Jed Arbour has a knack for crafting tense, personal songs that burrow deep into your psyche.
Jed Arbour is the self-titled debut solo album from Jed Stein, an original member of the femme-freak punk rock band, Dishpit. Stein has crafted as assured a debut album as you are likely to hear this year. Its twelve songs are a tour de force of melancholy melody that reveal themselves a little more with each listen.
Though a far cry from the fuzz-drenched grunge of her other gig, the strength of these songs lies in their restraint. Sonically, the album brings to mind early PJ Harvey and Cat Power, as well as east coast compatriots like Julie Doiron, Construction & Destruction and Cousins.
Recorded live-off-the-floor with only the vocals overdubbed in a single overnight push in Montreal, the album deals with heavy topics like death, love, family, sexuality and friendship. These are good songs for bad times. Lived-in songs with dirt under their nails. Oh, and “BUG” is an absolute JAM!
