popwreckoning

It’s almost as though it’s a surreal trip, and a really good one at that. Taking a few of the most influential music ingredients today, a layer of Brett Dennen’s words and vocals, the backing of Forro In The Dark and a pinch of Jason Mraz and mixing them for a simple taste, not a whole meal, but it certainly is not one you would turn away for any reason. For the majority of this seven song EP, Brett displays to us a fun and poignant versatility.

Countless hours have been spent by hundreds of bands on song placement in any given LP. But when you have multiple works to pull from and also adding new material, it’s “enough to make you go crazy.” But with “Blessed” as his title track, Brett and company say simply, “I’m gonna celebrate being alive.” It’s like an old friend who has invited you to his fire side get together. And as Forro In The Dark skillfully adds the subtleties and impacting Brazilian swagger, Brett flies through and says this is where I’ve been. A massive introduction to this compilation EP.

With each song, Brett’s vocals and Forro’s beats literally refuse you to simply sit, it’s a work of dance and poetry. Even in writing this, I felt the strong need to book a flight to “San Francisco” and get an old accordion and play for the tourists on the Golden Gate. Making us believe that circumstances are not permanent, we simply dance into what we want to be and to damn the fires we walk on.

Dennen’s writing has always been prolific and prophetic, and hearing it in a different light, only reassures the listener that they can dig into songs like “Closer To You” with multiple points of view.

Adding Jason Mraz to this EP was like adding that secret spice to a sauce that was already amazing. It also reminds that as songwriters, Dennen and Mraz are powerhouses. “Long Road To Forgiveness” is smoky and flowing, as though you’re at a crossroads of some great journey and we got “nothing but time.”

And of course “Make You Crazy” is just fun, plain and simple fun. Yes, it’s embedded with very serious issues, it’s important to remember that, but man if you don’t wanna just get up and grab your most loved dance partner and move to the beats of Forro as they make this track a true force of nature. It also introduces those who have had no idea what true Brazilian “Forro” is. And “Forro” in Brazilian literally translates to the word “party,” and this track is guaranteed to excite the senses into a groove potentially foreign to Brett Dennen fans. But that’s exactly what this work is designed for, to broaden us all.

Power in words and song are truly relative to the reception, but it does happen universally at times and “Aint Gonna Lose You” is truly universal. We have all made those declarations of love and commitment, and here’s the anthem to prove it. With lyrics like “You could put a stick in my spokes, I can be the butt of your jokes….but I ain’t gonna lose you,” are just confirmations that as fun as this EP is, it’s also memorable and destined for immediate adoration on all sides. With so much out there that can decimate the belief that we can hold on to that in which we truly love, Brett says with determination and confidence, “They can tear my house down…but I ain’t gonna lose you.” And with this work, Brett Dennen and company hold on to us and make us dance!

Track Listing:
01. Blessed
02. San Francisco
03. Joan of Arc
04. Closer to You
05. Long Road to Forgiveness
06. Make You Crazy
07. Ain’t Gonna Lose You

Brett Dennen: website | myspace | @ bonnaroo

Back from his stint with Natalie Imbruglia, John Garrison now sets out to embark on his second solo outing. With ambitions that have lead him to James Blunt and Leona Lewis, John’s sophomore piece takes in all his travels and embodies them into Departures. PopWreckoning’s Thomas Starks caught up with him to talk a little about writing about ex’s, huge harpsichords and Prince.

John Garrison: Hello, Thomas.
Thomas Starks, PopWreckoning: Pleased to meet you John, How are ya?
JG: Nice to meet you, too….Nice to meet you as well.
TS: So you’re in the UK right now right?
JG: Yeah I’m in London right now, yeah.
TS: I really appreciate you taking my call so late, I apologize for the latency. So are you on tour right now?
JG: Um…I just got back from Italy actually this morning, I was playing guitar for Natalie Imbruglia.
TS: How did that go?
JG: It was good, and I just got back, so it’s back to focusing on me now.
(John reservedly laughs as though it’s a foreign concept to self appease)

TS: I bet it’s good to be home now. Do you live in London then?
JG: I’m kind of…yeah, most of the time I’m in London. I was in New York City for a while but these days I’m in London.

TS: So you have a new LP out.
JG: I’ve got a new one yes, it comes out next week, yes next Tuesday.

