Spin.com Feature - October 30th,
2006
"Having other humans behind Your Job Will Kill You polishes and reinvents the
sound Crawford created on his one-man debut. With Amos' bleeps and oscillator
solos, Grey Does Matter resemble a more electro-pop version of Rogue Wave. And
with Crawford's soft, honey-laced vocals, the trio find a way to make even the
darkest threats sound sweet."
- Kristina Ensminger
Boston Globe - Feature Article
in Rock Notes Column - January 5, 2007
"Grey Does Matter's just-released sophomore effort, "Your Job Will
Kill You," is a resounding affirmation of Crawford's declaration, and proof
that the fledgling songwriter's terrific debut wasn't a fluke. Working with an
outside producer for the first time and recording in a real studio has only sharpened
the hooks and brightened the melodies Crawford clearly has a knack for writing."
"There's a fresh exuberance and New Pornographers/Fountains of
Wayne -ish snap, crackle, and pop to "Your Job Will Kill
You," especially on tracks such as "Life From Under" and "Unlimited
Fun Shine." The band's most striking moment, though, arrives
on "Gatehouse," the album's lone ballad, in which childhood
and domesticity aren't what they seem and rosy nostalgia is shaded
by a corrupted innocence, the palpable sense that something's
been lost forever." — Jonathan
Perry
Time Out New York Album Review - Issue 581: November
16–22,
2006
"You get to wondering where some bands
come from—like
when a pop-punk group goes from zero to selling out arenas
in no time flat. Grey Does Matter could be the next one." "Frontman
Jason Crawford, who played everything on GDM’s
2004 debut, How to Make Millions in Real Estate, is a crafty
songwriter. He pens simple, snappy tunes (such as “Rake
Your Leaves” and “Whole Sale”) that find
a neatly accessible place between hormone-driven emo-pop and
the new-wave influences that Tom DeLonge (formerly of blink-182)
has mined with Angels & Airwaves." — Mike Wolf
StarWars.com Feature: May 8th, 2007
"Grey Does Matter songwriter and bandleader Jason Crawford loves Star Wars so much, as a kid he raided his mother's closet for the perfect Jedi outfit... sort of. "I was in a bad homemade Luke Skywalker costume one year for Halloween," Crawford explains. "I had to wear my mom's boots to pull that one off. And wearing your mom's boots doesn't rank high on the cool meter, but they did look the part. I thought I looked great."" — Bonnie Burton
Alternative Press
EDITOR PICK (Listening Station)- Issue 222: January
2007
"This New York trio's sophomore album fits in nicely with the rest of my
iTunes library (which is about 98.4% shiny indie pop) - it doesn't take a lot
of work to listen to, and that's fine by me. But what really won me over... was
the band's sense of humor: their glossy press shot featrures the guys sporting
awesomely bad fake beards. I heart hair bands!" Favorite song: So Easy." -
Rachel Lux
New York Times - November 17th, 2006
2006
"Jason Crawford,
the polymath who records as Grey Does Matter, used to take
a reprogrammed Nintendo Gameboy along with him to help perform
his spare, guitar-synthesizer songs of disconnection and boyish
obsession. (“The wind
gets in and burns the skin like a battleground super ninja.”)
But now he has a full band and is celebrating the release of
his new album, “Your Job Will Kill You” (Pop Rally!)."
- Sisario
New York Post , Playlist Column - December
22, 2006
"...Grey Does Matter could be ready for prime time.
