Genre: Alternative Rock, Trap
“I know I messed things up, but I’m sorry I’m not coming back.”
Situated in Azusa California, JRHXC has come out with eclectic debut album titled, “Memory Card”. Here listeners will experience a musical buffet of various genres as JR navigates the complicated feelings of a breakup. There’s a lot of emotion expressed through his powerful vocals and energetic music ensemble featuring impressive piano instrumentals. The music is well produced but shows that JR is more powerful in some genres but maybe less confident in others.
Softly introducing the chaotic realm of sounds that follow, “Introduzione” enters with the classic playstation theme that hits you with a wave of nostalgia. It’s a simple lo-fi instrumental that is beautifully put together and almost too perfect for studying sessions. It’s short and sweet and nicely segways into the title track, “Memory Card”. Entirely different from the first song, “Memory Card” is upbeat with an explosive chorus. The whole production is reminiscent of the popular band, The 1975. The guitar is bright and syncopated and the vocals in the chorus sound like they are layered with a string of effects I could only describe as slightly robotic but not in a bad way. From what I’ve heard so far, JR’s vocals are fantastic. There’s a whole lot of emotion being conveyed that pulled me in to the story each song is expressing.
From what I gather from some of the lyrics and titles of the songs, this album is heavily influenced by a breakup. Throughout its duration, JR unravels the thoughts in his mind after undergoing the unfortunate demise of a relationship of some kind. He seems sad it ended but knows what happened is for the best: “I know I messed things up, but I’m sorry I’m not coming back,” he sings in the song, “Strangers Again”. I like how this album seems to be a timeline of how it feels to be freshly separated from a former partner. There are plenty of ups and downs expressed through the production much like what most people would experience in reality. The album starts almost cheery then as you keep listening, it get progressively more emotional like in the songs, “Hysterical” and “Dreams of You” which is a later song where he sings, “When I close my eyes, I realize it’s true, I can’t get over you.” I admire the amount of honesty that is poured into the lyrics. They’re relatable and succinct. The piano instrumentals also perfectly coexist with the feeling the album evokes. JRs playing is stellar and may be uncommon in most modern music but is beautifully blended into the mix. The final song, “Outro from the 3D” proves this and is a lovely ending to a whirlwind of an album.
Also worth mentioning, the album is a melting pot of genres. From beginning to end there’s lo-fi, pop rock, alternative rock, emo, math rock, trap, rap, classical, and probably more incorporated into this project I didn’t catch. However, I personally think he is strongest in the rock genre because of his powerful voice and talent for creating a catchy hook. The later songs on the album aren’t as strong as the ones where he is pouring his heart out over loud instrumentals or a soft guitar and piano pairing. At the end of the day, the exploration of styles is fun and makes it to where there is a song for everybody to enjoy.
Overall, “Memory Card” holds up to its name. The album carefully holds the memories and feelings JR held for a former lover and is musically impactful from his vocals and the amalgamation of instruments that come together to create this fun, experimental project. It’s a solid debut record and I look forward to see how JRs creativity further develops in the future!
Be sure to check out JRXHC and stream his debut album, “Memory Card” everywhere you listen to music!
For Fans of:
Post Malone
The 1975
Machine Gun Kelly
Follow JRXHC on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jrxhc/
Stream “Memory Card” on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/66ZGu9Bu2cjJuXWwkjXBLh?si=PxOchZifS-W0OMQlGr2_wg
Stream “Memory Card” on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/memory-card/1704239800
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