Jared Mees & the Grown Children, “Bees,” from forthcoming album Caffeine, Alcohol, Sunshine, Money (Tender Loving Empire)
I’ve said it before, and I’m saying it again: Jared Mees is one of the best songwriters in Portland. And this track from his upcoming release, Caffeine, Alcohol, Sunshine, Money (which is set to drop October 7 on his own Tender Loving Empire), does nothing to dissuade me from this stance. Which is saying a lot, considering he’s employing something I’ve started to think is ruining a lot of good pop bands: strings.
“Bees,” as well as another sneak peak Mees sent LocalCut’s way (a rad shout-along number called “The Tallest Building In Hell”) are speckled with that chamber-sounding stuff. But the songs are just that—speckled. Jordan Dykstra (of Marriage Recs fame) plucks and bows his viola, the latter in both long, sweeping strokes and those short, super-fast, frantic bursts. It’s that variety, and the fact that the orchestral swells don’t completely pussify Mees’ delightfully in-your-face approach, that makes it work. Unfortunately, a lot of bands in search of that full sound (ahem, Mates of State) have let the inclusion of strings dull ‘em down, ultimately detracting from the hooks and punch their pop music’s built on. Not Mees and the Grown Children, though. Oh no.
His wicked-smart lyrics are in full effect; on this particular track my current fave is, “And the guilt I once had is gone/ It’s been replaced by a fear of dying before I get old.” And the brash, powerful sound of Mees’ acoustic guitar and jumpy vocal melodies continues to chop his songs into delectable little pieces. And the addition of tambourine- and keyboard-playing maven Megan Spear (who’s a dead ringer for Maddy from Twin Peaks, by the way) and drummer/bassist Sean McCormick (the Wherewithals, et. al.) was no shabby move on Mees’ part, either. Spear often echoes Mees’ words at those crucially catchy moments right where it counts, leading them one avenue deeper into your brain.
This latest lineup (pictured above) is currently going under the Grown Children moniker, and it certainly sounds that way: Music made my funloving kids with chops enough to play whatever they damn well please, enough experience to have something to say in the first place, and the smarts to not get all hoity-toity mature about it. I love this band.
Download audio file (bees.mp3)
Jared Mees & the Grown Children play next on Tuesday, July 15, with the Morals and the Wherewithals at Doug Fir. 9 pm. $6. 21+.
Links:
MeesSpace
Tender Loving Empire
Jordan Dykstra
says:Thanks for the kind words!
Posted @ June 25th, 2008 at 1:57 pm (June 25th, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkLucas Mollerstuen
says:this is a long awaited album for me, I agree with the accusation of Jared Mees being one of the best song writers in Portland, and the Grown Children make for an amazing line-up. Just listen, and you will know this to be true.
Posted @ June 25th, 2008 at 8:45 pm (June 25th, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkBen Meyercord
says:This sounds good. Real good. I’m gonna try to go to that Doug Fir show (as it looks to be awesome).
Posted @ June 26th, 2008 at 12:44 pm (June 25th, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkmegan spear
says:Thank you for such a lovely review! I googled Maddy and I agree.
Posted @ June 26th, 2008 at 12:53 pm (June 25th, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkLucas
says:The one boy is buttoning his suit, the girl has lots of buttons on her pants, and the other guy has buttons on his sweater. What is the guy on the left doing? Where are his buttons?
Posted @ June 26th, 2008 at 3:53 pm (June 25th, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkSean McCormick
says:I guess I missed the memo about wearing buttons. Also, Kevin Fitzpatrick (not pictured) is the drummer. He always wears buttons.
Posted @ June 27th, 2008 at 10:47 am (June 25th, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkLucas
says:It is creepy for you guys to keep lurking your own article.
Posted @ June 30th, 2008 at 11:34 am (June 25th, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkThat Sound :: Hosted by Dave Cusick, Friday nights at 7 on KPSU, podcast anytime » 2008 » July » 03
says:[…] Sally Shapiro - Time To Let Go (CFCF Remix) Jared Mees and the Grown Children - Bees (via Local Cut) Finn Riggins - […]
Posted @ July 3rd, 2008 at 12:46 am (June 25th, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkMr. Fitzpatrick
says:Button up, Button down.. Gettin ready to button the entire next two weeks. I think if you look hard enough, you can see me.. hidden in the cracks between blue and red. Nobody has heard of the dude anyway.
Posted @ July 7th, 2008 at 11:51 am (June 25th, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkJared Mees and the Grown Children: Mini Drums, Mini Van, and the Grown UP Children (Eugene)-- local Cut
says:[…] Links: Jared Mees and the Grown Children “Bees” Cut of the Day […]
Posted @ July 17th, 2008 at 10:05 am (June 25th, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalinkconcerned citizen
says:i think it’s creepier that lucas is stalking this article…jm + gc has its first stalker!
Posted @ September 25th, 2008 at 10:54 am (June 25th, 2008) | Flag this Comment | permalink