It’s funny how a modern-sounding record can make you feel nostalgic, but that’s what Gracie & Joey and their new EP ‘Runaways’ does for me. Firmly situated in the kind of country pop that sounds remarkably traditional by today’s standards, the four tracks this collection offers hark back to early Taylor Swift, Gloriana (when they were a quartet, not a trio), and a simpler, more innocent kind of atmosphere. In 2014, country pop encompasses a wide range of experimentation with alternative rock, hip hop, EDM and R&B, over sexualized lyrics and nothing short of One Direction-style boybands. In that time I’ve drawn away from the more commercial, the more mainstream, retreating into an array of country/Americana crossover in my dislike of poorly-manufactured “boundary pushing”. But the sweet, summery, youthful sounds (thanks to producers Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount) of Gracie Varga & Joey Jacob have reminded me that combining the styles of country and pop is possible to do in a way that is respectful to both genres.
The title track, for example, is rooted in traditional instrumentation, as dobro, acoustic guitar and mandolin blend together in perfect harmony, the duo’s vocals floating elegantly over the top. The mix/production is pristine, shimmering, polished, and yet we can hear the evident twang in Gracie’s voice, the bright melody and catchy hook gently complementing the choice of arrangement. The same can be said for ‘Just A Little While’, which progresses not unlike Swift songs circa 2008-9, banjo and mandolin snug in the embrace of pace-driving drums and electric guitars, always expertly balanced so that nothing overpowers anything else. ‘Next Time You’ll Think’, meanwhile, recalls the stylings of Veronica Ballestrini, complete with quivering vocals from Gracie, a bouncy, foot-tapping beat and a dynamic, memorable melody that reaches out and grabs the listener.
Yet lyrically this song is the only uncheerful track on the record, as the other three are full of young love, infatuation and a kind of new freedom full of wide eyes, magical nights and enthusiastic energy. That’s not to say that they’re cheesy, far from it, but evoke a mood and theme that are unavoidably feel good. So even though ‘Next Time You’ll Think’ comes across similarly in the sonic approach, the lyrics tell a deeper tale of a man who can’t seem to stop walking away from a relationship, only to find himself jumping back in. It expresses the woman’s frustration with his (and possibly her own) behavior, laying out the story with more of a logical progression than the other tracks. Not only is that and the rockier, more upbeat arrangement of ‘Loving You’ indicative of what they are capable of expanding upon on a full-length record, but it also shows the edges of their scope and where they are looking to situate themselves in the musical landscape.
There’s an innocence to their music that does not go unnoticed, a lack of sexualisation that actually goes some way to maturing their sound; they don’t get stuck in the swamp of frat boys, college parties, drinking and screwing and then wishing they were drinking and screwing. Despite its pop aspects, the songs on this EP are more in line with conventional country songwriting prior to the last few years than one might assume on the outset. It just helps that they’re pretty damn catchy too.
