If you haven’t heard of the newest and hottest Philadelphia-raised band, Mt. Joy, stop reading this article so you can fully understand the joy that is Mt. Joy. Releasing several singles throughout the past year like “Astrovan,” and “Silver Lining,” the band finally released their album after a teasingly-long wait period of over a year. The album covers a range of sounds and tones, but the emotionally-charged voice of Matt Quinn (lead singer and guitarist) ties the whole album together beautifully with themes of purpose, love, religion, and unity.This is what makes the now LA-based band stand out; in a sea of noisy ramblings and musical normalities, there is something about Mt. Joy’s lyrics and musical pairings that resonate with audiences. Yet, the folk rock and subtle Americana moods is something listeners haven’t heard of yet, especially as Mt. Joy has the push behind them to fall into the mainstream (proven by their inclusion at Bonnaroo’s lineup last summer and their current U.S. tour). With the band only falling more and more into focus of the everyday listener rather that the music-seeking indie-loving hipster, it’s clear that audiences are craving for the clean, powerful, and eclectic sound that Mt. Joy provides with their self-dubbed indie-folk sound.If you’re looking for a song that really speaks a lot of Mt. Joy’s abilities, “Sheep” is one of their earliest songs that debuted that wraps a powerful, potent message within beautiful, fresh guitar accompaniment. Focusing on how the younger generation of Americans are viewing violence in their own country, Mt. Joy hits listeners with lines like “You cut it up, you cut it up, but it’s still the red white and the blue” and “She said a change is gonna come, but it’s all on us,” hitting home with the idea of unity within the younger generation.I’d say this is their best song on the album; but if you want to truly believe me, you’ll have to listen to it yourself.
Mark Maddaloni / Mark