Jason Crawford, who grew up in the East Village, saw his self-recorded
lo-fi disc, "How to Make Millions in Real Estate," sell
thousands of copies organically. He performed using the Nintendo
Gameboy as his backing band. For his second act, the disc "Your
Job Will Kill You," Crawford
put together a band, the one performing tonight." - Mary Huhn
Harp Magazine Album Review - December
2006
"Fronted by Jason Crawford,
NYC-based Grey Does Matter strips its lineup down to
a power trio for its sophomore effort. Your Job Will
Kill You is lean, well-recorded indie pop, and the sonic
textures added by bass/hybrid/noise player Amos help
keep the album from feeling disposable. Ray Gange’s
immortal words, as he plays the foil to Joe Strummer
in Rude Boy (“I don’t think you should mix
your music with politics”), might initially seem
a fitting piece of advice—except that the refrain
of “Wholesale” (“They can’t sell
it if we don’t buy it”) as well as its lyric “Don’t
dare to ask a question/That would be un-American” are
probably among the best on the album. The sound of “Gatehouse” is
mesmerizing, and probably the most involving track on
the record—.... - Edward Burch
Copper Press Feature - June 2007
"It may not be as dignified as mottos go, but it's apt. Ever since Crawford's single-handed debut, How to Make Millions in Real Estate, appeared in 2004, Grey Does Matter has appealed to listeners through the whimsical pointlessness and the occasionally resonant poignancy of its music, a combination Crawford achieves by crossing sunny bubblegum pop with sinister or tongue-in-cheek lyrics. "Zero" from How to Make Millions is a new wave-meets-bedroom baroque singalong, for example, but Crawford's emphasis is on his partner's complete lack of effort, driven home with the refrain, "Anything times zero is zero." On the opener from Your Job Will Kill You, "Irregular Embraces," Crawford is still at it, singing, "You come to me with your arms open / but it's only one 'cause the other's broken" atop punchy guitar hooks and effervescent keyboards." - E.J. Iannelli
Amplifier Magazine Album Review - Issue 57: December
2006
"...both organic and consistent, making you yearn to experience them wigging
out at great volume in some little club. “Rake Your Leaves” and “Wholesale” spring
a surprise by coming over all Rapture-like with cartoon synths, while “Summer
Song” is
a nice slice of nurseryrhyme power pop bubblegum worthy of the Boo Radleys. They
even pass the “Can they quiet down and still convince?” test. “Gatehouse” is
charming and “Life From Under” features the chorus “What the
fuck am I doing?”, even though they seem to have quite a good idea actually." -OLIVER
GRAY
Pop
Matters Album Review - November 28th, 2006
"There is a dense,
overwhelmed, lo-fi sound to the music. It sounds exactly like
what the music of the clubs of the East Village should sound
like. The music is shining indie-pop with a twinge of haziness,
and a smidgeon of urban grit. This sound is encapsulated by
Crawford’s voice. His
voice doesn’t sound like much at first. It doesn’t
overpower the music or stand up and make you take notice. Yet
it is perfect for the band’s sound, quiet but not faint,
an exact replica of the poppy yet lo-fi sound that the band
produces. It isn’t filled with urgency and it goes at
its own pace, the pace of the music. This is good music. The
pop elements on this album are undeniable and everything is
easy to sing along to. Yet there is degree of somber feeling
to the album, something that prevents those precious melodies
from becoming New Pornographers-style sunshine. It feels like
what New York should sound like, joy tempered with somberness,
urban haze and boredom mixed with poppy sunshine, contradictions
creating some very interesting music. It doesn’t
change the world, but it does make it a little more fruitful."
- Edward Xia
Creative Loafing Album Review - November 2006
"Boss got you down? Cubicle like a coffin? Stench of resignation and regret
trailing you like bad cologne? NYC's Grey Does Matter prescribes an elemental
blast of vintage indie power pop for the workplace blues on Your Job Will Kill
You, delivered in easy-to-digest two- and three-minute doses. More elaborate
than 2004's How to Make Millions in Real Estate, the home-recorded debut constructed
by band leader Jason Crawford, the trio now adds electronic flourishes to the
sugar-coated din. New member Amos plays a bizarre bass/guitar hybrid and coats
the songs in electronic ambience, highlighted by a memorable oscillator solo
on "Rake Your Leaves." Some songs are more punk than power pop, though
the latter leave the deepest impression. "Summer Song" and "Unlimited
Fun Shine," for instance, are all gigantic hooks, sing-along choruses and
propulsive beats -- after-work commute music that can make clocking in the next
day just a little less soul-crushing." - JOHN SCHACHT
SMOTHER.net Album Review - October
2006
"As hard-working as Americans are, we all are familiar
with the idea that our jobs are killing us. Well
Grey Does Matter pushes this thought to the forefront
with a stern warning about the suburban lifestyle,
almost calling for a revolution of laid-back attitudes.
Their music boasts lazy melodies with poppy keyboards
and vocals that seem stripped straight from Sunny
Day Real Estate. Power pop melodies that make Weezer
look downright sleazy, “Your
Job Will Kill You” is a feature-set filled with
dynamic songwriting and elusive melodies all wrapped
in a tight bow of catchy hooks." - J-Sin
Adequacy.net Album Review - November 2006
"...Your Job Will Kill You is a fantastic record... sounds
a lot like The Rentals playing songs by The Romantics, or
maybe Elvis Costello writing material for Savage Garden. “Another
Mistake” has a spacey,
synth-driven slow throb to it. “Already All Ready” is
the catchiest song of the bunch; understated electro-pop
verses lead into a guitar-driven bridge-and-chorus combination
that’s a dead ringer for quality Sloan material. It’s
the album closers, however, that show an unexpected bit of
versatility from the band. The subdued “Gatehouse” a
broods heavily with synthesizers, while the droning “Life
From Under” alternately slithers and chugs, courtesy
of cherubic chorus vocals and flailing drumming."
- Gary Blackwell
PlugInMusic.com Album Review - November 2006
"If
Weezer were willing to take more chances with their music,
perhaps roll the dice and not always sound so shamelessly
poppy, they might have turned out like Grey Does Matter.
