REVIEW: JJ Grey & Mofro Tries Different Sonic Methods on ‘Olustee’

JJ GREY & MOFRO
OLUSTEE
(Alligator)
3 1/2 out of 5 stars

RATING CHART:
1 star – Pass
1.5 stars – Mediocre
2 stars – Average
2.5 stars – above average
3 stars – Good
3.5 stars – Great
4 stars – Excellent
4.5 Exceptional
5 stars – Classic

The eighth studio album from JJ Grey and his ever-changing Mofro is a comeback in a variety of ways. Not only is it his first release in nearly a decade, but the record is a return to the Alligator label that helped put his swampy Florida soul/rock on the map in the mid-’00s after years of slogging away in cramped venues. 

Like Lochloosa (2004), Olustee (a small Florida city in the northeast part of the state) references areas that provide inspiration for much of Grey’s material. As a first-time producer, he’s developed the band’s sound substantially, escalating his already sprawling outfit—which includes horns, percussion, and backing singers—to occasionally embrace full orchestrations. The result is a more strident style that (mostly) enhances his soulful swagger. 

Grey pushes boundaries on “Seminole Wind”—at over six minutes the record’s longest and most ornate track—by embellishing it with strings, prominent jazzy horns, supporting singers, and Florida-centric lyrics that summon him home. Occasionally this larger scale becomes overly melodramatic, as on “Free High,” which feels bloated, and the closing “Deeper Than Belief,” where the strings get too decorative. 

Grey is more convincing in Stax/Otis Redding territory, crooning on the blues-drenched ballad “Waiting.” When he hits a tight funk groove on the sexed-up “Rooster” (Love a little work and love a lotta play), the sound bubbles with vitality supported by his staccato, hip-hop-inflected vocals. The taut energy ramps up further on “Olustee,” with Grey’s bluesy harmonica pulsing like the fire that overtakes the titular city. A roaring guitar solo further reflects the song’s danger.  

Grey goes churchy on the lovely ballad “On a Breeze”; it’s as light and, indeed, breezy as its title suggests, as it incorporates strings, poignant vocals, and a mournful melody.

Grey’s move into elaborate production might confound those who gravitated toward his raw earlier shows. But it’s an undertaking that generally works, and shows he’s willing to try different sonic methods, even if some don’t click.  

Photo by Steve Rappaport/Courtesy Shorefire