In today’s world where the music you listen to is a result of a 15% talent and 85% marketing strategy, it’s becoming increasingly hard to differentiate yourself and gain traction among audiences. However with next to no press the indie folk rock phenomenon Bahamas, arguable both an artist and a band, has made something quite unique of their music in the past ten years. I am pleased to be writing this as a proud listener since the beginning of what can be only defined as true artistry.
Effie Jurvanen, who claims the stage name Bahamas, gives joy and solace to nearly 2.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify. To put that figure in context, Bahamas’s streams easily outnumbers those of underground press stars like the War on Drugs (2 million average listeners), and St. Vincent (1.4 million) who both appear on stages of high end music festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo, year after year. However, even with his loyal audiences and authentic sound, Bahamas has not drawn in the fame of artists with similar popularity. Mainly, because Effie Jurvanen is simply and honestly unconcerned with fame. Since deciding to pursue his music in the early 2000 Effie has prioritized his artistry above all else. Bahamas sound is not only authentically crafted, but genuinely reflective of his own values, experiences and his place in time and within the industry.
In the past 10 years I’ve played his songs on repeat, deciphering and analyzing them, like a kid curiously looking out the backseat window of a car as Bahamas music developed and grew like mountains on my horizon. Bahamas sings my lullabies, my jams, my grooves and my ballads. His music has inspired me and many people, to never let go of the framework that makes up who you are, regardless of what everyone else is doing. He inspires me to keep pursuing my passions. My romance with Bahamas began when I was only 13 with bruised knees, acne and an Ipod mini, he was a young Canadian skater, with a pink strat, some recording equipment, a cabin in Ontario and a broken heart. Now I’ve come of age and he is a father of two. Our discrepancies are greater than ever but his sound and music still hold dear.
Lonley Loves
After spending the winter of 2008 in northern Ontario recording and producing his debut album, Pink Strat, Efie Juravan decided his stage name would be Bahamas. Crispy strumming, mellow vocals, beachy harmonies and twangy solos is Bahamas bread and butter. So it’s no surprise that he chose this as the first song on his debut album, as it establishes his folk characteristics and foreshadows their prevalence in his work to come. Although this song gained little recognition during its release, listening to it now, four albums later, It’s not hard to hear Bahamas carefully laying down the framework of what would soon be his career.
Lost In the Light
Questionable one of Bahamas most recognized song, “Lost in the Light” speaks to Bahamas ability to comfort the broken hearted. This song is best heard if listened to when all you want is an optimistic sulk. Throughout Bahamas 2nd album, Barchords, long strums and simple riffs give well deserved space to his honest lyrics:
“This Life is Long and it wouldn’t be wrong leaving me here on my own”
Your Sweet Touch
In Barchord fashion, this song starts off similarly to “Lost in the Light”, in a mellow optimistic sulk. “Tell me what to say, to make it go away, and I’ll do that, dear” However the drop of the bass drum and snare after the first verse picks up the tempo and you can’t help but dub Bahamas a soul. I’ve listened to this song crying, dancing and pretty much everywhere in between. Thanks to Bahamas seamless ability to contrast moods and genres the listener can experience it in a multitude of ways.
Waves
In his 2014 album, Bahamas is Efie, Bahamas picks up right where he left off in Barchords. However now employing means of seduction, in “Waves” his strums swiftly bounce back and forth in the speakers evoking the anticipation of audiences over the previous two years. Waves introduces Bahamas more seasoned sound. At this point in his career he has been on tour and opened with artist like the Lumineers and (his boss) Jack Johnson.
Like the Wind
When asked about this song in an interview with Australian magazine, Music Feels, Efie from Bahamas said, “It’s the opposite of a single, its slow, its sad, maybe it’s boring. So I’m surprised people like it” “Like the Wind” is rooted in a slow picking pattern and riffs that run parallel to Bahamas melodic vocals and harmonies. Comparing love to the fleeting feeling of the wind, is not only historically beautiful but also relatable to his most favored audiences; the daydreamers & the broken hearted.This song contains my single most favorite lyric. However I can’t disclose why. Perhaps, it’s its honesty that brings me in, or maybe it’s the acapella approach that gives it a certain effect. Either way when I stood in Denver’s intimate bluebird theater and watched him sing this lyric, I wasn’t alone singing at the top of my lungs.
“Now your eyes are open when were kissing, Forever wonder what you might be missing”
All the Time
Bahamas most charted, noted and rewarded song. It’s rumored that Ben Stiller loved this song so much that when directing “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” he personally asked Bahamas to write a song for the movie. Bahamas denied writing a new song, but happily accepted covering The Human League’s classic hit “Don’t you want me”. All the Time‘s long annunciation on each word in the intro and chorus over rung out bar chords, lures the audience to answer the question Bahamas proposes. YAS! Bahamas we want some of it. In fact scratch that we want it all.
“I got all the time in the world,
Don’t you want some of it?”
Little Record Girl
If everyone could please go grab your cowboy boots and flare jeans!! This song is a clever Canadian boys tribute to his southern folk and rock influence! Complete with banjo picking, (what seem to be ) cheating women troupes and “Oh Oh Oh Oh Ohs!” Actually this song is not even about a girl, it’s about a record. So listen carefully to Bahamas take on personifying inanimate objects. God I love when artists do that.
Opening Act
In his most recent album, EarthTones, Bahamas debuts not only his new female singer, but also his new groovy 70’s RnB sound. In an instagram video a few weeks ago, Efie posted a video of him with his two toddlers on a porch bench licking popisicles and singing the chorus to this song. Its clear that songs from the now father and husband, Bahamas will now be Family friendly, but make it funk! They sat and sang “Shooby Dooby”, and the Bahamas from 2008 recording songs for sulking in a cabin was nowhere to be seen.
Bad Boys Need Love Too
If I had heard it two years ago I would never have thought it was form Bahamas. Bahamas’s boss, or more appropriately, the owner of the label he’s on BrushFire Records, Jack Johnson attributes a lot of his inspiration from his children so it wouldn’t surprise me if the newly family man, Bahamas came up with this over a fatherly moment or a temper tantrum. Sometimes all you need to know is the name of the song to listen to it. This is one of those songs.
So Free
8 minutes, and no one is complaining. If it wasn’t for the newest band member, Canadian female singer, absolutely slaying the harmonies on this song, it could have realistically been on any one of his four albums.
Bahamas latest album is a true time piece for Bahamas, and ode to Effie Juravans talented arch as an artist. Instead of growing and developing as an artist and person and never looking back, Bahamas is aware of how he has changed musically and thematically, and indulges in the opportunity to celebrate it. Speaking to his previous lovers to singing about his children, his fans continue to stay loyal. Like his fans loyalty, Bahamas is loyal to his evolution.
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