Joey Dosik didnt set out to make a conceptual mini album aboutbasketball. It was his first love before music and some of his earliestmemories are of attending Lakers games but hed never thought tolook to the sport for inspiration. However, when Joey blew out hisknee during his regular pick-up game and had to undergoreconstructive ACL surgery, he found himself confined to the couch,watching a lot of television and waiting to resume his normal life. Hegravitated toward basketball and when he started recording again hefound it seeping into his writing. The result is Game Winner, a brisk,emotive collection of songs loosely inspired by the language and loreof the game.
The common thread in the six songs - as well as the four bonustracks - is musicality and song craft: the two pillars of Joeys sound.The most important thing is the song, explains Joey. Songwritingwont go out of style. Its that approach, one that thinks beyondstyle, that gives the title track its magic. Minimal and almost languid,Game Winner has a confidence thats hard to place in time, an easethat meets a buzzer-beater just as well as it meets a Sundaymorning. Basketball may have been Joeys first love but the sport isalso the perfect metaphor for where hes ended up musically, alwaysstriving to stay timely and timeless, to bring deep, foundationalelements in sync with innovation and imagination.
