Joho – southside thrill ride
Joho – southside thrill ride – Album Review
There is never going to be a time where I’m not looking forward to more from Joho – that’s facts.
It’s freakin’ insane to think that it’s somehow only been just barely over FIVE YEARS since I first started to listen to this guy’s music, and that we’ve been fortunate enough to cover every record the man has ever made during that time. For those of you at home keeping score, that’s no small accomplishment – his brand-new album southside thrill ride is his NINTH entry into his catalog to-date, and there has never been any sign of Joho slowing down or losing any steam. The guy has been consistently on an upward trajectory for as long as I can remember, and I have all the confidence that pushing play on his new album will reveal that hasn’t changed. I’m always stoked to get my ears on the latest tracks from Joho!
Lookin’ trim too homie. I’m not saying that his last record was longer than it probably should have been, but rockin’ a set of twenty-four tracks is an extremely tough task for even the best of the best. It was an admirable effort without question, but let’s just say that on a visual level, seeing that southside thrill ride had a set-list of eleven songs filled me with the confidence that we’re gonna be hearing some of Joho’s most focused material so far. To be clear, as a hybrid Indie-Rock/Pop/Rap artist, Joho has probably tried more things than most artists or bands ever will throughout the course of their entire career, so it’s been pretty awesome to be on the ride with this guy through all the ups and downs as he’s tapped into what works best for him along the way. As I read over the promo materials & hype articles surrounding southside thrill ride while I was listening, it was great to visually see the highlights matched what I was hearing on this album…that tells me everyone’s on the same page about what makes this record great.
Kickin’ it off with an old-school sample on “dan marino gran torino” was a statement in itself. Joho is a hybrid by every measure, and before you’re even a minute into this first track, you’ll hear how much he’s able to combine from all kinds of genres to create his own unique sound. Make no mistake, one of the greatest accomplishments he’s had in his career so far, is that for being as versatile as he is, he’s still managed to establish an enormous amount of identity in his music. I’d never mistake Joho’s music for anyone else’s, and that’s practically impossible to achieve when you do so many different things – so credit where credit is due, that’s a remarkable achievement. And I think that sometimes…wait…wait a second…did he just say what I think he said? “She love the way I eat her!” Yup. He sure did say that. That’s Houston’s own at his finest right there folks, yes indeed. Joho’s never been one to hold back on saying whatever the fuck he wants to say, however the fuck he wants to say it, and I’ve always admired that about him, no matter how explicit or descriptive he’s gotten along the way. “dan marino gran torino” is a stellar example of the immense diversity in his sound as he switches it up between singing the hooks & hittin’ the bars, and immediately confirms he’s put the work into this record. Things sound excellent in the production of this opening cut, especially when you consider how much is involved in it, and from what I’ve read, he’s responsible for that too, with some additional assistance on the studio boards coming from the expertise of Aden Harris in the mix as well. This first cut is custom designed to get your attention quickly, and as far as my ears are concerned, that mission is fully accomplished, 10-4.
Quality stuff, no doubt. “trust” confirms the audio-quality is at an all-time high – this is a vibrant record, and these songs are leapin’ straight outta your speakers. As a natural hybrid artist, I think there are always going to be pieces of what Joho does that are bound to resonate with listeners more than others, though it should be noted, he’s effective in all areas. Like for myself, I’ve always been clear – I think this dude is an incredible singer…that’s where I hear his main strengths personally. Following that, I’d say it’s his songwriting/ideas, then his ability to rap, musicianship and on down the line. Dude’s talents are too numerous to count. Anyway. The point is, his vocals in the hooks of “trust” provide a brilliant early highlight on southside thrill ride, and one of the most memorable moments you’ll find on the record. As far as the rapping is concerned…it’s good…no one’s disputing that Joho has got bars. He’s got a few spots here & there where he’s running the lyrics hard to keep up to the metering, but in the end, he gets to where he needs to be and that’s all that matters. The real bottom line is that he’s always able to add character and personality into what he’s spittin’ or singing, which is essentially what keeps us listening to his music time & time again. “trust” flexes his skills in all areas & possesses highly memorable hooks.
