Journos

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Enter Journos: a charismatic and compelling duo made up of award-winning journalist and lyricist Bryan Russo and workhorse punk-rocker Ryan Abbott, whose musical range and bold message is as assertive as it is disruptive.

Bryan Russo has spent close to 20 years working diligently as a singer/songwriter in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US sharing the stage with more than 30 national recording artists. Described to have the bluesy depth of a “young Tom Waits or Billy Joel” by Grammy Nominated producer David Ivory, his previous independent releases received high praise from critics and listeners, including Pennsyltucky (2018), which was named as a Top 5 finalist in the 2019 Great American Song Contest. Known for his biting lyrics, Russo blends profound storytelling with a glint of satire and he isn’t afraid to let his raw and emotional vocals set the stage.

Abbott is perhaps most known for his surf punk trio The Phantom Limbs, with which he wrote an EP trilogy followed by an LP entitled Get Wet with the Mothman. Powered by genre busting guitar riffs and lyrics anchored in horror movie imagery, the band toured the country and made a splash in underground punk scenes. Later, Abbott scored a hit with his acoustic trio The Dead Pens, a group comprised of Abbott, classical cellist Sally McGee and singer/pianist Danah Koch, drawing attention and accolades from Relix Magazine and the College Radio Charts (#160). The Abbott penned song “Claire” found its way onto major Spotify and terrestrial radio playlists, garnering global spins.

Playing the role of the court jester whose job was to remind the monarchy of its inescapable mortality, Journos’ clever witticisms coupled with their chaotic musical pulse produce a terrific collection of deep-thinking hard-drinking songs. A scathing editorial, Journos’ debut full-length album In the Key of WTF is a sonic statement that neither buries the lead nor misses the point.