Artist: Jeán et Joie
Song: “Glory Be”
Album: Bramble EP (TBR 2025)
Genre: Folk, Singer-Songwriter
The lyrical brainchild of Grey Jeán, Jeán et Joie formed in 2022 originally in Arkansas, before moving to North Carolina to build a presence. Their music is described as “mournful folk with a hopeful glow”, which can likely be attributed to the influences Jeán gathered from her upbringing, surrounded by Catholic hymns. The group has only released two songs so far, the first being the compelling “Glory Be”.
The opening chords may make you think of Jeff Buckley‘s version of “Hallelujah”, but as Jeán’s strong vocals come in, the melody takes on more of a sea-shanty sway, like Billy Joel‘s “Piano Man” converted to a soulful church song. Lyrically, Jeán takes the same storytelling qualities of Joel’s song, translating it to her world of youthful life in the south (“Waitin’ on you like we wait for Medusa, while we’re all getting stoned”) and conflicted romance (“Still thinkin’ bout Church pews, and the way they remind you, how it felt on the inside of me”).
It’s a great launching point for a group clearly looking to show the world some new songwriting talent. Check it out in our Check This 2024 Playlist!
The Indy Review 