Track of the Day: Jordan Dean – Feeling Strange
With the aim of bringing back the rock sounds of the early 2000s, singer-songwriter Jordan Dean has a rough, raw and authentic sound. Almost feeling the grittiness in his music, the US-based Dean has gained a reputation for engaging and energetic performances. In fact, he performed at SXSW 2022 and has opened for various notable acts like Scott Helman and Dermot Kennedy. Yet, while his performances may be enthusiastic, his recorded singles are as entertaining. Praised by Music for the Misfits, Music Crowns, Turtle Tempo, Its All Indie and various radio stations, Dean is receiving critical acclaim across the globe.
Following his single ‘Twos’, Jordan Dean blasted into 2022 with the track ‘Feeling Strange’. As with ‘Twos’, there is a reminiscence to The Strokes, however, the indie-rock style is met by a sweeping of alternative rock. Opening with soothing guitars and Dean’s rich vocals, one would assume there is a simplistic approach to ‘Feeling Strange’ – oh, how wrong I was. With a melodic arrangement of pounding drums and dynamic guitars, ‘Feeling Strange’ has a hard-hitting heaviness to it. The thing is, while the music drops in your gut and grabs your soul, it has a light-hearted playfulness to it leaving you jumping about and smiling.
What I love about ‘Feeling Strange’ and all of Jordan Dean’s music is the British inflexion of his vocals. As with The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys, an English accent washes over his vocal execution which, in my opinion, makes the song more obscure. The grittiness in his tones is definitely obscure but also carries a sense of smooth soothing.
In its playful joviality, ‘Feeling Strange’ is a fun “summer banger” meant for festivals, but it also toes the line of poignancy. Dean comments that the track is “…about hanging out and giving yourself to people without any feeling that they like or respect you in the same way. In an increasingly selfish culture, being present in the moment is more and more rare every day. The song tries to encapsulate that feeling of isolation and arrogance.”
Filled with attitude and raw sentimentality, ‘Feeling Strange’ is a profound look at human complexity in contemporary society. This might be a terrible pun but Dean’s ‘Feeling Strange’ leaves me feeling strange in a good, enlightened and cheery way.
For more from Jordan Dean check out his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
