Nashville-based blues guitarist/singer JD Simo today releases the music video for his recently released single, “One of Those Days” from his forthcoming full-length album, JD Simo due out on August 21, 2020 on Crow’s Feet Records
American Songwriter exclusively premiered the music video with journalist Rey Roldan effusing: “Opening with an image of a plutocrat spouting out capitalist nonsense to a gray, rain-soaked crowd soundtracked by the dischordant guitar crunk intro, it soon transforms into a sun-drenched and rainbow-colored explosion of color as the music itself moves up to the major scales...his searing electric guitar slices through a velvety and funky bassline and unhurried drumbeat, while his smoke-puncturing falsetto cuts through the haze.”
The music video is a creative collaboration between JD and famed animation director, Anne Walker Farrel, (known for her work as lead animator on Bojack Horseman and Director of Duncanville and Final Space), and is a look into the mind of JD.
The feeling of the song is perfectly expressed in the video with trippy animations that flow seamlessly with the funk/soul/blues arrangement. The visuals depict an escape from reality as the animated JD floats along in a colorful array of animation that transitions from a grey and mundane world to a vividly colorful dreamscape.
Farrel talks about the collaboration: "JD and I chatted briefly before animation began to discuss his ideas for the video and to brainstorm the sort of look and mood we wanted. I was instantly drawn to the psychedelic energy of JD’'s music, but I was also reminded of something said to me at the start of the year, before things seemed to get harder and more complicated every week that went by. “As artists, it's easy to feel helpless when the world is in distress, so we do the only thing we can - shine the light that was given to us, and keep putting small, beautiful things into the world.” That's what this video is about, for me. Music and art, coming together to cut through the clouds. It's just one of those days, after all."
Journalist, Jedd Beaudoin for Popmatters chimed in: “...‘One of Those Days’ demonstrates his particular vision for the future of American music..that it need not break from tradition to break new ground, nor pay homage to the past to prove itself. Having collaborated with Jack White, Tommy Emmanuel, Luther Dickinson, and Blackberry Smoke, Simo is one of the most exhilarating voices of his kind.”
With the absence of “in-person” performances, JD Simo has been performing live to his followers in a weekly Facebook Live series, called Greasy Time. JD has been interacting with viewers every Friday with performance, storytelling, and insights into his musical and personal inspirations. JD also appeared in the premiere live stream for American Songwriter’s Behind The Mic Series.
