Joji

Ah, Classic Rock... the kind that merits a capital C and R. Typically, it's easy to describe, but near impossible to define. What makes it classic? Any hack with chops could wank for an hour and claim the title. But we all know better. Creedence, Queen, Pink Floyd -- these are true, undisputed Classic Rock bands -- the proud few who could turn mindmelting solos into everyday rock radio staples that help make our hours seem like minutes. Hailing from the same rural Kentucky town that birthed fellow longhairs My Morning Jacket, The Anomoanon's music synthesizes backwoods folk and arena-ready anthems. Combining Ned Oldham's familiar croon with the acoustic textures of Led Zeppelin and inspirational dirge of Crazy Horse into a sound that seems so natural, one wonders if this record wasn't just waiting around for these guys to discover it. Recorded in various basements and makeshift recording studios from Shelbyville, KY to Baltimore, MD, Joji's is the sound of Ned Oldham's many musical paths finally intersecting like spider legs. Heavy riffs hold up crystalline vocal harmonies, roaming solos weave paths through rock-solid rhythms, and matter-of-fact verses give way to choruses replete with good old fashioned hootin' and hollerin'. Saying that this is the band's most accomplished recording is downright redundant, since it's also one of the finest of its kind by anyone. In a sea of glorified bar bands posing as hipster revivalists, Joji finds The Anomoanon dropping from the sky and landing on both feet with a rhythmic stomp that rattles every bone in your body.