Jordan Reyne - Maiden, Mother, Crone

Introduction To An Amazing Artist - Jordan Reyne

Jordan Reyne is still the most jaw-dropping artist I have discovered, In 2014 I went to see The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing (one of the best live bands you can ever see) and Think Tank in Newcastle, and when I got in there was a girl with horns like some pagan sylph on stages sing to a echoplex loop of her own voice on stage. I didn't know who it was, but I think the song was “The Shadow Line”. You can read about the gig here on the Spoongig blog

I have contacted her about doing an interview to share on Vocal but that may be some time away.

After the gig I was so impressed I bought three of her CDs, two of which were part of the Maiden, Mother, Crone EP trilogy which I am going to talk about here,

Her sound is pagan, dark based on sonic loops and she really is like no other artist I know. Jordan Reyne is like Jordan Reyne.

Her Bandcamp site is below where you can sample and buy all her amazing material.

The story behind each EP is taken from Jordan Reyne’s Bandcamp Site. as is the overall description below.

The "Maiden, Mother Crone" trilogy combines pagan imagery with modern narratives on women.

Jordan Reyne - Maiden

The Maiden is an emergent character - only allowed to "be" in a context of innocence and naivety. Her battle is to become what she is, despite any negative judgements over what are considered transgressions from the archetype (naivety, innocence, nascent sexuality).

1.Birth Ritual (rough mix)

2.The Piper I (Dance, Your Day is Yet to Come)

3.The Piper II (Dance for the Boys)

4.Shelter

5.Quirky Girls

The first instalment of this incredible hypnotic trip into somewhere you never knew existed.

Jordan Reyne - Mother

The Mother character wrestles with balancing societal expectations with what she herself wants from her life. She is the character society often feels completely entitled to judge, touch, and regulate. As a result, she is the moral body and struggles with both external assessments and with what to do when her attempts to do what is expected of her do not work out as planned.

1 Don't Look Down

2 The Ever Afters

3 The Ferryman

4 The Fall

5 Rulers of Men

For me the stand-out song is “The Ferryman”. Jordan did the promotional video for this as well and like all her songs is hypnotic, pulling you onto the Ferryman’s boat to take you to who knows where in the nether world.

Jordan Reyne - Crone

"The Hag", or Crone was once seen as wise, but the elderly today are often simply marginalised or overlooked entirely. The "Crone"'s invisibility, however, has another side. She can be as political as she likes, and many of her songs are just that. The Crone is more outside the gaze of what is expected of women (attractiveness), compared to the other two figures, so is allowed to speak her mind. It is a voice within her voicelessness and an identity that she herself has some power to construct.

1.Dear John

2.The Shadow Line

3.Servitude

4.Turning from the Light

5.Dishonour Among Thieves

6. A Woman Scorned

“The Shadow Line” (aka “I See Red”) is the song that immediately hooked me and to this day it still pulls at my emotions. Once you hear this it never leaves you.

“Dear John” is a song about the impact of people who don't recognise their own privilege on the lives of others.

Conclusion

Although it is not part of the trilogy “Johnny and the Sea” is another incredible song and video fusing Oliver Twist with Moby Dick.

And that is where I will bid you goodbye.