The first full-length release for Jake Bracey & The Mountain Laurels, ‘Grand Avenue Hymns’ is a poignant piece of pained labour that perfectly captures the essence of modern country/folk. The acoustic driven record is sublime in the string work through and through. Lead from the fore by singer and guitarist Jack Bracey, the clear influence of the 00s alternative rock melody and swagger is strewn across an otherwise distinctively country aesthetic. It’s powerful rather than restrained, choosing to thrive off thrashing choruses and powering chord sections.
From the first few strums of Synapse, you realise that this record probably lies more in an alt rock album’s ballad section than a distinct piece of folk or country in itself. But on ‘Drag’, the vocal mastering and more emotive guitar work has you feeling the more minimalist storytelling narrative and force of a country or folk record. Bracey’s vocals, incredibly pained and expressive give the complete slew of songs on Grand Avenue Hymns their distinctiveness. He has that Chris Cornell-esque quality not just in the notes and the sound of his voice, but also in the emotion he’s able to convey. When the electric guitar solo starts to come through in Drag, you really start to feel the full breadth of what this group can put out.
At its core, Grand Avenue Hymns is an album about evolution, about growth, and about the condition of being who we are. It’s able to draw out and elicit feelings we might conceal consciously or subconsciously. Bracey’s ability to express his own turmoil and experiences in such an intimate yet obviously sincere way is remarkable. A powerful blend of alternative rock alongside folk and country.