I personally like “the artist,” but I’d probably listen to an argument that it’s a bit tougher to love. There’s nothing about Joho’s performance that isn’t hitting the mark…dude’s bringing his A-game once again, and ultimately, that’s all you can ever do. As to how things are received in the court of public opinion, that’s all well beyond anyone’s control…always has been, always will be. The facts are that “the artist” explores the use of multiple textures and sensory sound a bit more than the opening two tracks do, which makes the beginning of listening to this particular track seem like its making a bit of a departure on a stylistic level. I love the way it begins with its melted-tape sounding sample, and I felt like Joho came out really strong from the get-go in that opening verse. Where “the artist” has a bit of an uphill battle is that it’s just missing the kind of hooks that’ll make it memorable or stand out from the rest of the set enough by comparison to the rest of the material surrounding it. I dig how Joho punches the emphasis of his lyrics with every syllable though…he’s invested in getting his best onto this recording, and you can hear the effort being put in. I like the hook at the end of “the artist,” but I’m not quite as convinced it’s strong enough to compete with his other tunes on that level. Rap-wise, I felt like Joho did an exceptional job, and even though the music is likely gonna be a harder sell to the masses out there, I freakin’ love the distorted melody it contains in the background, while packing so much clarity up front.
I am a firm believer that universal sound is one of the easiest things to recognize, because how could it not be? That’s the very definition of what universal IS! When I heard “all u have 2 say” for the first time, I was like, THIS is where Joho excels, you know what I mean? Like I said, diversity is an incredible thing to possess in music, but everybody has got their strengths, and to me, the more Joho sings, the better off his tracks tend to be in terms of their widespread appeal & potential to reach the masses. The guy has the art of the hook on-lock y’all…and I guess that’s the difference between what I’d say are tracks for him, versus tracks for us – make sense? Like, a track like “the artist” for instance, is a track to be proud of for so many reasons on a personal level and on an artistic level as well…for the craft involved, you feel me? A track like “all u have 2 say” is the kind of cut that’s gonna reach every set of ears listening though, and that’s the difference. I still ended up feeling like Joho will go on to reveal even stronger tracks in this lineup as it continues on, but there is no doubt that “all u have 2 say” is the first significant dose of single-worthy sound that you’ll find in the set-list of southside thrill ride. He’s got a great way of pairing his bass-lines alongside his vocal melodies, and I also felt like the way that he was able to incorporate some genuine cleverness in the background layers of this song really hit the mark.
LISTEN to the commitment though y’all…it’s well worth mentioning. I listen to a cut like “sweet thang,” and even though it’s probably not gonna rank in my list of favorites by the end of listening to this album, performance-wise, Joho is completely crushin’ it. Regardless of what you think about it, pass or fail, it’s performances like this that elevate a song…and it’s also what highlights the man’s X-factor if you ask me. Do I think there is stronger material on the album songwriting/hooks-wise? Absolutely. Do I wish the guy had brought out the main meat of the song around the three-minute mark a bit earlier on? You bet. In fact, I’d have been tempted to build the entire track around that one part and practically left the rest right out – it’s the final ninety seconds of “sweet thang” that make it memorable, but the performance Joho’s put in throughout from start to finish is more than commendable. I reckon he’s practically saved this track with the vibrant & lively approach he takes throughout the first three minutes of “sweet thang” – if it wasn’t for that, I’m not convinced there’d be enough here to make it work material-wise. Once he gets to the three-minute mark though, Joho’s on incredibly solid ground, and “sweet thang” is able to coast from there to victory. Honestly, between the piano breakdown around the two-minute mark, the bringback, and the way he closes this track out, he’s probably going to change a lot of minds that were on the fence about this cut at first. I know he changed mine as I listened throughout this past week or so – I wasn’t all that sure about “sweet thang” on those initial spins through the record, but by the time I went to write this review, I realized that the finale of this song was so damn strong, that I consistently look forward to hearing it. I want MORE of it in this cut, but I’ll happily take what I can get.
