Inspired from the Past

JJ Grey & Mofro have recently released their latest album, Ol’ Glory. The 12-track record has a mix of an old school rhythm and blues feel with some rock and roll thrown in. Unique to most other albums out today, Ol’ Glory draws inspiration from music of the 1960s and 1970s, while still maintaining its own sound through its lyrics.

Track one, “Everything is a Song,” starts things off with an upbeat sound and an uncanny similarity to Al Green. “Every Minute” also maintains an upbeat sound with a positive message: “Feels so good to be warm in the sun. / Loving every minute of living.” Grey is looking for some positivity from others with track five, “Light a Candle,” when he says, “So light a candle for me. / Be the guide that I need / When I’m all alone.”

Songs like “Turn Loose,” “Brave Lil’ Fighter” and “A Night to Remember” tell a story. With “A Night to Remember” there is a sense of fun and playful mischief with its fast pace and storyline of what happens when Grey sees a girl he’s interested in. It’s as if the listener is right there with Grey as this night to remember is first happening. This song in particular sounds as if it could have been from the 60s or 70s.

The rest of the album includes a variety of topics. The pace slows down with track two, “The Island” and the final track, “The Hurricane.” “The Island,” which is in fact about an island, has a soothing, melancholy beat to it. “All beneath the canopy, / Of ageless oaks whose secrets keep. / Forever in her beauty, / This island is my home.” Then there is a religious focus with “The Hurricane,” basically stating that it doesn’t matter what is done to prevent something. If God wants it that way, that’s how it will be. “Ain’t no levy strong enough, / Ain’t no science that’s smart enough, / When God, when he opens his mouth.”

The title track asks a lot of questions: “Can you see it when it’s dark? / Can you feel it when it shines? / Can you hear it in the ocean? / Can you smell it in the pines?” And with the tenth song of the album, “Tic Tac Toe,” an interesting comparison is drawn. In the song, the idea of good versus evil can be decided by something as simple as a tic tac toe game. “It’s like playing tic tac toe with yourself. / It’s like holding Heaven and Hell in the palm of your hand.”

There is a retro assortment of songs on Ol’ Glory, all of which are worth listening to.