COUNTRY GHETTO - JJ GREY & MOFRO
This is an intriguing and fortuitous signing for Alligator Records. JJ Grey and his band, Mofro, are a Southern-fried buzz out of north Florida. Grey’s a songwriter with a sharp wit and a knack for skewering the hypocrites, jive politicians and carpetbaggers who litter the landscape. The Mofro vibe travels freely among swamp funk, blues, rock and soul, and does so with a certain down-and-dirty swagger that’s as real as it is appealing. Catch the wave right away with opener “War,” which rocks musically and lyrically. The title track is classic Grey, a blend of Dixie funk, autobiography and manifesto. “On Palestine” and “Turpentine” spring from the stuff of local, unpleasant history — the former bearing the somber weight of gospel, while the latter rocks Mofro style. Billboard
