John-Robert Asks Himself ‘Where Do You Wanna Go?’
Today, Virginia’s John-Robert has released his new EP, Where Do You Wanna Go?. A step or two away from the acoustic folk, singer-songwriter music he’s known for, John-Robert is teaching himself to feel things in the moment. After being dropped from his record label and moving home to Virginia from LA, he made the conscious choice to pursue his realtime tastes and interests. Despite creating this music in a period of change, John-Robert has a very clear image of himself
On the title of the EP, John-Robert shared, “It’s the question I asked myself when I moved back home. Where do I go musically and professionally from here? Where do I wanna be? It felt appropriate.”
Tracking the songs in his bedroom and recording with Ronnie DiSimone (Daisy the Great, Del Water Gap) in New York, the EP features Zac Coe on drums and Zoe Zeeman on bass. Embracing a new era of confidence, there’s a ribbon of romantic tension that weaves from song to song on the EP.
Opening with a jazzy, sultry title track, fans of John-Robert are immediately thrown a sonic curveball. Discussing the track, he shared:
“I moved back to Virginia and had developed a crush on someone I’ve known since I was 18. The saxophone was recorded by Ognjen ‘Ogi’ Gotovcevic in his bedroom during a trip to LA. The intro was inspired by an Isley Brothers song called ‘Choosey Lover.’ A solo like that at the top of the song is bold and sets the tone.”
Up next is the bouncy and cheeky “Did It Just Because,” a track that flips the script on what is typically expected out of a song about cheating. Halfway through, the EP’s most gentle moment can be found in “Tethered.” Track number 4, “Anna,” is a love song full of tender, confident anticipation. Closing track “Low Roller” lives in the Appalachia-forged, West Coast-shaped songwriting John-Robert has become known for. It is a biographical account of where he is right now, scuffs and all.