Jive White Boy – Knives That Stab Your Face

Jive White Boy is another solo artist masquerading under a potential band name, this being the chosen name of Brian Senesac from Portland. Jive White Boy’s music could be seen in a similar area to Bon Iver. On the title track that kicks off this album there is jangly backwoods strumming, tinkling percussion, despair ridden vocals, but a general welcoming bonhomie. Lost Sensation seems like an updated Simon & Garfunkel tune, at turns upbeat and down at heel. But mostly it’s the sad tale of loss the draws the biggest comparison with that duo. Slowly has a more gentle country feel to it, shimmering in the fading summer light. The Great Depression has a melancholic feel to it, but if this is the bad times, he provides a great soundtrack to it. Last Summer feels like it was a tumultuous time, the beats kicking the track along like its down and out, some accentuated vocalising sees storm clouds gather. Things We Don’t Talk About reminds you a bit of the intricate meddling of Sufjan Stevens, with a tune that sounds delightful but hides much more. 2031 is probably even more like the man, and maintains a somewhat medieval feel, sounding something like an old traditional folk tune. From the press release it appears that Brian believes the last track’s title to be the year of his death, and thus the album ends on a downbeat yet complex note.

Knives That Stab Your Face is self released and out now. Buy it from CD Baby
Jive White Boy myspace is here