FEVER MOON - "God's Heart"
Review by Adam Jones - MUSIC FARMER 5
A Powerful and Timeless Rock Anthem
The musical landscape is about to be transformed with the arrival of "God's Heart," the new single by FEVER MOON. This epic punk-alt rock adventure is a passionate and poignant sonic journey that will leave listeners breathless and yearning for more.
"God's Heart" opens with a driving rhythm, intense distorted guitars, and deep acoustic melodies, setting the stage for Jay Holmes' raw and authentic vocals. Jay Holmes' voice is a perfect blend of Bruce Springsteen, Social Distortion, and Thrice, which adds a passionate, unapologetic energy to the song.
Lyrically, "God's Heart" explores the complexities of life, relationships, and the search for meaning. The song poses a haunting question: "What happens when one's personal strange spiritual loop is interrupted and co-opted by the freakish fringes of modern society?"
Jay Holmes' voice is a perfect blend of Bruce Springsteen, Social Distortion, and Thrice, which adds a passionate, unapologetic energy to the song.
The verses paint vivid pictures of self-discovery and transformation, while the chorus implores the listener to continue waiting, seeking, and bleeding out for the things they truly want. The bridge, featuring the incredible Millie Chimonyo-Ntubi lending her voice with some epic harmonization, leads to a mind-blowing guitar solo that perfectly encapsulates the song's emotional depth.
The climactic build of "I'm still waiting, I'm still waiting for you" is an unforgettable moment of longing and determination, before the song ends on an epic dive-bomb hit, evoking the feeling of awakening from a dream.
The music video for "God's Heart" is equally captivating, showcasing the vibrant city of Tokyo as the backdrop. The opening quote by Gloria E. Anzaldúa, “Wild tongues can’t be tamed…they can only be cut out,” sets the tone for this thought-provoking musical adventure. The powerful images of protests with signs reading "I'm still waiting!" and "I'm still waiting too!" underscore the song's message of persistence and solidarity.
FEVER MOON, the brainchild of American-born, Tokyo-based Jay Holmes, has been steadily building a devoted following with his home-demo hobby turned professional project. Backed by a powerhouse lineup featuring Matt Tecu on drums & contributions from Nicholas Smith & Millie Chimonyo-Ntubi, "God's Heart" is the perfect introduction to the 6-song set of new material that is sure to cement Fever Moon's place in rock history.
"God's Heart" is a powerful, passionate anthem for the restless soul, and it's impossible not to be swept away by its captivating sound and message. FEVER MOON has created a true masterpiece - "God's Heart" is destined to become an instant classic.
Check out "God's Heart" by FEVER MOON below!👇
MusicFarmer5 Exclusive Interview
FEVER MOON
Your song "God's Heart" has a unique blend of alternative & punk rock influences. Can you share more about the artists and/or experiences that shaped your sound?
I grew up obsessing over bands and artists such as Husker Du, Replacements, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., old Soul Asylum tapes, and of course...early Cure, Bauhaus, Slowdive, The Smiths. I've played in a few bands in the past; some more punk than others....but I've always drifted into music that is both brash, bold and loud and yet easy to drift into a dreamy hazy sort of atmosphere.
The music video for "God's Heart" is set in (what I assume is) metropolitan Tokyo. What inspired you to choose this location for the video, and how does it relate to the overall theme of the song?
Well, I usually get most of the lyrical inspiration from taking walks during the day. I usually work from home as an artist/graphic designer...so getting out and feeling air is essential to my mental state of mind. It's in these moments that ideas just come to me...and it's the same way the visuals and the storyline of the video came about. I'm a big believer in meditation and allowing random ideas to filter in through the noise of everyday life. That's basically been my process for the past 2-3 years.
The quote by Gloria E. Anzaldúa in the beginning of the music video sets a powerful tone for the song. Can you explain your connection to this quote and if/how it influenced the creation of "God's Heart"?
That's a quote that I've been obsessed with since high school. It's such a visual quote that envokes some vivid potential in my mind. I'm not certain that it directly influenced the creation of the song...but it seemed to fit into place in a great way as a cold start to the short story that was to unfold in the music video. It was actually a last minute idea to add that in there and it does a good job of setting a tone.
The lyrics in "God's Heart" touch upon themes of self-discovery, transformation, and searching for meaning. Can you share any personal experiences or stories that inspired these lyrics?
I can't really expound too deeply on any subject matter because it all is just absurd and rather abstract. There are layers of a transformative story within the song, I guess.... It's just laid out there on the highway for anyone to pick up and dissect.
How did your collaboration with Matt Tecu come about?
Matt's a friend of a friend who I connected with and asked if he would be interested in laying down drum tracks for a few songs. He's great...a very friendly and open-minded artist who sculpts some great big sounds. He's jammed with some great ones...Neil Young, The Weirdos, Fiona Apple, Regina Spektor, Mother Superior (just to name a few). I have a real thing for killer drummers and I'm always using their power to reflect off of and try to match that kind of grace and playing style within my own output. It's a rather telepathic procedure ...when it works.
With "God's Heart" being part of a six-song set of new material, can you give us a sneak peek into the other tracks and the overall direction of this new project?
Well....back in 2022, I ended up recording 4 full-length albums. The first two Keepers Park and The Long Chains Of Love were released in November. Then in December I was back in the studio recording two more. One album is a big bold guitar record...the other is a 10 song alt-country record that's full of lush strings, beautiful slide guitar work and so much more. Both of those recordings ended up gaining some interest in certain producer circles and they are taking longer to finish than expected. In the meantime, I had a few extra tunes that sprung out since January of this year and they became God's Heart. I think the sound of this ep sorta stands as a little teaser of the next two records to come.
Your bio mentions that Fever Moon began as a home-demo hobby. How has your creative process evolved since then, and what do you think were the key factors in transitioning to a professional project?
Well, at some point in time around 2021, I just decided to home-record every single song that I was writing currently...no matter how dumb or worthless I considered it. Eventually, I began to share piece by piece with a few friends and they started to encourage me to push it further. I'm no stranger to the studio (my old band had a few releases back in the 2000's)...but it had been awhile since I laid down tracks professionally. It was such a fulfilling process and I think that kick-started more writing....more recording.
It sounds like it was a fantastic experience working with Matt Tecu, Nicholas Smith, and Millie Chimonyo-Ntubi, judging by how the song turned out! Can you share a memorable moment or story from the recording sessions for "God's Heart"?
The best part is between Nicholas and I trying to figure each other out. he comes from a very studied background musically and I'm just a total doughnut when it comes to notes and theory. haha.
The powerful imagery of protests in the music video for "God's Heart" adds to the song's message of persistence and solidarity. What do you hope listeners take away from this visual and lyrical message?
There are certainly no coherent "messages" that I wish for anyone to walk away with from the song or the video. It's just some strange ideas that might bloom in someone else's consciousness over time....who knows?
As an American-born artist living in Tokyo, how has your experience in Japan influenced your music and songwriting, and do you think it has contributed to the unique sound of Fever Moon?
The music scene here isn't great. Sure...there are some great bands...but it's stifled. I'm not trying to break into any scene really... I think I may be more influenced by astral voices of the past...winds that carry strange sad and tragic stories of the past and the future. The present is simply too dull to acknowledge.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1buCVrHg5U
Bandcamp: https://fevermoontokyo.bandcamp.com/album/gods-heart