Grey Does Matter’s newest album, “Your Job
Will Kill You,” is
indie rock, accented with smooth melodies, synth accents and
then given an unpredictably poppy twist. Deceptively
light, Grey Does Matter is the kind of music you could quietly
play in your cubicle and get away with, while still feeling
subversive. -Corinne
Hybrid Magazine Album Review - February 2007
It's difficult to make this kind of music without sounding derivative, but Grey Does Matter provides enough twists to make this a truly refreshing record. The band's formula is simple: great songs, spirited performances, and no need to be anything besides an outstanding rock band. And, perhaps most encouragingly, Crawford is a talented songwriter and restlessly creative bandleader. Under his guidance, Grey Does Matter should continue to refine its already impressive talents. This is essential for fans of the genre, and suggests that a lot more people may hear about Grey Does Matter in years to come. - Dan Warren
Left Of The Dial Magazine Album Review -
October 2006
"... it should be understood that this is smart-young-thing tunes and clinically-infused
but not overly-processed alternative rock..." "...like a teenage YouTube funpack,
but darker furrows exists underneath it all, thus it is not spry or wishy-washy
or pantomime power trio."
The Deli Magazine - November 16th,
2006
"The bands booked by Todd P are usually
either somewhat disorganized or just simply not interested
in concepts like "promotion", "publicity" and "advertising".
It was quite surprising then to see Grey Does Matter's new
CD advertised on quite a few websites (including Myspace.com
and even The Deli!) and at the same time get the Brooklyn's
promoter's support. We thought advertising was almost considered
a sin by DIY-ers - ah, things change so fast! But besides these
silly prejudices and misconceptions, the only thing that counts
in the end is the music, and Grey Does Matter's art-indie-rock
will surely find many fans beyond NYC. The band seems to work
on similar coordinates as one of our (not-NYC) favorite acts,
Grandaddy (read: creative, textured, well written and somwhat
melancholic indie pop). GDM's CD release party - presented
by Todd P - will be this Saturday October 18 at the Glasshouse
Gallery in W'Burg (289 Kent Ave. - corner of S 2nd). The embedded
video is from their first album. You can listen to the material
from the new CD "Your Job Will
Kill You" here." - PDG
All Music Guide - December
2006
"Grey Does Matter is the brainchild of Jason Crawford,
an indie-pop prodigy whose work embraces the low-tech playfulness
of circuit bending as well as the hooky classicism of Matthew
Sweet and the Cars. Crawford was born in New York City's East
Village and spent much of his teenage years with an electric
guitar in his hand, sneaking into nightspots and working out
songs on a four-track cassette recorder." - Mark Deming
Aquarian Magazine Album Review - October 25th, 2006
"Catchy with an oddly sophisticated air, songs like "Unlimited Fun Shine"
show that there is something yet to be said in pop music, that there are still
creative spaces unexplored. ...several deceptively complex tunes, it denotes
a light mood with something entirely different brewing underneath."
- JJ Koczan
The Chckenfish Speaks Album Review - October 2006
Cool indie rock / pop-punk ala All American
Rejects and my favs The New Pornographers. The singer reminds
me of the guy from the Meices (great 90's band). I love all
the songs except one that is a bit of a problem, "so easy" is
a disturbing song about homicide and the music is very fitting
of topic being dark instead of poppish like the others. Lots
of great stuff though and a very worthwhile album.
- Grog Mutant
TrebleZine.com Album Review
- December 2006
"Grey Does Matter creates eccentric curves,
which give the tunes for their second album Your Job Will
Kill You a crackling electro-pop paneling. The album proceeds
where their debut LP How To Make Millions In Real Estate
and their EP Rock Delivery System left off. The lead vocals
of guitarist and synth player Jason Crawford have a lo-fi
pitch while his playing speckles the tunes with a sheen of
glitter. There is a Missing Persons-like haphazard doodling
in the electronic ambience, especially in songs like "Wholesale" and "Already
All Ready." The
artistic panache of their arrangements makes them paradoxically
unique, and yet, ordinary in their musical class of electro-pop
demonstrators like The Faint and The French Kicks. In addition,
the band creates a musical world similar to '80s synth pop
icons like Split Enz and Haircut 100, while adding a modern
touch like that of Ambulance LTD. Or The Stills.
The rhythm section of bassist Amos and
drummer Jon Webber approach with subtlety and undertone the
vaunting electro-show peeps sparkling in the movements. The
ballad "Gatehouse" is
the standout track, with ghostly progressions and gently moving
vocals. The glittering electro-pop inlays are omitted from
this track giving it a clean sweep. As unadorned as this number
is, it gives the album a sense of purity, an understated beauty."
- Susan Frances
KCSCradio.com Review - November 2006
"Jason Crawford’s sugar coated vocals provide the perfect soundtrack for any young, giddy teenager. But songs on “Your Job Will Kill You,” dealing with things like homicide, denote a light mood with something entirely different brewing underneath all the glitter. Check em’ out." - Bob Reynolds
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