WATCH: Great Time Is “Right” On Time

The Philadelphia trio premiere video for new single off their latest EP, Sounds Like–Vol. 3

June 9, 2022 Ron Hart 1 Comment 2022, Cassandra Jenkins, Great Time, Japanese Breakfast, Jill Ryan, Kristine Leschper, Philadelphia, Self-Released, Sounds Like--Vol. 3

The spirit of the touring saxophonist in rock is alive and well in the work of Jill Ryan, who cooks the reeds for such acts as Cassandra Jenkins, Japanese Breakfast and Kristine Leschper in concert.

But in her own band Great Time, the Philadelphia native is front and center as her group gets set to release their newest EP, Sounds Like—Vol. 3, which finds the trio—rounded out by bassist/guitarist Zack Hartmann and drummer Donnie Spackman—working up a new flavor to their myriad of styles they are exploring in this series.

In the case of Vol. 3, Great Time is directly inspired by the music they grew up on in the late 90s/early 00s, as elements of Bloc Party, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Modest Mouse and Verbena can all be heard throughout. But for the single “Was I Right” Ryan tells Rock & Roll Globe the sound derives from the group’s collective love for bands we old folks were raised on listening to WLIR.

“‘Was I Right’ started as a voice memo called ‘Zeb’s Nu Wav Riff,'” she explains. “It’s vaguely reminiscent of the chorus drenched, guitar driven Brit rock of the 1980s (think The Smiths, The Cure, etc). The video is similar in that it’s both nostalgic yet current – a sort of sketchbook of what it means to be in a band touring on the road, recording in the studio, and generally exploring life without too much of an agenda. It feels familiar yet distant, almost blurring the lines between memories and dreams, while still feeling grounded in reality.”

Great Time Sounds Like–Vol. 3, Self-Released 2022

We are honored that Great Time chose us as the vessel to premiere the video for “Was I Right,” which according to Ryan was based on an anxious dream she had in her youth–a theme that informs the song itself as well.

“When I was little, I used to lay in my bed at night and stare up at the ceiling in my room,” she explains. “I’d get into a trance looking up and envision a really warm, comforting scene. It looked like a landscape of a Nilla Wafer cookie. But as soon as I was about to fall asleep, the scene would suddenly change to a grungy, oily, dirty landscape and my body would have a negative physical reaction. This would happen nightly for me and now as an adult I realize that I was experiencing anxiety. Those sensations still find me to this day so I wanted to write a song about it. Zack, our bassist/guitarist, edited this video using old tour footage of our younger selves and shots of us performing the song in our studio. I think the visuals really match the emotions and intention of the song.”

Sounds Like–Vol. 3 comes out tomorrow, and the band will be playing a selection of dates in support, including a release party tonight at Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia.

Watch the video for “Was I Right” below.

6/9: Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia – Philadelphia, PA (WXPN Welcomes) (w/ Kingsley Ibeneche & Zoe Sparks)

6/24: Richmond Music Hall – Richmond, VA

6/25: Pearl Street Warehouse – Washington, DC

7/3: Peach Fest – Scranton, PA

8/26: Foam Brewers – Burlington, VT