Jeff Hortillosa introducing his brand new single release, ‘Jesus Christ’
Jeff “Horti” Hortillosa, most famously known as guitarist in award-winning Austin, Texas trash-grass band Whiskey Shivers, is excited to announce his latest batch of adventurous Americana music with his new studio EP The Horticulture Volume 1, set for release on Friday May 8th, 2020. Pertinently speaking to the upended world we now find ourselves in, the 4-song EP is brimming with eclectic and virtuosic musicality and thought- provoking lyrics that look to explore the current political climate of global dissonance and dissect the cultural implications of Hortillosa’s Filipino American heritage.
“I am an Americana artist, but I don’t write about trains and the Dust Bowl,” laughed Hortillosa, good-naturedly. “This music is really folk music—and folk music can mean many things, but the common theme in its various guises is that it’s relatable. Within this space, I feel like I can explore different musical perspectives and themes of science, social science, philosophy, human kind, and make sociological observations,” said Hortillosa.
This dynamic plays out perfectly on the twang-y, roots-funk opening track and lead single “Jesus Christ.” Hortillosa sings with soulful warmth about missionaries’ often misguided quests to convert native populations. “It’s sort of my take on morality and religion through an anthropologist’s perspective,” said Hortillosa.
The musician’s creative continuum is ever freewheeling and instinctive, keeping his growing fanbase on their toes with his output. Earlier this month Hortillosa released his debut short-film and artistic companion piece to The Horticulture Volume 1, War Monkey, which is currently available to stream on YouTube. The 25-minute War Monkey draws on the themes and music found on The Horticulture Volume 1, with the film’s narrative loosely based on that of lead single “Jesus Christ.” Hortillosa directed, scored, and helped edit the ambitious project.
Taken together as companion pieces, The Horticulture Volume 1 and War Monkey are a great showcase of Hortillosa’s multifaceted talents as he looks to carve out a solid unique chunk of cultural space for Filipino and Asian Americans in America’s blended, cultural identity
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