Strutting with more confidence than some will be able to relate to in “In the Grey.” Bruising us with quiet pulsations in “Devil I Know.” Lurching forward beside a sensuous harmony in “Shadow Man.” Cascading from above in a steady deluge of decadence in “Catch 22.”
WEBSITE: https://jayemadison.com/
The tempo, both literally and figuratively, in Jaye Madison’s MIRЯOR: Framework is half the reason why I would say it’s one of the more addictive alternative country EPs you’re going to acquire this March, but not the lone excuse you could give for getting your hands on it today. Jaye Madison is made up of two indie country players – and sisters no less – on the underground side of the dial, but here, they sound as driven by omnipotence and efficiency as their handle would suggest they should be.
The beats are always the most prominent element in any given track here, but that doesn’t stop the harmonies in songs like “Shadow Man” and beautifully emotional “Devil I Know” from sounding sophisticated and profoundly passionate. There’s never any doubt as to whether or not the band is invested in the narrative from a poetic and personal standpoint, but instead a feeling of insularity that seems strangely appropriate for an indie country effort produced in 2023.
MIRЯOR: Framework is arguably more compositionally dexterous than it is cosmetically virtuosic, and I don’t say this because of the simplistic crunch that comprises the climax in “Catch 22” or “In the Grey” exclusively. No matter what we’re listening to in this tracklist, Jaye Madison is high-roading the competition with barebones arrangements that force us to appreciate their intellectual capacities as much as we would a melody or even a specific hook, but at the same time, there isn’t any arrogance getting caught up in the big picture here. That’s a difficult combination to put together, but for this duo, it’s coming easy.
I love the physicality of the lead vocal we start with in “Catch 22,” and to some degree, I think that all of the melodic elements in this mix have been designed to be a little overbearing on purpose. The most tonally expressive moments in MIRЯOR: Framework come to us invasively, demanding a response out of our gut with brash, scooped EQ and streamlined ascents through the verses that feel more like pop-inspired sonic calisthenics than they do anything else. If they were more metallic they’d be an intense rock band; here, they’re as Nashville-friendly as they are provocatively indebted to the modern Americana movement.
Smothering and sonically uncompromising in all the right ways, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t addicted to the music Jaye Madison has assembled in their all-new EP MIRЯOR: Framework, which is their first official studio work to see widespread release in 2023 (though hopefully not the only piece we’re going to hear). They don’t sound even the least bit nervous in their performance here, and if this is just a glimpse into what the next chapter of their campaign will look like, you can put me down for more immediately.
Heather Savage