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Straddling the line between progressive and alternative rock is the NYC based band Jolly, aka The Incredible Jolly.  A powerful quartet featuring a line-up consisting of: Anadale (guitars & vocals), Anthony Rondione (bass & vocals), Joe Reilly (keyboards, samples) and Louis Abramson (drums).

The band writes and produces all of their music in a home studio and creates live action and animated videos as well. All of this is done with no budget whatsoever.  Eschewing traditional record label involvement Jolly is a complete DIY project.   The band looks only to their fans to become true patrons and support their musical venture.  How’s that for pursuing your passion and developing the entrepreneurial spirit?  Some of their musical influences include Tears for Fears, Radiohead, and Pink Floyd.  They have created a 2 part series of recordings entitled “The Audio Guide to Happiness Part 1 and Part 2.”

Now here comes the really interesting part about this band.  The band collaborated with a nearby university to perfect the usage of binaural tones to optimize the JOLLY listening experience.  My limited research on the subject finds that when signals of two different frequencies are presented separately, one to each ear, your brain detects the phase variation between the frequencies and tries to reconcile that difference.  As the two frequencies mesh in and out of phase, your brain creates its own third signal — called a binaural beat.  Research has proven that introducing a binaural beat will cause the brain to begin resonating in tune with that beat.  This same technique can be used to quickly and easily guide your mind into any state.  As we used to say, pretty deep!

With all of that scientific stuff aside, I really like the power behind this band.  I’ve included the videos for 2 tracks I think well represent the band.  The first from their 2012 release “The Audio Guide to Happiness Part 1,” simply titled “Joy.”   Keyboards and bass drive the track with lead vocals courtesy of band member Anadale.
The video is strictly a band performance of the track.  The interplay between band members is tight and the keyboards of Joe Reilly stand out.

Here’s the chorus:
One of these days I’ll sail through the ocean
When I return I’ll bring it all back and
Tell the whole world, restore things left broken
I’ll hold it down so we could start new

The second cut “Ava” is from their latest 2016 release “Family.”  Definitely not in the progressive camp but for some strange reason it attracted me upon first listening.  Bass heavy with keyboards more in tune with today’s electronic music. The track owes it’s overall effect to the progressive and electronica fusion of the British band Muse, which is apparently one of Jolly’s influences. The video is a bit psychedelic with the song title’s namesake Ava appearing throughout interspersed with performance shots of the band. Give it a listen and see if it doesn’t it move you.  Progressive, electronica or alternative label notwithstanding;  the track is infectious.

Putting all the pretentiousness aside about binaural beats or tones, the music that Jolly creates brings this listener to a state of true happiness.  Perhaps it will do the same for you as well.  And I salute the overall approach to creating their musical vision.  If you like what you hear, visit patreon.com to support this unique band.