The Volunteers,
OnelinedrawingHi my name is Jonah. You may remember me from such bands as emo legends ‘Far’ and the much missed ‘New End Original’, but for now I’m plying my trade with my one-man crusade for beautiful, intense, dramatic music that is Onelinedrawing. Troy McClure he is not, but with Onelinedrawing he is showing the kids how it should be done on a quite wondrous album. The Volunteers is the follow up to the much-praised ‘Visitors’ LP that followed countless EPs he had created. There was a certain degree of anticipation surrounding this release, but if he showed any of the pressure that comes with such demands then he hid it very well. With eleven tracks crafted like a fine painting, every inch is from the heart and doesn’t patronise in the slightest. If James Brown is the godfather of soul, then Jonah Matranga may well be the godfather of emo.
As with all albums an artist creates, there are weaker and strong efforts. The difference is the gap between these tracks and how it is bridged over an album. Onelinedrawing manages to bridge these gaps without so much as a bat of the eyelid as it strums along, changing the pace of songs subtly so it doesn’t blend into one hybrid of emotion, but still feels as if a story is being told. Before I go onto some of the gems of the album, I’ll get the niggles out the way first. The instrumental opening track doesn’t really fit in quite well enough, and the same could be said for the other instrumental slapped in as the penultimate track. It all feels a little anti-climatic as the aforementioned ‘Portland’ drowns the flow of the album up before the ordinary ‘As much as myself as to you’ ends on a sweet yet insincere note. But, I would rather not dwell on mere annoyances too much and concentrate on what is right about the remainder of the album.
‘Over It’ begins on a happy go lucky note, moving along at a pleasant pace as it culminates in a sing-a-long with friends and family recorded live, something you don’t hear often but actually works very well. Along with one of my standout tracks ‘We Had a Deal’, both tracks showcase a talent for the upbeat as well as the more traditionally ‘emo’ efforts such as the beautifully crafted ‘A Ghost’ and ‘Superhero’, both laden with the kind of acoustic melodies and soothing sounds most bands can only hope for. ‘Livin Small’ is another that doesn’t quite fit the mould of the eclectic tastes on show, but ‘Believer’ reaffirms your faith as its epic feel takes over in a rousing climax. So far one track has escaped my commentary and that is the quite wonderful ‘Oh, Boys’. Apparently it is about his girlfriend after he damaged her car, and despite the fact the song grated upon first listen, it always raises a smile with its lighthearted lyrics and carefree way.
The general feel over this record from critics and fans is that it is not Jonahs best work. However, I fell in love with this record the moment I heard a four-track sampler of it some months ago, and it has only grown on me further since I gained the full LP. Emo kids new and old will lap it up, and the album is as heartfelt as they come. As the brainchild from just one man, it is something to behold.
Jay