While intricate and involved cuts can end up being impressive in the way they transition, switch it up, and morph along the way – when it comes to the art of creating accessible songs, simplicity can often be the best & most effective approach. Like I was tellin’ ya earlier – universal sound is apparent to every single person that listens, and you’ll find a boatload of it in “another stupid game,” which is definitely gonna go down as one of the most celebrated cuts in this lineup by everybody listening to the album. Sometimes I’d crank this up in my office, and I’d head downstairs to listen – seems like a strange method I know, but that’s where you start to understand the real magic at work. What do you hear from way far away? Usually the low-end of a tune. When you hear how incredibly simple the core of this melody is in the bass-line, but how catchy & effective it is in hooking you in, that’s where you’re really able to grasp how smart songwriting is akin to great food – it’s the simplest ingredients that speak volumes on their own behalf. Then I’d go back upstairs, and hear all the incredible details in a track like “another stupid game” and be continually blown away by how much Joho has done with this song from start to finish to make it as great as it becomes. Vocally, he’s all aces at all times – it’s undeniably one of his best turns on the mic; he sounds absolutely mesmerizing in the breakdown of this track, and completely sensational in the main hooks of the chorus on “another stupid game.” Single-worthy sound from beginning to end – I don’t need to advocate on behalf of this song, because every single one of us is gonna want to spin this track on repeat for the rest of 2025. Love the rumble in the bass, love the details in the background along the way, and Joho’s vocals are practically second to none on this song. When this dude puts this track on stage, and it breaks open at the 2:10 mark, look the fuck out y’all – it’s gonna send the whole crowd into a frenzy and take the show to the next level…mark my fucking words.
The same applies to “better off alone” – listen to the core of the music on this tune – it’s got a simple design. I’m not at all saying that disrespectfully – I’m saying that as a genuine compliment. Flashy bells and whistles on a song can be cool, don’t get me wrong, but that doesn’t just equate to a good listen. What does, is a methodical approach, where the fundamentals are built on completely solid ground. Once you’ve got all that in place, you can dress it up a little bit more and you’ll blow people’s minds. “better off alone” is using a very similar recipe as “another stupid game” just did, and the results come out equally spectacular – I have no doubt that listeners will love this song. Plus, the man throws in a saxophone solo into this track as well? Good game y’all, good game. This is what I was talking about at the start about hearing some of Joho’s most focused material. “better off alone” has some of the best lyricism you’ll find on the record, most outstanding vocal melodies to pair along with it, and to go along with it, he’s loaded this track up with a brilliantly understated beat and perfect instrumentation to bring it all home with the synth & saxophone playing huge roles too. LISTEN to this man as he heads towards the third minute too will ya? Joho is KILLIN’ IT y’all. Obviously, the main meat of a verse or a chorus will always reveal the strength in songwriting, but sometimes those moments of vocalizations surrounding them will show you just how capable a singer can really be. “better off alone” appears to be low-key in its energy and mellow demeanor, but I’m tellin’ ya, you’ll find serious fireworks threaded into this cut.
Lemme make sure I’m spelling this correctly. “ya digggggg??” – that’s spelt with six gs, yes? It’s got one of those visually hypnotic qualities to it…you start staring at the title and you go a bit crosseyed…then next thing you know, you’re wondering if you’ve got the right amount of gs, or if you have to get new glasses to see it clearly. So look…reality is what it is…from the ending of “sweet thang” through “another stupid game” and “better off alone” to follow, Joho’s been rolling with some of the best material he’s ever put out – and eventually, that momentum has gotta slow down, at least a little. “ya digggggg??” ain’t a bad track by any stretch of the imagination, but there’s no way that it can really compete with all that’s come before it so far. Fault me if you wanna dear readers, dear friends – but I’m just calling it like it IS. Is it me, the listening ears/critic making comments – or is it on Joho, who just so happened to write two incredible songs right before “ya digggggg???” I’ll let you decide. Again, I like the vibe on “ya digggggg??” – but more importantly, I recognize there’s an ebb and flow to pretty much every record you’ve ever heard…”they can’t all be zingers,” as Primus once said. The real bottom line is, regardless of what any of us think of the song itself, Joho continues to excel in his performances, and within the production – he’s done everything he can to make a track like “ya digggggg??” stand out under the most impossible of circumstances. For myself personally, I really like what he did with the intro and the outro of this track, where it’s like he’s trying to find the right frequency by making slight adjustments on an old AM-radio dial. So if “ya digggggg??” what you hear, turn it up! I’ve got no objections to this track when it comes right down to it, but at the same time, I can recognize that it doesn’t have the magic of the previous two songs as well. You see? Two things can be true at the same time. “ya digggggg??” is a good tune in its own right, but it’s facing a genuine battle to be heard while it’s swimming amongst a sea of great ones.
