Music Review and Interview with Jeremy Dean – Love Jones
The track has a great feel to it right from the start, the music sounds great, a positive and uplifting vibe resonates, and the vocal performances that follow add a really creative touch to the track. The female vocal adds that much needed hook section, still compelling with the chilled out and easy going vibe, and the lead vocal holding up the verses has a pretty laid back and conversational style to it, but it’s quick – a really nice flow to the lyrics, hard to catch some of the lines, a really unusual style but fairly compelling to listen to.
The melodic section kicks in just at the right moment each time, I felt the track even ended a little too soon – that last bit could have carried on a bit longer. It’s a great sounding melody, well performed and fits really well with the overall sound and feel of the track. Well worth a couple of listens and great production means it really works in a whole bunch of different settings. You can listen intently to this one and get lost in the style and the words, or you can turn it on, turn it up, sit back and unwind as the music fills the room.
There’s no breakaway section, no real sense of a bridge or middle eight, if anything that might have added a new level to the track, maybe it would also help with making the whole thing last a little longer, but it’s not a bad thing – this is a fairly simple track that essentially sounds great, keeps hold of your interest throughout, makes you want to move or sing along; a whole host of positive vibes and reasons to press play again. Jeremy Dean makes the kind of music that highlights creative flair and instrumental escapism combined. It’s a really nice sound.
By Rebecca Cullen
Exclusive Interview:
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Dean: I grew up in the state of Georgia, where my parents moved around the Southside of college park frequently, before settling down in a small town called Hogansville. Eventually, my father died one year after moving to Hogansville, of cancer. I was six years old at the time. After high school, I spent the next 8 years of my life in the Marine Corps, discharging honorably at the rank is E5/Sargent. What made me decide to become an artist was my first taste of music, playing the trumpet, in which my aunt introduced me too and singing in the youth choir. At the age of eleven my cousin introduced me rapping. And of course, I was born in the mid 80’s so the Michael Jackson bug bit me. However, after being able to visually see the portrait in which Tupac, Biggie, Rakim, and so many others gave through their music, it kind of gravitated me towards being an MC.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Dean: My stage name has shorten over the years, originally is was Shawty Dean (Shawty D) when I was in the military. The reason I decided to go with Dean as a stage name is simply it provides inspiration to youth from an educational standpoint. However, in College or at a University, the Dean is viewed as a power figure. In the end, I mostly went with Dean because it is my last name, and I am proud to have it.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Dean: When it comes to online music sharing, I feel it is great for exposure for up and coming artist. However, I personally do not give my music away for free, unless it can help me advance my career in music. I do feel that my music delivers a message that can inspire others, but this is a business.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Dean: The tips that I would like to share with my fellow musicians/artist is continue to grind, work hard, and jump at every opportunity available in order to make yourself heard. Also promote your music, your brand, your image. Utilize every social media outlet, and have great supports that have the same vision, as you do.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Dean: I tend to gather my song writing inspiration from events that took place in my life and my daily surroundings. Past relationship, things I could have done differently. My family, my wife and kids also provide inspiration to my writing techniques. I also tend to gather inspiration from past and present artist that are in the music industry. Individuals’ such as Rakim, TI, Outkast, Tupac, Biggie, and Ludacris to name a few.
My writing process goes simply like this, if I hear a tune start to form in my head, soon words follow. At that moment I switch over to my not pad on my iPhone and start to type. You see the words form like poems in which I am able to comprehend the concept in which to write. This occurs throughout the day, so I guess you can say it’s a lot of writing.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Dean: The platform I use for listeners are Soundcloud in which viewers can listen on by going to my page @soundcloud.com/Dean-419868036. Also feel free to follow me @THEDEAN14 on twitter, and again on Instagram @jeremy2136 or @[email protected] on facebook and google.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Dean: Honestly, I would invest the money into a new music project and invest in my brand. I would also try to help up and coming artist with the same drive and passion for music as a gateway.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Dean: I actually promote my music via social media and word to mouth scenarios. I am also receiving help from Push Power Promo, shoutout to pushpowerpromo.com, Soundcloud and friends and fans, whom I consider family. My manger is also doing a great job, shoutout to Juanes Williams.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Dean: The next item on my agenda is working on a mix tape in which I will be dropping this summer. I will also be dropping a new single hopefully Friday, somethings for the ladies tittle love jones.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Dean: If I wasn’t making music I would have to say Forensic Psychology, working with inmate to help rehabilitate them back into society. What helps with this dream is the fact that I recently graduated with my Bachelors in CJ with a minor in Forensic Psychology and currently working towards my Master in Forensic Psychology in which will be completed in 2017.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Dean: I juggle my responsibility with the assistance of my support, my wife who helps me with my kids and ensuring that I complete my studies before hitting the studio. Music is an important part of life for me, however my parents raised me to get a proper education first.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Dean: Fans should look for music that excites, music that they can feel and relate to in their everyday life. Each story I tell, may actually be speaking about a person’s life, and the point in which they themselves maybe at. My music could possibly show them a different approach to changing the outcome of daily challenges. Also I just uploaded another track titled “Hasta Manana”, today so go check that out.
