Graeme Jonez - “100 Days Deep”
Graeme Jonez’s new single, “100 Days Deep,” is a haunting and yet delightfully dark track that proves storytelling in music isn’t dead. The song is rich with character with a raw vocal performance and vivid imagery.
From the opening acoustic fingerpicking and slide guitar, to the stomping percussion, claps, harmonica, and organ, the song’s instrumentation is full of swagger. Jonez’s vocal performance is gritty and raw, with a dirty, growling tone that perfectly matches the lyrics. The backing vocals add an additional layer of richness to the tone.
As a storyteller, Jonez truly shines. Through the perspective of a raven looking down on a zombie apocalypse, Jonez weaves a unique and compelling tale that reimagines the conventional zombie storyline through an Indigenous lens. The dark imagery is both haunting and poignant, with references to a dying drag queen, black dogs, and a drifter with peeling skin. Throughout it all, there is an underlying sense of despair and hopelessness that speaks to the struggles and challenges faced by Indigenous communities.
Overall, “100 Days Deep” is a good, old-fashioned indie folk song in every sense and makes me look forward to his debut album, Creatures & Criminals.