Debut Project From LA/Seattle-based Collective Is Released Today
The Album:
Jemez Mountain Hawkz is single-handedly blurring the lines between Americana and indie pop with their debut EP, Hey-Mez, which the band is releasing today. The brainchild of former Scared of Chaka bassist Dameon Lee Waggoner, the group has united veteran guitarist Ian Moore, former Shins member Dave Hernandez, Drew Church of Little Cuts, and Steven Barci of Chasers, to create a sound that is reminiscent of classic SoCal interwoven with southern rock circa 1969 and contemporary indie vibes. Hey-Mez is available digitally through iTunes and Amazon, and physically as a CD or 12" vinyl via JMH's website.
"CA-2" and "California Bound," the two previous singles from Hey-Mez, give the listener the immediate urge to take a road trip to a California beach, and the mood continues through the rest of the album. Penned primarily by Lee, the songs are heavily inspired by the mystery and wide-open spaces of Lee's native New Mexico as is evident in "The Long Ride Home." The album is rounded out with "Snow is Silver" and "Summer's Gone," each of which create a sense of longing and nostalgia for memories just out of reach.
For review copies, please contact Gavin or Dory if interested in talking with Jemez Mountain Hawkz.
The Background:
The eventual pairing started innocently enough: Ian Moore inviting Dameon Lee Waggoner (Scared of Chaka) to cut some tracks at his studio. Enter recent Shins alum Dave Hernandez on lead guitar, bassist Drew Church (Little Cuts) and drummer Steven Barci (Chasers), and you have: Jemez Mountain Hawkz ("J" pronounced as "H") by way of LA and New Mexico. The Hawkz manage to combine the intangibles that turned the Summer of Love into a timeless sonic imprint that echoes in the hearts and minds of anyone who's ever left their cares behind in favor of an FM radio and an unknown Western destination.
