When his brother Frankie returned from Vietnam, Marvin Gaye noticed a change is his life perspective. Listening to Frankie’s stories of war Gaye filled his heart with the sorrow of a nation; the remedy to that sorrow was Gaye’s masterpiece album “What’s Going On.” Singing “War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate,” Marvin set the back drop for the Vietnam War, hippie-era idealism, rampant drug use, and racial conflict. Marvin took up the torch to remind us of our humanity painting pictures of struggle and reminding us of our brotherhood. While he set the stage, another artist would follow in Marvin’s wake during the Iraq War.
With a music video that asks the viewer to “Think” and “Wake Up” John Mayer, responded to the Iraq War with his Grammy winning single “Waiting on the World to Change.” In the song Mayer hints at a corrupt media; discusses his generations’ feelings of powerlessness, and injustice; and reimagines a world that sends soldiers to war never to return home to their families. During the video graffiti artist slowly paint a mural framing John’s ultimate message that the world is being exploited.
With today’s mess—be it the trump presidency, the mass shootings, gun control, privilege, or wall street—it’s hard not to listen for that familiar wise voice of yester-year reminding you to question where we’re headed and listen to your heart. If you’re looking for an artist to speak to your confusion, your fear, and your frustration, you’re not alone. My name is Juston Hargrove, and hopefully my new single “Off the Cliff” can help.
“Off The Cliff” from my latest studio album “Pitch To Johnny,” is an up-tempo fusion of Soul and R&B with Jazz overtones. It starts off with a slick, catchy guitar lead, builds to a climax with a 70’s Stevie Wonder influenced moog solo, and decrescendos with guitar on the Outro. The song truly takes you on a musical rollercoaster that will have you getting back in line when the ride is over. “Off the Cliff,” touches on the nation’s current political climate, the lack sufficient leadership, and the overall fate of this great nation if we don’t get our act together. With lyrics like “Looks like greed consumed us all, and put cracks into this mighty wall, that once stood so tall, but now its bond to fall,” you don’t have to pick a side to enjoy the chord progressions that will captivate your emotions and remind you to be conscious. “Off the Cliff” is the first single that I’m releasing from my new album “Pitch to Johnny”.
My new album “Pitch to Johnny” is different than anything I’ve ever composed. I’ve drawn from a lifetime of lessons from my father, legendary soul singer Larry Hargrove, and my cousin’s including multi Grammy award jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove, and legendary blues guitarist Hosea Hargrove. Music is in my blood and I’ve taken the R&B/Soul/POP/Jazz influences of the family business to create a sound that is truly unique. “Pitch to Johnny” showcases my musical talents with an eclectic arrangement of songs hallmarking my experiences growing up in the live music capital of the world (Austin, Texas). No matter your genre of preference, “Pitch to Johnny” has a song for you, but please don’t take my word for it I’ve outlined what others have said about me, my music, and my shows, here on this blog.