Joy Downer – Paper Moon
Album Review by Jessica Frey
Joy Downer is announcing the release of her debut LP “Paper Moon”. “Paper Moon” was written and recorded by Joy and Jeffrey Downer. Self-described as “Alternative Dream Pop,” (a spot-on genre for this album) the nine-song debut LP was recorded by Joy and her husband Jeffrey Downer in their home studio in Los Angeles.
I had so much fun listening to this album! This is not a 12 year old girl’s bubblegum pop music, the album is a smart collection of beautiful vocals, synths, drums and guitars. I’m feeling a strong presence of influence from late 80’s and early 90’s greats. The LP does not feel old and stale but is new and forward facing. This album feels like it pays homage to the likes of Annie Lenox, The Pretenders or the Cardigans as well as newer artists like Ellie Goulding. Joy’s voice is smooth, angelic and haunting all at the same time making for one of the more interesting albums I have heard in quite some time.
The story of Joy’s early years is a somewhat interesting one. To paraphrase, Joy was raised in the Mormon Church, she was one of ten children in the household, her parents were both musicians so she was exposed to and influenced by the music of the church, broadway musicals, punk and disco. You can hear so much of this influence in the songs on the EP. Joy was homeschooled her senior year so she could continue and grow her modeling career taking her places all over the world. All this happened before she decided to really focus on a career in music! Joy’s version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” was featured in a Honda commercial a few years ago and earlier this year, Joy’s song “In the Water” was selected as the theme for the Netflix Original Series “Spinning Out”.
The single, “A Song You’d Never Want To Hear” has been released along with the album’s announcement. Part of the chorus, “I still don’t know why I didn’t let you let me go” is fun and addictive, reminding us of the earliest of relationships past. An ex boyfriend had suggested she sell an earlier version of this song to ”a real singer like Britney Spears”. Luckily, she decided to save the song so we can hear it sung by a real singer like Joy Downer. Joy’s vocals really shine through on this one.
“Plastic Wrap” is a fun song that makes you want to sing along and put it on repeat, repeat, repeat! This song is steeped in 80’s influence making it a great throwback to the music of the 80’s but definitely in Joy Downer’s own influence.
“Getaway Car”comes just in time for summer cruising! Without the lyrics, this song sounds like a smooth ride in a great car! With the lyrics, this song is a little darker than the others on the LP.
There is an impressive list of people that have worked to help make this album what it has become. Dave Trumfio (Wilco, Jesus and Mary Chain, The Mekons) mastered the album and mixed six of the songs with the remainder of the tracks being mixed by Liam Westbrook, one-half of the UK production duo Superhuman. Joy has also featured several of her family members, “I sampled voicemails from both my Mom and Dad, had my Mom play piano, had my brother Jon sing and play guitar at the end, and my sister Jaime played some harmonium. There’s even the song I started writing at age 17, that I didn’t ‘sell to a real singer like Britney Spears,’ which is the opening track ‘A Song You’d Never Want to Hear.’ Each song sort of catalogs my current mindset/feelings and is still my form of therapy. I wrote most of my songs in a stream of consciousness way, so if I’m asked what they mean, I’m often still trying to figure that out myself. So I would say: whatever it means to you, that’s what it means.”
-Jessica
Track List from “Paper Moon”
A Song You’d Never Want to Hear
Plastic Wrap
Getaway Car
Over & Out
Neon Turns
Go
Good Bad
The Fool
Paper Moon
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