Phoenix-based Jane N’ The Jungle has a powerhouse singer and a cool alt-rock sound

I came across Arizona-based alternative rock band Jane N’ The Jungle late last year when they followed me on Instagram after I posted a photo for an article I had written about another band. I checked out their Instagram account, their photos looked interesting, so I followed them back.

A few days later, I had a quick text conversation with them in which I promised to watch their videos and write an article if I liked what I saw. The conversation ended, and I promptly forgot.

Fast forward a few months, and it dawned on me I still owed Jane N’ The Jungle a listen (I do try to keep my promises, it just sometimes takes me a bit of time). So I headed off to their YouTube channel to give their videos a go.

And, as someone who watches a lot of new bands on YouTube and often thinks “Meh”, I have to say Jane N’ The Jungle and their unique highly-energetic alternately sweet and hard sound stood out from the first video, as they are the real deal.

Because, man, these guys have good songs — both musically and lyrically — and lead singer Jordan White has a powerhouse voice.

Just watch their latest video for their new almost folk-rock single ‘One Time‘.

The song is nothing more than one loud up-front-and-center acoustic guitar, and Jordan White’s voice as raw, throaty, harsh and rich as a voice can possibly be, and with the quirkiest accent that makes the lyrics sound so incredibly sweet.

The low-budget but very powerful in its sparseness video was shot and directed by guitarist Brian Dellis, and is just footage of the singer walking through a typical deserted American suburb at dusk.

A suburb that illustrates the message of the song perfectly — “one time is all we’re worth/one time we’re not falling short/we’re sliding into home/love me while we roam”.

Because, yes, we only get one time to do all of this. So don’t hide away from the world in your dull Americana home, trying to pretend you’re happy. Instead, get out and do something amazing with it.

The line-up of Jane N’ The Jungle is currently lead singer Jordan White, guitarist Brian Dellis and drummer Davis Carpenter.

The band was founded in Phoenix, Arizona in 2013, after Jordan White moved back from a stint in L.A. They released their self-titled EP in 2016, and recently had two of their songs used by Honda for that company’s TV commercials. They were also asked to play at a Grammy Awards after-party last year.

So, yes, Jane N’ The Jungle is well on their way to becoming a thing.

And, while their promo material talks about the band’s influences being icons like Alanis Morissette, The Cranberries, and Florence and The Machine — and, yes, I can hear all of these in their music, but with a slightly harder edge — Jordan White’s voice also reminds me a little bit of early Cyndi Lauper.

She has the attitude too.

You can find more about Jane N’ The Jungle on their websitetheir Instagram account, on Facebook, on Twitter and on Soundcloud, where you can hear more of their music. You can watch their music videos on their YouTube channel.

Start off with ‘One Time‘ below, which I think is the most powerful and most poignant song they have produced so far, and ridiculously addictive. Then move on to ‘Faded Stars’ below that with its sweet start, rock chorus and brilliant almost-punk guitar.

Get a glimpse of Jordan White’s incredible voice live as a slightly different line-up Jane N’ The Jungle participate in the Sofar Phoenix series with their song ‘Sirens‘ and, finish off with the last video and the most classic alternative rock song of them all — ‘Killed Someone‘.

Thanks Jane N’ The Jungle for following me on Instagram. I might not have found you otherwise, and that would have been a crying shame as you absolutely rock.

 

About Michelle Topham

I'm a Brit-American journalist, former radio DJ at 97X WOXY, and Founder/CEO of Leo Sigh. I'm also obsessed with music, anime, manga, and K-dramas. Help!

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