One quality which seems to separate the great artists from the mainstream is their ability to succinctly tell us what we already know. That is to say, they can tell us how we feel. Listening to a Johnny Mainstream record is the equivalent of suddenly being privy to a great secret; suddenly, you have words to explain your own emotions and angst. And suddenly, you don't feel as alone anymore.
Over the past two years, the sound of Johnny Mainstream has begun to take shape in earnest. This genesis has combined what was too academic for punk rock and too misanthropic for folk rock and developed a soundscape familiar only to those who forge their own path. Driven by Matthew Maynes' haunting and soothing voice, the lyrics find a home amongst minimalist guitar strumming and inventive bass lines. The resulting product is a powerful delivery of verses which are poetry within themselves; perhaps a reassuring soundtrack for the many ghosts who have contributed to our collective conscience but now must be moving on.