(Departures is now available)

TS: Yes I believe that is Nov 10th.
JG: That is correct, yes. It’s called Departures.
TS: So what is going to be your launch single from this LP?
JG: The single is entitled “Let’s Run.” It’s the first track on the record and I shot a video for it. It sums up the album really for me.

TS: So where did you record Departures?
JG: Wow, it was recorded all over the place actually. I started in London, put the vocals on in New York, and then I was actually on a world tour playing bass for James Blunt so I kind of did all the little bits and pieces in hotel rooms and really where ever I could. It was very much an “All Over The World” recorded album.

TS: Now did you do any pretrack on your own? Like when you were playing bass for James, were you in the tour bus at all doing pretrack?
JG: Absolutely, most of the times I did it in the hotel rooms, but when we were on the bus, there were a couple of tracks where I actually worked on them in my bunk. Whenever we were on bumpy roads or where ever we were, I did a lot work in the bed.
TS: Did that help the writing at all, did it influence you, or was it all there before you were on the road?
JG: No, No, it definitely influenced me quite a lot. When I recorded the tracks, when I first had the ideas for the songs, they were much more basic, and then traveling around the world, doing it on laptops, actually using audio from different places. I used a percussion track that I put on from a hotel room in Moscow, then I recorded the drums in London, did the vocals in New York, it really was all over the place. I think it added to the sound.
TS: So this is truly a global LP then?
JG: Yeah it really is, it really is. It’s been recorded all over the world.

TS: So “Departures” is fitting completely.
JG: Well that’s basically why it’s called that. That’s the one word I saw more than any other. A lot of the songs are about when I moved to New York from England, yeah it’s all about movement. There’s the tracks “I Leave on Friday,” “Let’s Run,” you know? “Go.” All these songs about going, moving and moving. I just thought “Departures” was just a fitting title really.

TS: So what is your next move then?
JG: Well, we made a video for “Let’s Run.” I did that in France a few weeks ago and it’s out on “YouTube” and it’s out on a few TV stations. The next real step is to launch the album next week, I have a show in London next week too, just getting out there and playing it to people.
TS: If someone had to ask what genre that you felt that you fit in, what would that be?
JG: I guess technically I’m a singer/songwriter, but I’ve been in bands before, I just write songs and record them the best I can. If it’s genre, It’s a difficult one, I usually go on what other people say, it’s difficult to tag yourself you know. So I always just call it “Melodic Indie Pop.”
TS: That’s a fair answer, it’s kind of a trick question. I’m a musician myself, so I get it.
JG: Ahhh, you are, then you know what I mean then. How you hear yourself and how others hear you are often quite different.
TS: It’s often the most difficult question one has as a musician.
JG: Absolutely, and even though I’ve had that question so many times, it’s sort of still difficult. When you have a song idea, when you’re thinking of lyrics and when you’re writing about ex girlfriends and such, you don’t think about what genre you are, you just write as best you can, you know? It’s really a question for the people.

TS: Let me ask you a question, when you were on tour with James Blunt and then working with Natalie Imbruglia, do you include these artists when you write? Do you consult with them at all, or do you just kinda stick on your own?
JG: No I don’t. I completely keep it to myself, especially with James. I don’t even mention nothing really. I like to keep the two things separate. I guess it would be great to write with someone else like that eventually. But the nature of being a session musician. That’s basically your job. Unless they come to me and say “Hey we need help with a song.” I’m just gonna get on with my job, whatever that job might be. I think of the kind of professional outlook you know? Don’t get me wrong, I would love it if they came to me and said “Let’s do some writing.” That would be great, but not just yet.

TS: So as a session musician, do you enjoy doing that and do you multitask with instruments?
JG: I do a bit of everything really. I played bass for James Blunt, played bass for Leona Lewis on her album, but then for Natalie I played guitar, whatever people need basically. I’m quite fortunate, I can play quite a few things, I’m a musical guy to have around the studio.

TS: Speaking of studio, in your LP Departures, how many instruments were you involved with?
JG: Instruments. Well, I do like to get other people in. I brought a guy called Karl Brazil on drums. He plays for Robbie Williams. He played for James Blunt, too. So even though I do play a lot of instruments, I actually on this record, I made it a point of getting other people in. On my first solo record I played actually everything on there, and now when I listen back to it, although I really love the record, it sounds like one person, too much like one person. So on this record I got different drummers, guitarists, keyboard players. I think it kind of adds to the sound of it all. I worked with a producer this time and he helped. I think all musicians have to have that “Self Indulgent” record, and mine was my first one.

