Jeffy and The Bobcats undeniable talent for cooking up a groove shines on their debut.
Fresh to the scene, indie-rock three-piece Jeffy and The Bobcats have delivered a groove-laden earworm with their debut single, Stranger Baby’.
Hailing from Geelong, Jeffy and The Bobcats bring together the talents of singer/songwriter Elliott Okerstrom, musician/producer Voya and indefinable enigma Jeffy Bobcat, arriving at an endearing and soulful brand of indie-rock music that’s proving to be nothing but addictive grooves.
Their debut ‘Stranger Baby’ is a laid-back tune heavy with groove and rock, filled with vibrant vocals that are smooth like butter, funk-fuelled basslines and lush harmonies within a soulful soundscape. Further packed with swirls of synth and booming percussion, there are even hints of infectious psychedelic-reggae overtones coming through the three and a half minute track.
While the melody emits chilled out vibes and there’s a rhythmic quality that would evoke a sway out of even the least rhythmically-inclined, the lyrics take on the emotional effects of unresolved conflicts within a romantic relationship.
“Stranger Baby is, in essence, about not going to bed with unresolved issues. It’s framed in the context of a relationship that has slipped into a routine of codependence in which it can be easy to forget about why it is you love one another when experiencing rough times,” the band say.
“I believe the best songs are the ones you can identify with on more than just a surface level. With Jeffy the major theme is love and as cliché as that sounds, I mean, what’s more relatable than that?”
Bursting onto the scene with this rich masterpiece, Jeffy and The Bobcats was born out of an experimental foray into mellow, indie-inspired songwriting.
“Jeffy started as an experiment in writing something other than what I was used to. I had been playing in a rock band for a while and wanted to try writing stuff that was more mellow and personal. I’m a huge fan of chilled out, funky jams,” the band revealed.
“So I started writing songs on my brothers old iPad using Garage Band that honestly sounded pretty trash but I felt had potential. ‘Stranger Baby’ was the first one that really stood out as something worth recording for real, so I hit up Voya and we’ve been working together on our sadboi indie-funk quest ever since.”
Taking inspiration from a spread of influences traversing Carole King, Childish Gambino and Lenny Kravitz, to Stevie Wonder, Peach Pit, and Last Dinosaurs (among many others), the trio push the boundaries of their dynamic, chameleon-like sound, creating a flawless balance of funk-fuelled instrumental perfection and sheer energy that make you sad dance into serenity.
With a melting pot of influences like that, we have a feeling the band are going to earn quite the reputation for creating an onslaught on non-stop belters, grooves, hot bebop, sadboi slow jams, sweet baby blues and emotional piledrivers.
For now though, the tantalising ‘Stranger Baby’ is a slice of sheer bliss which left us completely enchanted. Everything about this number is spot on and we’re pretty keen to see what sonic voyage they take us on next.
Check it out below.
