125. EP Review of Ballads by J Holmes
Originally Published on May 7th, 2025
About the Artist
I hope it goes without saying, that I am a big fan of music. My love for music is the catalyst for why I perform, why I write for Fifteen Minutes of Fame, and it occupies much of my thought. What’s been an unexpected bonus with FMOF is the chance to learn about so many different people. I knew that would happen, but you don’t know the stories you don’t hear.
Sometimes, I have the chance to read a bio that is a powerful story highlighting significant details of a person’s life; their history. Sometimes, the stories are more mysterious, as details about the artists might be a little more elusive than my investigative skills are capable of uncovering.
J Holmes is one of those where his background is a little bit on the mysterious side, but I’ve found a few things out: J Holmes is out of Japan, which is a first for Fifteen Minutes of Fame. He is also a member of the punk band, Fever Moon (also seen as FVRMN).
As a solo artist, Holmes emerged last year with the release of his debut album, Cedarwings. This is one of the most explosive albums I’ve heard from an independent artist. Dagger in the Sun instantly became one of my favorite songs in all of my time writing reviews. FU Pay Me is a dynamic shift as most of the record plays like a roots, alternative blend just skirting around the perimeter of rock. FU Pay Me, breeches, as it is very much an alt rock, grunge style song. Even so, it’s more clever; almost more advanced. Three Sisters is another sensational song that is acoustic-driven but encompasses ambient layers of guitars giving balance to the sound space as Holmes shines vocally in front of the instruments. Ashes in the Rain closes the album out and it is everything one could want in a closing piece and more.
After producing such a powerful debut, it goes without saying that I am excited to hear how Holmes follows this defining opening act.
About the EP
Ballads is a 6-song EP that has a run time coming just under 20 minutes. Releasing early on bandcamp last Friday, where Holmes donated 100% of the proceeds made to an animal sanctuary, it is now available everywhere else as of May 6th, 2025. It features J Holmes and was mixed and mastered by Sean W.
About the Music
Ballads opens with Tiger Valley, a song that seems like it was forged on the backs of every man’s man in the history of time. Opening with an acoustic guitar part that has an old country feel; not country like Garth Brooks, sporting a clean hat, sequence shirt, and freshly polished cowboy boots. Country like the singer just spent the day on the back of a bronco, and sang the song to a campfire. Holmes has a very welcoming baritone, very comparable to Matt Berninger of The National. This baritone cuts hard and true as it takes a direct path to the listener’s soul.
Born Stiff is the most up-tempo song on the record. Driving acoustics layered and panned to each side, play second to the seasoned vocal and lyrical performance of Holmes. In listening to Fever Moon, then coming back to the solo work Holmes does, I would urge him to consider just how compelling he is as a solo artist. I really like Fever Moon’s album and his performance with them. There is something significant about how J Holmes resonates with the listener in these striped down songs. There are people that are making great livings as musicians that are playing this kind of music and he is better than them. He is more compelling and relatable too.
For the song In My Town, Holmes doesn’t sing this song so much as he performs this song with every fiber of his being. Seriously, this guy summoned 16 generations of our ancestors and just blew my mind. The guitar has an amazing progression, and I love the treble panned to the right with the lower part anchoring the left. This song is insanely good.
Ballads closes with Threads, which is played on an old upright piano. Holmes’ weepy baritone captivates yet again in a vocal performance that has me looking around in disbelief, wondering if this is actually real life right now. There is a synth string part that comes in and accompanies towards the end, as well as a flute. The sound space is completely full, in spite of the only percussion instrument represented is the piano. As the song concludes, the instruments momentarily fade behind Holmes and thus the song ends.
Final Thoughts
When I started doing Fifteen Minutes of Fame, I had no idea how to accomplish what I wanted to. I didn’t know what it was going to look like. I didn’t know if it was going to be received. I had no idea what I was doing. But, days prior to July 1st, I found a blog app, posted my introductory blogs, and posted to threads to say “this is happening!”
I missed a lot.
One thing I missed was the message on June 29th I got on Instagram from J Holmes telling me about the Fever Moon album. After initially responding, I got overwhelmed with the submissions and inevitably didn’t write that review.
I am still learning with Fifteen Minutes of Fame. Now, things are starting to come full circle, bringing me back to these humble musicians who are more talented and creative than anything else that’s out there. Who’s music I would choose to listen to over anybody in the mainstream market.
I am in disbelief. This is an incredible work of art. J Holmes should feel nothing less than the utmost pride a person can feel for this release. And to think the added bonus of purchasing this music and the proceeds being donated to help animals. This article has been one of the more intriguing ones I have had the privilege to write.
Ballads says it all in a whisper. Ballads does it all with the least amount of effort. It’s feeling, to its very core. Ballads is pure. It is pure human emotion captured, then released, in the form of song.
For additional media, you can subscribe to the Fever Moon YouTube Channel
Ballads can be found here on this link for Bandcamp and, as of May 6th, is streaming on all other platforms like Spotify.
Don’t wait. Go press play!
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