“PINES SALAD” Debut Album By ReeToxA

delivers a bruising yet heartfelt debut with “Pines Salad,” an album that encapsulates almost three decades worth of songwriting into a 14-track collection that is deeply felt yet bruising in nature as Australian Rocker ReeToxA, whose real name is "Jason McKee," pens down. Streaming on all major platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music, Tidal, and released on March 31st, 2025, “Pines Salad” is anything but lackluster; it represents a culinary dish that fuses nostalgic grunge and emotional grit seamlessly. The debut album is produced by “Simon Moro” and includes a plethora of talented musicians that make the record hit as powerfully as an industry veteran that is stepping into the limelight.

As is the case with most single releases, the lead single of the album, “Bobbie,” also serves as the first track. McKee pours out his unique style with the vocals and the feel of rock right at the start, wow, as an unusual take for any revival album of rock. The album is bound with the emotion of loss, having been written in the aftermath of McKee losing his mother while he was in prison. The track features a spine-tingling sense of urgency. The start is fuelled by thunderous screams of the instruments. The album features guitar pieces by “James Ryan” with a dynamic rhythm section performed by “Kit Riley,” a member of the famed band Savage Garden that also played alongside “Michael Bublé,” and “Peter Marin,” who is notable in Australia, alongside “Jet.” The vocals are a mix of worn and cut sharp, McKee sizzles his expressive rubble in the raw, grabbing listeners and refusing to let go.

The album takes a journey through melodic digressions, confessional alt-rock, and anger-infused punk. “Flamingo Sunday” and “Chemical Jesus” are great examples of early Pixies and The White Stripes, filled with roaring riffs and cynical lyrics. The slower songs like “Cracks in the Lemonade” and “Hollow Girl” showcase McKee’s melancholic songwriting, reminiscent of Elliott Smith.” However, the best lyric of the album and probably the entire soul of it resides within “Amber” when McKee sings, “I feel like a donkey in a thoroughbred show.” Those wonderful, self-deflating, deeply eccentric characteristics that weave throughout the entire record are armless "Donkeys".

In a genre filled with mutilated emotions, McKee's brutal perception cuts through it all. In “Pines Salad,” McKee tackles his so-called ‘confusion with women’ with a mixture of tenderness and bewilderment. And while he isn’t straightforward about it, there’s an untamed charm that stands out. It’s refreshing to hear in this genre, where vague phrases are often the norm. These aren’t commercial radio songs - they’re for those who feel displaced, a little jagged at the edges, and in need of authenticity.

Beyond a personal passion project, what lifts “Pines Salad” is the intricate details of the chemistry between McKee and the seasoned session musicians. The album feels alive, there is a simultaneous sense of being tightly restrained yet free, polished yet unpredictable. A sense of breathing freely permeates “Simon Moro’s” production, without sacrificing rawness. This isn’t simply looking back at the ‘90s, and it’s that era reimagined through a contemporary lens. And with an “Aussie” identity, McKee grounds it with a distinctive flavor. In these tracks, you can almost smell the eucalyptus and asphalt of Melbourne’s suburbs.

Where music these days is filtered through an algorithmic sheen, “Pines Salad” by ReeToxA is unbelievably unfiltered. The album doesn't strive for perfection, instead, it focuses on being genuine. Strangely enough, that’s hurt and healed, and makes you laugh along the way. If you’re a fan of grunge-era icons like “Nirvana” and “Pearl Jam” or more contemporary voices like “Olivia Rodrigo,” there’s something here for you. Catch “Pines Salad” on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and pretty much any place good music finds a home. McKee may have taken thirty years to reach this point, but he has arrived with purpose, pain, and a perfectly tossed “Pines Salad.”