JEFF PRZECH – HELENA – EP REVIEW & INTERVIEW

JEFF PRZECH – HELENA – EP REVIEW & INTERVIEW

By Ralph Beauchamp

Jeff Pretz is a Ct. singer/songwriter that AMP has been following for a while now. Based in Unionville, PrzechHis music is hard to pigeonhole. He falls in the Americana/alt country vein but his songs travel beyond any true label. He released his first self-titled album Sounds like fresh in 2015. His second full-length, Jeff Przech & the Outfit was released in 2018. It featured the smash hit single, “Maribelle” which catapulted him into the national spotlight. The track was featured in a segment of the ABC drama Big Sky.

Przech just drop a new EP. Helena: The Country Sounds it offers four nationalized tunes it showcases PrzechHis powerful songwriting and vocals. The songs are heartfelt and really bring an immersive listening experience. He uses every track to flesh out his intimate lyrics and infectious voice. The first song released is 'Helena'. It is steeped in emotional depth. You can feel Przech's passionate turns throughout. His guitars ring out with soulful texture. Zoe Coz's backing vocals add a seductive accent.

“Anywhere But Here” follows once again Przech offers another stirring composition. His guitar twang offers a myriad of rich timbres. “Anywhere But Here” evokes a yearning for the open road and relaxed days. “Someday” appears at an increased rate. The harmonies are impressive. Additionally, it delivers an excellent layout. The last song is “Clinchfield Rail '23”. PrzechHis vocals are full of melodic intensity. Also, the track offers a remarkable richness and elevated fabric. Helena: The Country Sounds it is by far Przechhis best work to date. But knowing Przech, the next version with do a full 180%. He is so versatile and talented.

Przech sat down with AMP to give our readers a little insight Helena: The Country Sounds.

AMP: As a singer/songwriter you've always had an alt country side. The new EC certainly has a strong turn in the country. What was the impetus for the new direction?

Przech: With every recording project I've done, I've always been chasing the sounds I hear in my head. This was no different. The way I heard the songs in my head is the way I tried to record them in terms of instrumentation, feel and overall vibe. For the most part, I think I succeeded. Thinking about most great songwriters, what I aspire to be, they write about what they know and feel. I grew up in Hartford, so I certainly don't claim to be “country,” but I know that music and feel a connection to it. I love classic country music from the mid 70's and appreciate contemporary artists who try to capture that vibe in their music.

AMP: When writing the new songs, was there a different mindset than your usual creative process?

Przech: To be perfectly honest, I don't have a specific process as such. I write when I feel compelled and feel I have something to say. For a few years after the Outfit's record came out, I didn't feel like I had anything meaningful to say. I'm so glad it changed and the compulsion to create hit me again. Each of these songs is quite different in terms of the creative process.

“Helena” is basically a metaphor. We may be talking about a place, we may be talking about a person, it may be both. For me when I sing it, it's more about a place now because I've been and toured in Montana and I love it. I can't wait to come back. Other people might experience the song as being about a woman's comfort and there's nothing wrong with that (haha). On the other hand, “Someday” is completely fictional and for a character I imagined. I got the idea for this song while mowing my lawn. I was pushing the lawnmower with one hand and chanting lyrics into my phone with the other. I didn't want to lose the idea!

AMP: What would you like your fans to take away Helena: The Country Soundsmall?

Przech: I don't have anything in mind that I want people to take away from “Helena” or any of my music. I just want them to enjoy it, make it worth their time, and make it something they want to keep coming back to. If any listener gets something positive from the songs, I've done my job.

AMP: What's next for Jeff Przech?

Przech: This is a tough question because I always have about a dozen things on my mind that I want to do and I want to do them all at once. I've realized that I can't do that and I'll go crazy if I try, so I have to prioritize. I have a bunch of songs in various stages of completion right now, so I think the next step should be to finish them all (one at a time) and figure out how I want them to sound on record. I hope to have a new record out by the summer. It will be very minimalistic in terms of sound and instruments. Familiar might be a good word for it. I hear it, I just have to make it.

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