TS: So what is the most interesting instrument you have ever worked with on a record?
JG: Well on this record I played an electric harpsichord. It was a huge long harpsichord with a glass top. I plugged into an AC30 guitar amp, it was fantastic! It was the strangest thing.
TS: That is probably the coolest answer I have ever gotten.
JG: To be honest, me and the producer got to the studio, we were just looking at this thing. It was huge! Sort of a massive thing, and we were just like “Well, obviously we have to get this on the record somewhere.” We literally went through the whole album, track 1, no, no can’t get it in there, track 2, no, and eventually we squeezed it into track 5.
TS: And what is that song called?
JG: “Alexandra and Annabelle” The main rif is the electric harpsichord.

TS: Nice! So are you the type to have a main CD Release party, or are you just gonna go all out, every show a CD Release?
JG: I’ve got a show next week in London on Monday, so that’s kinda like the release party. I like a good party. I’m a musician, we all do. So I’m gonna do the gig, have the new CD with me and then crazy partying with everybody else.

TS: Well thank you so much for your time John and I have one last question for you. If you got the opportunity to work with anybody that you wanted, who would that be?
JG: Ok, well right now, wow, that’s a good question. I would love to have Prince produce a track with me. I grew up listening to Prince, I’m a huge fan, even though my music isn’t particularly “Prince,” I think the way he sees music, the way he looks at stuff, I think guided me, so I would love to work with him.
TS: He is quite a talented individual as you are my friend. I appreciate your time, and you have a great show on Monday.
JG: Fantastic. Thank you, Thomas, I appreciate you for calling. Thank you very much for having me.

John Garrison: myspace

Pop rock artist Matthew Sweet wears many hats. From solo to Sid ‘n’ Susie. Though he is busy touring, PopWreckoning’s Thomas Starks caught up to the artist to talk the tour and his projects:

Thomas Starks, PopWreckoning: Hello Mr. Sweet, thank you so much for taking my call. I know we have a short time so I’ll get right into it. Talk to me a little about this Nov. 6th show at Eddie’s Attic. What’s going on with that?
Matthew Sweet: I’ve known Susanna (Susanna Hoffs) since the early 90’s, we had a few friends in common. When I moved here in 93, I just ran into her more and more. I got invited to a charity show with the Bangles, and I brought up that I liked her voice, we really wanted to do something. So we played at McCabe’s in LA. I played rock shows many years ago there. She invited Mike Myers, before the “Austin Powers” movies. He was still getting a hold of that character. So we all teamed up and started a small group called Ming Tea. That led to a song called “BBC” on the first movie, and then later we penned “Daddy Wasn’t There” on the “Gold Member” movie.

TS: It’s amazing how those small meetings turn into great projects. So is this a tour for you both then?
MS: Oh it’s not even a tour, it’s just a small thing we are doing.
TS: Does it allow you to let loose a bit though?
MS: A little scary cause it makes you naked, but also very freeing.

TS: Now you recently released Under The Covers 2, a collection of covers from the 1970’s. What process went into picking the songs and artists you covered?
MS: We get asked this the most. In the 60’s we were sort of too young, so in the 70’s we had a lot of fun. We NEVER make a list, we think of things as we go, and try doing them. The things we thought the best we couldn’t leave off, that’s what we chose. It got difficult at one point and we ended up having 10 more available on iTunes, bonus tracks.
TS: Which ones stand out to you as your favorites?
MS: The YES song “I’ve Seen All Good People.” We liked Yes when we were kids. Oh and “Sugar Magnolia,” a sleeper one we really liked at the end.

TS: You were able to work with Susanna Hoffs and Lindsey Buckingham on this record. What was it like working with these two?
MS: Well with Susanna, it’s like my sister, I know her so well. Lindsey I had known for quite a while, but not as well. We did a song for a movie all together back in the mid nineties. Then one of Sue’s son’s went to school with Lindsey’s kid, and that rekindled a friendship. At Sue’s B-Day last Jan. we cornered him and asked him to make a record with us. It was chance for us to get him on lead a little more.

