Jason McCue
Credit: Jason McCue – Music (facebook)
Meet singer-songwriter Jason McCue and listen to his new EP
When you first listen to Jason McCue’s shy, wispy songs, you wouldn’t think he’s done his time in a rock band.
When you listen again, however, his experience definitely shines through, along with his influences. McCue’s four-track EP, EPs for Elephants, borrows from quiet strummers Elliott Smith and Jeff Buckley – especially on the tracks “Blank Ending” and “Relativity,” which paint a picture of a lonely midnight practice session by an open window. But you can also hear traces of bigger acts like Queen, Modest Mouse, and the Beatles. The first track, “Skiffle no. 2,” is full of boppy folk-based melodies and soaring harmonies.
“Rubber Soul was what made me want to make music in the first place,” McCue says. His track “Come to Me” can be seen as a fresh take on the airy acoustic sound that the Beatles pioneered.
Hailing from West Chester, PA, McCue spent a few years playing in an alternative rock band called WET. His band, with the help of other local musicians, cultivated a small basement music scene in West Chester that has expanded greatly in the past few years.
WET temporarily dissolved after two of McCue’s bandmates moved to Seattle, so he altered his style to make up for the lack of musicians.
“I started writing music more along the lines of alt-folk and acoustic,” he says.
EPs for Elephants is his first solo release since WET, and it’s a preview of what will come on his debut album, due out in June. He’ll perform June 6th at Fergie’s Pub and is in the process of booking an east coast tour for June. You can find much more of his work on his Soundcloud.