thin ears - "Love Passenger"

Jersey City’s Jon Gonelli is best known for his work with local legends Rye Coalition, but recently, he’s tapped into his own solo output for a new project called thin ears. While thin ears is a vehicle for Gonelli’s songwriting, the project has also been described as highly collaborative. He lays the songwriting foundation but then taps into his peers at Jersey City’s Silent Stereo Records to flesh out, produce, and arrange different parts. His first single as thin ears, “Cardinal,” featured some vibrant contributions from a star-studded cast, including Justin Morey (Sunshine & The Rain, The Black Hollies), Andrew Pierce (Fascinations Grand Chorus, Chalk and Numbers), Stephanie Cupo (Fascinations Grand Chorus, Souvenir Stand), and more. 

His latest release, “Love Passenger,” features a similarly skilled crew of contributors, and that’s kind of what gets the engine really revving on this song. From the jump-off, Justin Morey provides a slinky bass line and Andrew Pierce’s steady drumming propel the song forward, nicely supporting Gonelli’s staccatoed guitar riffs. The fact that so many Silent Stereo artists have their hands in the pot makes a lot of sense, as sonically, “Love Passenger” is a bit of a melting pot. It’s an epic, seven-minute track that definitely falls into the psych-pop realm, but doesn’t get too trippy or Byrdsian. Similarly, there are moments where it gets a little sugary, without traversing all the way into full on bubble gum pop territory. Thus, it has some of the flavors of associated bands like The Black Hollies and Fascinations Grand Chorus, while creating a distinct sound. It’s new, it’s thin ears, and I love it. 

Stream “Love Passenger” below.

You can purchase the track on Bandcamp. The song is also available to stream on Spotify. Keep up with thin ears by following them on Instagram.