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WEBSITE: http://www.wesleyjeremiah.com
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/wesleyjeremiah

Today's post comes from a band that was submitted to us via our SUBMIT A BAND feature. After listening to a few songs, I quickly realized that they were worthy of a post. I hope this encourages others to begin submitting themselves more often!

Wesley Jeremiah is primarily a two man group from Brooklyn - a collaboration between Wesley Keith (vocals/guitar) and Jeremiah Fraites (drums/piano/bass). As of late, however, they have had a handful of others assisting them, including Jay Van Dyke (who I believe is responsible for drums and piano on their latest EP). WJ lists Tom Petty & The Heartbrakers, Leonard Cohen, and Bob Dylan (among others) as primary influences of their music. In listening to their tracks, it's easy to hear nearly all of these influences present. Unlike other bands who often try too hard to sound like their idols, however, Wesley Jeremiah manages to draw from multiple sources of inspiration and still maintain a strong sense of originality.

After releasing two records under the name "6Cheek," the group decided to switch up their title with the 2009 release of the Wesley Jeremiah EP (available on iTunes). Although only having listened to the EP a handful of times now, I have instantly become fond of both the songwriting and musicianship that WJ has put forth. The songs on this 7-track record range from slow, minimalist guitar and vocal to upbeat, drum and piano heavy. The vocalist, Wesley Keith, goes from sounding like Conor Oberst in some tracks, to Bob Dylan in others, and even Thom Yorke of Radiohead from time to time. Don't let this throw you off though - each track on the EP appropriately blends with the others, and the musicianship is solid, original and unique.

In addition to putting out an incredibly well produced EP, Wesley Jeremiah has just wrapped up their very first regional tour (having played all around DC, Philadelphia, Jersey and New York). They are planning another tour towards the summer's end, and by the looks of it they have a handful of shows coming up in the near future. If you're interested, check out the dates on their myspace. Posted below is one of the more drum-driven, upbeat tracks from their S/T EP entitled "Red Hands."

"Red Hands:"


"Flowers in Your Hair:"


THE SKINNY: Wesley Jeremiah is a unique, indie-folk rock group who draws from a number of influences but manages to keep it original
FAVORITE TRACK(S): "Red Hands" and "Gun Song" off of their S/T "Wesley Jeremiah - EP"
FOR FANS OF: Conor Oberst, Bob Dylan