I’ve been a long time fan of Jonah Matranga’s work, from the before-their-time sound of FAR to the diverse NEW END ORIGINAL. His music has always embodied an honest integrity, and while that might be labeled simply “emo” by many of you, you can’t deny that the guy just writes honest songs. ONELINEDRAWING’s last album, “Visitor”, perfectly captured the raw, real sound of a guy sitting at home with nothing more than an acoustic guitar and his voice. The entire album was genuine, and the listener really felt like a recorder was snuck into the room, as if Jonah wasn’t playing for anyone but himself. I thought he had a winning formula with “Visitor”, but his latest release, “The Volunteers”, has taken it in a slightly new direction. On “The Volunteers” Jonah has sacrificed a little of his home-recorded sound in favor of more depth. While the production might not be far from previous works, there is just more to this release, from the audience sing-a-long in “Over It” to the strange “Oh, Boys”, which centers around the line “Boys keep fucking up my car”. The album grows stronger towards the middle tracks, and unlike previous releases, there are no real throwaway or intro tracks to skip over. Jonah maintains his characteristic sincerity that earned him devoted 15 year old fans across the country, but also manages to show off some great musicianship. Still, I get the feeling that this guy could do acapella and still sound amazing. His lyrics, voice, and honesty carry every release he puts out, and if he was farting on a couch I’m sure he could come up with the perfect vocals for it. Jonah’s love for music (and the way he uses it to express emotions) is infectious, and it really reaches out to this listener. There are more tools and instruments on “The Volunteers”, but once you listen to the album a few times and begin to focus on the lyrics, it becomes clear that this is still typical ONELINEDRAWING. Jonah has attempted to expand on his sound while staying true to his fanbase, and that’s how you build a solid audience. I’m glad this guy didn’t get tagged as the ‘next DASHBOARD’ by more than a few idiots, because it would be a terrible thing for him to be pigeonholed in such a way. “The Volunteers” is an album crafted with modesty and sensitivity, and no critic or hater in the business can take that away from ONELINEDRAWING.

Jade Tree

www.onelinedrawing.com