Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: John F. Doe
Label: Self-released
Release: 2015
Length: 34:54
Rating: 4.5/5
John F. Doe are an alternative rock band from Bled, formed in 2010. They started out as John Doe, and recently they squeezed an »F« and a period into the band name. I don’t know the reasoning behind the move, but my guess is the guys went for it because a band from Varaždin, Croatia, goes by the same name.
»JFD« delivers an excellent debut album from a band that really sweated over its many arrangement flourishes and sonic details. It shows how driven and committed they are to squeeze out the best they’ve got right now. What first surprises you about the album is the great mix of a dark alternative rock atmosphere, glowing with feelings of melancholy, disappointment and even the black, erotic passions of lust, and a seriously strong musicality, which the band in turn develops in how it puts its songs together. You can say John F. Doe are a credible, straight-up answer to the whole idea of indie rock, brewed on the sunny side of the Alps but with British influences The album “JFD” has a touch of authenticity and originality in its material, and that’s the key thing for the band’s next steps and a potential chart breakthrough. What opens that door is how extremely listenable these melodically varied songs are, tied together by that dark atmospheric veil I mentioned, plus a warm, organically alive production, where guitar and keyboards weave a really exemplary backdrop. It’s exactly this interplay that adds a heap of details and flourishes to the songs, and they start bubbling up to the surface once you spin the album a few times in the CD player.
The bass is nicely upfront and one of the most important elements in the band’s sonic contrast. It’s got that typical stance from the darkwave and post-punk days of the eighties . The guys have a real knack for the basic compositional rule of »less is more«. The songs are extremely catchy from the very first listen, they get under your skin right away, and the simple rhythms they stand on and »effortlessly« sway to get your body itching to dance. With short but punchy strokes, the album makes a convincing statement and leaves a big, memorable impression. That was exactly what John F. Doe were aiming for when they made the album.
Marko Zemljič creates with his mid-range voice, which is occasionally contrasted by being distorted with effects, or sounds as if it’s coming through a faraway telephone receiver, one of the first charms of listening to this album. The verses come alive and grab you with their passion and lived-in feeling. The instrumental side of the sound gives the vocals a seriously solid backbone. The chemistry of the quintet works and shows they’re vibrating on the same wavelength, which makes for great communication and understanding between the band members. That was reached through the band’s natural evolution, which is very important for developing an original identity. Given how polished it is, the album gives the band great potential, a springboard to knock on the door of the international music scene too. The combination of infectious musicality, easygoing rhythms and the dark atmosphere of organic, sonic warmth works on »JFD« in just the right doses. In just the right balance. It’s an exceptionally beautiful, compositionally mature record for a debut, packed with full-blooded indie rock, and it makes for a very promising future.
Line-up
Marko Zemljič – vocals
Aleš Svetina – guitar, backing vocals
Luka Zemljič – keyboards, backing vocals
Tilen Knaflič – bass guitar
Bojan Marinko – drums, percussion
Production
Matej Wolf
Tracklist
1. Purple Velvet (03:22)
2. From Russia To China (02:58)
3. Drive Song (03:48)
4. Rider (03:27)
5. High Hopes (04:03)
6. My Addiction (04:39)
7. Black Glitter (02:39)
8. December Lights (02:46)
9. Fantasy Road (Bye Bye Baby) (03:22)
10. Crminal Mind (03:15)
