Who? New York native Jason Crawford has been making grey matter since 2004, when he wrote and played every note of his self-released debut, How to Make Millions in Real Estate. After bringing his one-man act to the stage with only his Nintendo Gameboy on backup, he finally found some other warm-blooded beings to jump on board. With the help of Amos on bass/hybrid/noise and Jon Webber on drums, Crawford and company bring supporters of the grey their sophomore effort, Your Job Will Kill You.
What’s the Deal? Having other humans behind Your Job Will Kill You polishes and reinvents the sound Crawford created on his one-man debut. With Amos’ bleeps and oscillator solos, Grey Does Matter resemble a more electro-pop version of Rogue Wave. And with Crawford’s soft, honey-laced vocals, the trio find a way to make even the darkest threats sound sweet: On “So Easy,” Crawford croons, “It’s so easy to hurt you / It’s so easy to do / It’s so easy to snap your neck or drown you in the pool.” “Whole Sale” is an equally adept outlet for the singer’s inner fury, as he jumps on the anti-Bush bandwagon with “They can’t sell it if we don’t buy it” and “We say that he won but you only checked once?”
Fun Fact: As a self proclaimed “turbo nerd,” bandleader Jason Crawford is a card-carrying member of the Star Wars Fan Club. In 2005, the singer attended a four-day geek fest known as “Star Wars Celebration III” and by chance, he wound up sharing the floor of his hotel with many stars of and behind the films, including George Lucas. KRISTINA ENSMINGER
Now Hear This:
Grey Does Matter – “Irregular Embraces” Download MP3
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On the Web:
greydoesmatter.com
