by Brian D. Holland. It’s easily understood that inspiration drives the music of JJ Grey & MOFRO, as influence radiates from it in an interesting and colorful manner. Though much of it is surrounded in a raw yet contemporary swamp rock ambiance, it possesses elements of southern rock, soul, R&B, folk, gospel, blues, and especially funk. The music parallels the lyrical image flawlessly in setting, emotion and significance. JJ Grey paints a picture of the rural South, especially the Florida backwoods, where images of alligators and cypress amid swampy terrain effortlessly come to mind. He grew up in and around Jacksonville, Florida, close to the wetland areas he sings about, and close to the Orange and Lochloosa Lakes as well. The rugged wetland environment comes to life in songs like “Florida,” “Lochloosa,” and “Turpentine,” and haunting stories of poverty and misfortune (“Country Ghetto,” “Ten Thousand Islands,” and “Brighter Days”) sit contently among songs of hope and affection (“Orange Blossoms,” “A Woman,” and “The Truth”) in all four of the band’s CDs. It’s even very Southern Gothic at times, especially in the lyrical content of “The Devil You Know” and “Tragic.” Via first and secondhand experiences of their narrator, the tales depict life’s ambiguous and complex situations in a genuine and practical manner…
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Garvey Guitars 