Jesse Daniel Edwards’s last album Saudade, released under the alias Juni Ata, was lush folk that flirted with Americana. His latest, Violensia, is not that.
As beautiful a record as the quiet Saudade was, his latest effort is a different animal entirely. Pulling in elements of rock and pop makes for a powerful record that taps those emotions that were ignored with his last offering, equal parts exuberant and playful. Speaking about his new direction, Edwards said recently, “I have no idea what kind of music this is. I mean, I didn’t know what was going to come out when I started writing, but I was pleasantly surprised by the songs. They were just so weird and dramatic and kind of operatic.”
Operatic is a pretty solid description, at least thematically. His swooning vocals are as dramatic and evocative as any Rufus Wainwright song and the way he uses the piano as a rock instrument is reminiscent of the early Ben Folds Five records. There is also an undeniable Queen element to these songs, in both the lyrical brilliance and oddity, and the passion with which they are delivered. It’s obvious from the opening “I’m So Happy (I Think I Might Cry),” a slow build piano ballad the evolves into a full-on frenetic release of emotions. But the undeniably enjoyment of the music belies the meaning behind the lyrics with many of the songs focusing on characters dealing with traumas and pain.
Elsewhere, “Backyard Party MDA” starts at a sprint and doesn’t let up for the full three minutes. The same can be said of “Matches & Gasoline,” a full throttle, distortion-slathered rock number. The record closes on “Whatever Happened To,” a morose pop track that goes to show the depths of his songwriting here, despite being one of the very few weak songs on an otherwise stellar record.
With just 10 songs, Edwards proves even the gentlest folk/Americana musician is holding back a Freddie Mercury just waiting for the right moment to break free.
