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Susan Frances
09/29/08, 09:14 PM
Animalsound - In the Forest of the United States
Record Label: Unsigned
Release Date: March 21, 2008

There are some lead singers in rock ‘n’ rolls history that are irreplaceable like U2’s Bono, The Doors Jim Morrison, and Creed’s Scott Stampf, and singer-songwriter-guitarist Jonivan Jones, alias Animalsound, joins their ranks. Jonivan’s latest release, In The Forest of the United States has 8-tracks which showcase pure rock conditioning relatable to Jeff Buckley and deep toned vocal moans liken to The Alarm’s frontman Mike Peters. Jonivan’s songs have a singular focus that stays fixated on pure rock spin cycles which somehow keeps the audience captivated even when every song almost seems to vary very little from one to the next. It’s Jonivan’s low register of stark timbres and vocal prowess that really make these songs give the listener goose bumps up and down the spine. If that’s not the standard for a great singer, then it definitely needs to be.

Tracks like “The Valley Below” and “In the Woods” are ledged in vintage rock herbals and bluesy intonations. There is a cool strut in Jonivan’s vocal moans that rubs the listener just right. The slender pickings of the guitar strings drifting along “A Dog’s Life” and “The Colors There” create a dreamy atmospheric and peaks in the center of “The Colors There” as Jonivan quickens the pace of the guitar cuts. The deep toned guitar chords of “A Revival” and “New Territory” have a primal rumbling that acts as a reflective glass of Jonivan’s vocal inflections, and the sleek guitar trills and their leisurely roaming coursing through the final track, which goes unlisted, brings the album full circle to a pure roots rock filament.

It’s really exciting that Jonivan Jones embraces roots rock so whole heartedly and brings out the genre’s emotive frequencies. In The Forest of the United States stakes out Jonivan’s claim on pure rock and his vocals are unlike anyone before him. His music has an aura that is friendly and good natured, but undeniably intimidating and protective of its rock ‘n’ roll turf. His songs have a professional polish with raw edges which show Jonivan’s maturity as well as his animalistic growls.

Jeff Buckley, The Alarm, Midnight Oil

www.myspace.com/animalsound (http://www.myspace.com/animalsound)

ddb43
09/30/08, 07:48 AM
You lost me at Creed!

Here It Goes
09/30/08, 08:52 AM
Yeah, Creed...was that a joke?

aquabayside
09/30/08, 01:06 PM
Yeah, I stopped at reading at the statement about Creed

Here It Goes
09/30/08, 09:13 PM
Seriously, Scott Stampf?

I'm just not sure what to think of this Jonivan Jones now, and find the review quite confusing. Therefore, I probably won't check out this band. Not sure if that's what you were shooting for or not, Ms. Frances...

AzureBard
10/02/08, 02:45 PM
I am glad that I wasn't the only one who stopped reading at Scott Stampf.

LooseSCruz
11/18/09, 11:23 AM
Yeah, Creed sucks but, honestly, I stopped at "Bono." Anyone who draws comparison to a pretentious douche like that is certainly not worth my listening time.

Oh, and it's Scott Stapp, not Stampf. Jesus. I have yet to find a reviewer on this site who appears to actually deserve their job.