Music Review: Sari Jordan Calls For An End To Hostilities Between… Us All, Really, With Her New Single, CEASEFIRE

Heigh Ho, dear lovely rainbow tribe, welcome back to Bobby’s CD sandbox where we offer our broken-down breakdowns of new music releases. So, strap in and get ready, as Bobby goes on the record ABOUT the record.

This week’s album entry in the BobbyFiles comes from New Orleans-based indie alt/jazz artist Sari Jordan (she/they). Their new single, CEASEFIRE, is out now and this self-penned and performed haunting blend of alt-jazz with a touch of psych rock also possesses some American Songbook influences from the Big Easy. Written as a cut for her upcoming EP SING TO THE MOON (which will be out next month), CEASEFIRE (if Bobby’s ears do not deceive him) is destined to become a fave for fans of this genre. In fact, this work of art… this tone poem, if you will, is a must-listen for those lovers of trippy tunes, and since Sari’s composition blends these styles into a sound all her own, for her singular vocals, this may, well, be a bandwagon you Alt-Heads will want to climb upon. And although Broadway is more Bobby’s bailiwick, on our first listen to CEASEFIRE we were fascinated enough to pull this single into our September review rotation, bumping someone else (we will make it up to them) and, so, we dug in on this singular work that belongs to this singular artist. CEASEFIRE is not a song you will hum on your own or sing idly in the shower, but it is one to return to time and again, especially when a certain mood strikes. TBH, you don’t want to hum this one. You will want to hear Sari sing it - go right to her and listen to her intricate vocaleses in her one-of-a-kind voice. One thing you can do, though, is find someone to take in your arms and dance with to these waves of sound, so sexy is this song by Sari.  To quote from the press release, “This dreamy track is a song to blast when you're in the car driving away from a heated argument” - that much is certain. Despite the emotionally tumultuous message of the song, the dreamy qualities calm the mind.
 

The story here is an old and sad one. CEASEFIRE is exactly that, and in Sari’s voice, it is a clarion call for a cessation of emotional turmoil. Two hearts in love reach an impasse and after a long battle come to a point of exhaustion. Is this the end, or is this relationship fatigue? We don’t know, we can only surmise that at least one person involved does not WANT it to be the end, but for now, wants the emotional beatings to stop. Anyone who has been in it for the long haul knows these feelings and how exhausted one can become. “A white flag in my left hand and an Olive Branch in my right” plead the lyrics… Surrender and peace. The poetry of the lyrics is principally blank verse, with a free(ish) structure with only one or two out-and-out rhymes and some clever word matching within single lines - “Every time you lie I die…”  and like that… The music is most definitely Alt Jazz in all respects. Cool, but smokey-sounding instruments under her warm, clear vocals. A minor key and lots of diminished chords but never truly A-tonal. Melodic regardless of dissonance meant to express the imbalance. The lack of finality leaves everything up in the air (like life) as the song ends on an unresolved chord and a repeat of the flag/Olive Branch calls for a truce. Will she get it? Will the conflict stop or at least take a breather? We don’t know because the words and music do not resolve at the end. Jordan’s voice is possessed of one of those ancient sounds - bell-like and timeless. She is crying out but doing so under control as one who seeks to carefully end a conflict does. The character of her words and music is that of one quietly begging for the pain to cease. Everything is on the edge and a little bit sad, which suits the sound she employs. You can hear a broken heart in her performance, as well as the embattled fatigue. Credited with all the vocals, her background singing is a gorgeous mix of words and sounds and emotions, and speaking of mixing… Keenan Mcrae at Artisound Production in New Orleans, LA is to be commended for Producing, mixing, & mastering all creating splashes of color across Sari’s canvas. The musicians here are generous of sound without dominating the gentleness of Sari’s voice, so Guitar: Max Bronstein Bass: Lex Warshawsky Keys: Merell Burkett Drums: Alfred Jordan Jr. also receive high commendations from this rainbow boy.

Finally, CEASEFIRE is a beautiful if painful portrait of resolving conflict between people and the battle scars love can leave behind. While it is not the earworm sort of music that stays in your head after even several listens, it is one to return to over time to hear and to feel an artist’s sound portrait of heartfelt circumstance that comes to all those who love. As we said, Sari Jordan’s voice is lovely and worth listening to as it is timeless and from another time all at the same time, and now it is time to give CEASEFIRE a solid…

4 Out Of 5 Rainbows - Put this one in your collection/stream today.

Stream This One On Your Spotifies: HERE

Or On The Amazon: HERE

Found Out About Sari & Link To Her Socials On Her WebbySite: HERE

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