Drawing us in with a textured drum riff and timeless guitar soundscape with subtle 60s and 90s motifs, Owen Steib opens Jolie with vivid situational prose as he paints a subversive picture with the lyrics, “In the hallway there’s a little girl, swaddled in a denim straight jacket, lying next to a bloody cashmere sweater and the yellow handle of a fireman’s hatchet…”
We immediately connect with Owen’s poetic prowess and the visceral yet intelligent constructs that manifest. The opus expands into the tale of Jolie – a girl who has experienced something painful and is struggling to make sense of it. Owen Steib hints at trauma, heartbreak and isolation without revealing the full story. The chorus offers some comfort and hope with the hook, “Don’t you cry…” as Owen tries to reassure her that she is not alone. In a sense it feels really zeitgeist and important, delivered at a time when so many facets of feminism are fractured. The hope is not lost.
Musically, we are especially drawn to Owen’s emotive chord changes, which remind us of 60s power pop moments and 90s indie rock elements. The guitars possess a buoyant quality, whilst the lyrics themselves are pretty dark at moments. We hear shades of the Goo Goo Dolls, Deep Blue Something, Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket, with the third-person storytelling bringing to mind Pearl Jam at their most narrative-driven.
There is also an appreciation for the melodic immediacy of Jimmy Eat World and the timeless songwriting sensibilities of Tom Petty. Yet, for the debut single from an 18-year-old New York City songwriter, Owen already demonstrates maturity with lyrical complexity and emotional intent. To bring his vision to life, Owen worked with producer, Arthur Pingrey.
The cinematic potential is tangible, we could imagine Jolie landing a sync deal in a show like Dawson’s Creek, The Vampire Diaries, Carrie on Amazon Prime, or My Life with the Walter Boys. On the film side, we can imagine its energy and emotional tension working well in a film like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Thirteen, Donnie Darko, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Virgin Suicides and Almost Famous.
We are excited to hear where Owen Steib takes this approach on his forthcoming EP, and are obsessed with Jolie as a debut. We have added the song to our New Music Spotlight playlist and our TIMELESS playlist.