The singer-songwriter known as Jonathan
Tea has released his long-awaited EP record album, “Ghosts.” The
record contains four original tracks and nearly 20 minutes' worth of
playing time. It is the most capital official release from Tea to
date, and represents an excellent introduction for music fans not yet
acquainted with this remarkable recording artist.
The album combines elements of
traditional pop by bands like The Beatles and The Kinks with
attributes of folk, country western, and rock 'n' roll for a unique
sound all its own. Though it is a solo record from top to bottom,
Tea's sound is lush and full, and neither overwrought nor
self-important. His songwriting shows impeccable taste, and his
performances bespeak both great skill and measured restraint. That
the album entire is the result of one artist's creativity is
shocking, it is so round, complex, full of perspective and subtle
profundity. The only shortcoming of Tea's “Ghosts” in fact – if
indeed it can be called a shortcoming – is that it is short.
Listeners are sure to listen to this powerful little EP on repeat.
Tea names as main influences a broad
array of legends: Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Led
Zeppelin, Van Halen, Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The
Who, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Marty Robbins, Duke Ellington,
Stan Kenton, and Count Basie.
“From bluegrass to the blues,” he
writes, “everything I’ve ever heard has influenced me on some
level.”
These influences are more present on
“Ghosts” than they are in the writing of most artists. One can
hear clearly the spirit of John Lennon and Hank Williams in equal
parts. The result is a kind of music that lends itself to every ear
and is difficult to pigeonhole.
Regarding the themes of his record, Tea
writes, “This EP is about
redemption. Its title track is about bad choices that were made and
can never be taken back. 'Man on the Mountain' is a cautionary tale
based on a story my grandmother used to tell me as a child so that I
would behave. 'A Modest Proposal' is about the moment I realized I
had found the love of my life, and is quite literally a marriage
proposal. 'The Soundtrack (To a Life Well Lived)' is about what
happens when you make the right choices.”
More
than a collection of narratives, however, “Ghosts” is an
emotional journey without melodrama. In Tea's concluding words, “This
EP starts from a dark place of regret and finishes in a place of
contentment and joy.”
The same
contentment and joy can be heard by everyone beginning July 5, when
“Ghosts” by Jonathan Tea becomes available online worldwide.
-S. McCauley
Staff Press Release Writer
MondoTunes
The EP “Ghosts” is
distributed globally by MondoTunes (www.MondoTunes.com)
and is available at iTunes for convenient purchase and download
MondoTunes
(www.mondotunes.com)
supplies the largest music distribution in the world and provides
upstream services for many major labels in search of breakout
artists. While most independent distributors reach only 45-50
retailers despite charging needless monthly and yearly fees,
MondoTunes reaches over 750 retailers and mobile partners in over 100
world regions without any monthly or yearly fees.
ARTIST CONTACT INFO:
eMail -
jonathanwtea@me.com
Twitter:
@jonathanwtea
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