Musician: Jas Patrick
EP: Inky Ovine
Inky Ovine is the third EP from Nashville singer/songwriter Jas Patrick, and every music lover needs to check out this hidden gem. Although Jas’s music is typically considered rock, soul, blues, and Americana, he also tosses in elements of alternative, gypsy-punk, reggae, flamenco, folk, country, and even jazz. Jass multi-genre style is a beautiful and complex woven blend of melodies, beats, and sounds.
Released in 2015 on Tiny Lion Records, Inky Ovine was first conceptualized in 2012. After the release of his EP Tributaries in early 2012, Jas found himself with depleted funds and slightly discouraged. He decided to move into a home studio, which came to be called Osa Madre Studios, and for two years he slowly populated his new studio with the gear he needed. In 2014, Jas was ready to begin recording Inky Ovine and he enlisted the help of Nashville recording engineer Brad Bass of First Avenue Sound. Together Jas and Brad recorded the six songs for Inky Ovine, and have plans to release another eight on an LP.
The creation of Inky Ovine was definitely a labour of love for Jas. On the EP Jas was the lead vocals and harmony vocals, and he played the acoustic, electric, and slide guitars, banjo, mandolin, drums, percussion, melodica, bass synth, keyboards, sequences and synths. But he was also joined by Jake Willemain on the bass guitar, Vicki Garrison and Bernadine Upson who also sang the harmony Vocals, and Jeff Peterson who played the steel guitar for the tracks “Little Bug” and “didn’t Ask.”
Fans of Eric Clapton will love Jass intense yet down-to-earth and charming vocals. Jas shows off his amazing vocal range in the EP’s opening track “Harpy.” It is in this song that listeners can fully appreciate Jas’s rapid range, hitting both high and low notes one after the other. It is also in “Harpy” that Jas doesn’t hold back the intensity of his commanding voice, the result being a blues song that deserves?no?demands to be taken notice of.
The sound in “Party Line (Classified)” starts off a little softer than “Harpy,” and the rhythm and melodies slowly crescendo to a satisfying climax at the resolution of the song. In “Party Line (Classified)” Jas’s vocals remind of Blue Rodeo and the Barenaked Ladies.
The EP’s title track, “Inky Ovine”, is perhaps the most unusual song on the EP. It begins with a gypsy-punk inspired intro but then subtly slips into a reggae rhythm as Jas begins to sing. Then at the chorus, Jas’s rock and blues sound shines through. At the bridge, the guitar slides into a more alternative rock sound, and then later has a distinct flamenco flare. However, for all its unorthodox genre-bending melodies and rhythms, “Inky Ovine” is an astounding peek into Jas’s abilities as a musician, and the track is truly the “black sheep” of a music industry that harps on the necessity of genre-labelling.
Those interested in checking out Inky Ovine can find the EP on Jas’s website, as well as on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and Noisetrade. Also, be sure to check out the quirky and dark video for “Harpy”, and download the track for free on Jas’s website.
Samantha currently uses her skills as a writer to promote independent musicians and raise awareness and support for many global, environmental, and humanitarian issues. Check out her website and blog at: http://sstevenswriter.wix.com/writer