If you’re lookin’ for Joho to shine with his vocal rhythm, “luv in my heart” will serve that purpose real nicely. It’s the shortest track on this album by a fair margin, and in a way, feels like it’s almost a bit of an afterthought by comparison to many of these other tracks…like you can practically hear Joho doing this track as an a cappella cut, and it’d turn out just as strong…heck, maybe even stronger if you were to see that happen live, you feel me? Like I’ve been saying…simple ingredients y’all. When it comes to this cut, it’s Joho that makes every second worth listening to, and he doesn’t really need an ounce of the music surrounding him. There’s nothing detrimental to be found there, but I also didn’t really feel like any of it pushed “luv in my heart” any further forward either, you know what I mean? Even the switch into a more digitally-enhanced orchestral vibe at the end…it seems like a good call to make, but honestly, even that seemed a bit unnecessary, and no element in the music proved to be strong enough to snatch the spotlight from the main man on the mic at any point of “luv in my heart.” Take this one a cappella Joho when playing it live…the spot right at the start of the encore would be perfect for something like that.
While the quality in his production & performance never drops, I do think that there are gonna be some folks wondering whether or not southside thrill ride found its stride by the mid-section of the record and that the final third might not quite live up to what they’ve heard to that point…and I’d understand that. I think there’s enough value in “ya digggggg??,” “luv in my heart” & “boy meets world” to stay engaged and not go skipping any tracks, but I’d also tell ya that the cuts between four and seven on this album are going to be the songs that really keep the people coming back for another listen. I felt like he’s got another cut really built on his rhythmic ability on “boy meets world,” and I like that this particular track seems to get a bit more personal about the mindset and story of the man behind the music as well. Is it strong enough to compete with the best of the best in this lineup? Time will tell the story on all that. I like it well enough, but again, I don’t think that’s what Joho is aiming for – the performances this guy has been putting in deserve his strongest material to go along with it, and I’m not totally sure that’s what he gets out of this last third of southside thrill ride. “boy meets world” has got its moments for sure – all the tracks in this final third do…but almost in the way that they kind of seem like they belong to a different set of songs than the one that started this record and the vibe it possesses in its majority. I’m cool with it…the more I listened to “boy meets world,” the more that I felt like I eventually got into it.
He’s got that…hmm…what is that? Is that the beat from “Set Adrift All Memory Bliss” by P.M. Dawn at the core of the final cut, “santa fe?” Is that what I’m thinking of? Hmm…maybe, maybe not…it’s similar, but still different after having a listen. “santa fe” moves at a slower pace overall, but sure, there are similarities in its DNA I guess. With an assist from Houston-based artist IIRIIS to lend her talents to the hooks of this finale, Joho wraps up southside thrill ride with a deeper cut that feels a level or two more serious on an emotional level. It works. Obviously, IIRIIS can sing & she’s a talented artist – you can hear that in what she adds to “santa fe” every time she’s on the mic, whether it’s in stepping out in front in the hooks, or having her in the background along the way, you’ll notice the contrast she brings to this last cut and appreciate what she brings to it. As for Joho, we know he’s talented too – he’s proven that all throughout the lineup of southside thrill ride, and keeps the quality, consistency, and focus of his performances as sharp as ever all the way through this record. Will the people out there recognize this final track for its well-crafted, sleek melodic design and professional execution? Hopefully! I’ll admit, “santa fe” kind of feels like yet another departure and deviation in the lineup, but it’s hard not to feel that way when you pack as much versatility into the music as Joho tends to do. I’m satisfied with it as the conclusion to this album…it’s another quality track, and a solid collaboration between John & IIRIIS. In some ways, I feel like southside thrill ride might have been more about the quality of the production than it was about the strength of the material, but it’s tough to argue against Joho when he’s sounding as great as he has been in this lineup. So I ain’t gonna! I’ll leave it at that. Listen to southside thrill ride!
Find out more about Joho from his official website at: https://www.goodiemedia.org
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