the production and other brass tacks themselves, the album has several homespun features like the small talk before the recording initiates or the bleeding microphone, as their basement served as a modest point of origin for this endeavor. When it comes to the songwriting department, they source inspiration from various facets of life--- including bygone opportunities and relationships--- lending an ingenuity that's rare to find. Following the release of this album, the band performed a release show in their hometown, which signaled the start of their fortnight-long tour.
We enter the album on a rather high note, as the suitably titled "Runner" equips striding drums with the rich timbre of the natural, harmonic vocals penning a tale in Memphis— one of a hopeless attempt at love with a free-spirited woman, running from her past. After that, "Do You Need Me" takes inspiration from the likes of Bob Dylan, poetic yet forthright in its bearing, as it opens up about a bitter and unresolved relationship. For the titular track "Weight of it," the bluesy vocals are wistful and gloomy about the fragility of life, followed by an equally pensive instrumentation. In "Holding Me Down," guitars blaze across over fast rhythms as the lyricism reveals the misfortunes faced by the singer (a wandering troubadour) as he travels aimlessly to make a buck (Not a dime at the County Fair/Packed it up, tore it down/Try my luck in another town).
But not all is bleak, as tunes such as "Moonlit Road" take a breezy turn with the lively patterns of drumming and jangly guitars, and the vocals are imaginative and reciprocating of the overall upbeat nature of the song. "Leona" is an eventful tale of countryside heartbreak, layered with memorable guitar riffs throughout its duration. Winding down, "High and Rambling" adheres to slower, introspective Jazz arrangements; cymbal crashes are in cohorts with the grungy, blaring guitars as the despondent vocals, full of weariness from solitude and downing the sorrow with spirits.
Undoubtedly, "Weight of it" sets a precedent for the Canadian duo with its unflinching and reflective vocals, enriched by the distinctive Americana signature that trades glossy arrangements for robust, crude yet detailed arrangements.
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