Graeme Jonez is writing songs and mapping the road to the soul. His new single, "Ride or Die," is a fearless meditation on life, death, and the thrill of the ride somewhere in between. With gritty, roots-rock grit and a poet's pen, Jonez channels the open highway as a literal and metaphorical journey, beckoning you to surrender to the road and, perhaps, to destiny.
The music here was forged in the fires of asphalt and gasoline, recorded at Toronto's The Nelson Room by producer Derek Downham and engineer Tim Foy. Its track has a country twang and bluesy soul, folk storytelling, and rock' n' roll swagger, all sealed with a raw, unvarnished sound that suggests the soundtrack to a midnight drive with no destination in mind.
Jonez sings from the point of view of a rider undeterred by the unknown of where the highway might take them, even if it leads into the great beyond. "No worries about tomorrow, 'cause tonight it's ride or die," he croons, with a conviction that makes you want to drop everything and follow whatever sets your soul on fire.
Inspired by his Anishinaabe/English upbringing, Jonez imbues "Ride or Die" spiritually, sanctifying the idea of the road itself. Verses like "My mama swears we all go to heaven, but everyone I know just turns to bones and dust" hang around long after the song is over, ringing in the heart like the receding drone of an engine on a never-ending highway.
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