Reviewed by Aaron Cloutier
My God! A rock band!
Sorry. That’s what my brain screamed to itself as I began listening to “Octavate” from the Boston-based Jack Prost Band. A few seconds in and I was already having intense flashbacks of my grunge-soaked childhood.
Musically, “Octavate” takes the influence of early 90’s alternative sounds but frames them with a pop-rock sensibility. Imagine if Dinosaur Jr met Collective Soul and then they strolled down the street to run into a kinder, gentler The Jesus Lizard and started jamming. To me, it’s kinda like that. It’s got that gritty dirty aesthetic going on that you’ll hear from all those bands during that time but it’s also got this happy, sunshiny vibe happening as well.
The bass growl is immediately noticeable as it fills the space carved out by the mid-paced drums creating a nice steady groove. It’s the guitars in particular that make me think of a song like “Feel the Pain” from Dinosaur Jr in terms of tone. Not necessarily the songwriting as I mentioned that this follows more of a traditional pop song structure but the actual tone of the instrument. The guitars are clean with just a hint of dirt on them to keep things interesting. The vocals are unassuming and direct with the inclusion of many unexpected vocal harmonies that give the arrangements a nice lift in certain spots.
I’d say the production on this track accurately captures the true nature of the band. With music technology being what it is today and every band being mixed to sound completely unrealistic (mine included) it’s refreshing to hear a band that sounds like a real live band. I feel like if I went to check these guys out at a bar, this is exactly how they’d sound. That’s the exact picture I get when I hear this. I feel like I’m in some tiny little club, up close and soaking in the vibe.
www.octavate.band
About Jack Prost Band
Jack Prost Band is a rock-based project from Greater Boston, born of grunge, rock, power-pop, and alternative. The songs are all written and played by JP and produced and engineered by Scott Glorioso.
Joshua Prost is a songwriter and musician based in Boston. JP played in cover and original bands in the Boston scene since the early 2000s, and has since been writing and collaborating with musicians all over the country.
JP started as a rhythm guitarist but found the universe when he "evolved" to bass. You can feel the bass driving the melody in most of his songs. You can taste the grungy alternative energy in Joshua's music. You'll hear a unique, low but harmonic growl which is embellished by his work on his original Danelectro baritone on many songs. You'll understand his lyrics - they are deep, expressive, and relevant.
"As a kid, I’d sit on the floor of the closet in the kitchen playing with my Legos while my mom would cook dinner. I'd have huge brown headphones on (with the curly wire), she'd have the speakers on, and we'd be blasting Led Zeppelin II... Morrison Hotel... Emerson Lake and Palmer... Dark Side of the Moon. Rock is in my blood."
The first album "My Way" is available on all major music streaming platforms.
#JackProstBand #Octavate #MusicReview
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