Once a self-proclaimed Average Joe, the artist formerly known as Joey the Jerk has now captured a vision of musical experience that reaches beyond his hip hop roots and into new sonic territory. This vision, realized in the form of Joey’s Dream, is a creation of sound that refuses to be categorized into one specific genre. Call it rock, call it pop, call it hip-hop, call it what you want – this latest project from the Paramount, CA, native delivers ear-pleasing results for listeners of all kinds. With the release of Mold Me, Joey’s Dream is sure to capture your attention as well as your imagination.
Make no mistake, Mold Me is a bold endeavor from Joey and a departure from what past fans of his music have come to expect. But regardless of the change in sound and name, Joey hopes to reacquaint himself with his past listeners as well as open up the door for a whole new audience. “I would hope past fans aren’t put off by the style of Joey’s Dream but would appreciate the music for what it is. I’m always wanting to share perspective, art, and the themes of my songs with all different kinds of listeners.” Those themes found on Mold Me range anywhere from deeply personal experiences to ideas about our need for God to shape us into the people we are called to be.
While the passion and honesty that past fans of his music have come to expect from Joey can be found throughout his latest project, Joey’s Dream is a labor of love that is quite collaborative in nature. For Mold Me, Joey enlisted the help of a few friends, most notably, Matt Dally who is best known for his work as bassist in the band Superchic[k]. When they weren’t in the middle of another friendly bout of Madden, the two were pouring their creative energies into many of the songs that appear on Mold Me. It goes without saying that the presence of the two artists, both coming from different musical backgrounds, can be felt throughout the course of each song. “With Matt, he comes from a different world than I do and wants to bring about a different result,” says Joey. “It was about making both of our visions for each particular song collide in a way that made both of us happy.” It’s hard not to be thrilled with the results, as tracks like “Poetry in Motion” and “Wake Me Up” clearly combine the sound and personality of each artist in a way that instantly creates something new and unique.
Mold Me is an album about hope, faith, and joy. Hope that Christians can truly grasp the love that Christ has placed in our hearts and live out our faith in boldness; faith that regardless of life’s struggles, God is molding us and shaping us into the people that He longs for us to be; and joy found in the little things of life, whether it be family, friends, or even just a “Piece of Sunshine”. With diversity found not only in its subject matter, but also in its sound and presentation, Joey’s Dream is a project has proved to be an extremely worthwhile outlet. “As an artist, I felt like I had music in me that was worthwhile, but wasn’t exactly rap music,” says Joey. “I wanted this project to sound different, look different, and be looked at in a different light.” Mission accomplished. And the resulting product is must-hear, no matter what light you’re viewing it in.
“MOLD ME”
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