Gretsch White Falcon Reissue 2017 ex J.J. Julius Son (Kaleo)

JJ Julius Son and Kaleo

In the mid-2010s, when rock seemed to be searching for new life between intimate folk and polished productions, a band from Iceland burst onto the scene with rare intensity: Kaleo. Driven by the volcanic voice of JJ Julius Son, the quartet established itself as one of the most striking revivals of a wild, blues-infused rock, inspired as much by the majestic landscapes of their homeland as by the American traditions they proudly embrace.

JJ Julius Son has never relied on artifice. His gift, as a true storyteller of the North, lies in a voice that roars, whispers, cracks and caresses—sometimes all within the same sentence. A voice capable of evoking both desert dust and the solitude of frozen fjords. With Kaleo, he has crafted a sound instantly recognizable: acoustic and organic, yet streaked with electric flashes. Tracks like Way Down We Go, Broken Bones and All the Pretty Girls have become their signatures, guided by raw songwriting and arrangements that smell of wood, wind, and open roads.

The band has toured the world relentlessly, switching between near-silent introspective moments and explosive blues-rock bursts of almost primal energy. JJ Julius Son leads with quiet precision, always faithful to a stripped-down aesthetic that favors emotion over demonstration. No endless solos, no unnecessary complexity—just solid songwriting, effective riffs, and a sensibility that hits straight to the heart.

Tireless and perfectionistic, JJ Julius Son has shaped Kaleo the way a craftsman shapes raw material: patiently, instinctively, with deep respect for the music. Between Iceland and Nashville, his adopted home, this solitary cowboy has found his balance—blending the American roots of the blues with the luminous austerity of his native land. Always ready to explore without betraying the group’s essence, he composes, produces and sculpts sounds with almost obsessive attention.

One thing is certain: Kaleo and JJ Julius Son embody a sincere, powerful, unadorned rock—a bridge between tradition and modernity in an era dominated by other, more digital genres. With his haunted melodies and voice from elsewhere, JJ remains the guide of a band that has restored rock’s deeply human dimension. A discreet yet determined leader, eyes on the horizon, guitar ready to tell a new story along the roads, just like the cowboys who once headed West in search of new frontiers.