TS: You semi-recently produced a group that we’ve become pretty good friends with here at Pop Wreckoning, The Bridges. What stood out to you about this band to take them into your home studio?
MS: It seems like a while ago now. It actually came out of thing in a publishing meeting with EMI, someone said you should produce a “Harmony Group.” Russell played something off of Myspace, and it was them. They write REALLY amazing stuff. They came out, we did a few demos, then they got Capital wanting to sign them, then Capital got shut down! I think they are now with Verve.

TS: So do you have anyone else on your plate in the near future in terms of production?
MS: Only the Bangles and I’ve started my own solo record. I’m gonna try to keep up a little more, go out a little more. I recorded a song for “Men of a Certain Age” with Ray Romano.

TS: It’s so rare to see a true musical affinity and professional appreciation for one’s colleagues.
MS: For me I was “Mr. Hide Out.” I always felt weird and never made a lot of friends, I’ve been there. Once the era of the 90’s passed, around 2001 or 2002, I got pulled into singing harmonies for Columbia. I never had good success writing with others, I had to assert myself. Now I feel really free and fun, although I still have to hustle. When you have that better time and a good perspective, you find out what you care about, it helps me enjoy people more.

TS: I really admire that perspective, it’s in our transitions that we see what is missing. Good for noticing that. Ok, Mr. Sweet, last question, if you could point our reader towards any artist in hopes of getting them to listen to them, who would it be?
MS: Wow, what would I TELL someone to listen too? As far as groups now, I don’t know them that well, I think of people in a genre of music I wouldn’t normally listen too. Blonde On Blonde then Pet Sounds. There are amazing things outside my orbit. I like freakbeat, garage rock stuff. Also it was in 1979 or 1980 that I started high school. That’s when I started to listen to all kinds of things. I wish I would have done that when I was 11, instead of 19. Plus nowadays it’s the internet that really helps us get what’s out there, the internet is sooo massive.
TS: Well then is it safe to say that you would recommend to “Listen to anything outside of your orbit?”
MS: That’s exactly it. Go find it.
TS: Mr. Sweet, I truly appreciate you taking my call and I’m truly looking forward to seeing you and Susanna live.
MS: Well, thank you. We just love this stuff. Have a great day!

Matthew Sweet: website | myspace

Toronto-based folk singer Taylor Mitchell’s promising career came to a tragic end on this Wednesday due to mortal wounds from a surprising Coyote attack.

It was said she was on a solo hike in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia. Coyotes, being naturally shy creatures, may have mistaken her for deer or other prey said Wildlife biologist Bob Bancroft. Other hiker’s in the area heard Mitchell’s screams and alerted emergency police dispatchers.

Mitchell had been traveling on her first tour promoting her debut LP For Your Consideration. She was also nominated for Young Performer of the Year honors by the Canadian Folk Music Awards, which will be awarded in November. She has performed in festivals that included Arlo Guthrie, Neko Case and Elvis Costello.

On Taylor’s last post on FaceBook, Mitchell described playing at someone’s home as “a welcome dose of normality after a whirlwind weekend” at the Ontario Council of Folk Music.

Michael Johnston, her Producer of For Your Consideration said he and his family would soon be organizing a celebration of her life.

Taylor Mitchell: website | myspace

It’s rare that an artist can just float into a jaded music scene and calm it down for a minute, make it take notice, and remember what it meant to just groove to the beat. We had the pleasure of catching up with such an artist, and her name is Diane Birch.

Thomas Starks, PopWreckoning: Good Afternoon Miss Birch, How are you? I’m Thomas Starks with PopWreckoning.
Diane Birch: I’m good…I’m good. Sorry I’m in a cab, can you hear me?
PW: Yes I can, sounds like you’re on the move.
DB: (chuckles) Yeah, always.
PW: So where are you now, as in what city?
DB: Right now I’m in New York City.
PW: Now you just finished a tour am I correct?
DB: Yes I did, whew. Glad to be back in New York. I missed it.

PW: I bet. So I’ll get right to it if ya don’t mind? Now Bible Belt is your “debut” LP am I correct?
DB: Yes it is my first record.
PW: Now is that with a label? Meaning do you have any underground works as well, like an unlabeled LP before this?
DB: Oh no, none recorded anyway, this was the first.
PW: Really great first outing by the way. “Nothing But a Miracle” is truly a great song.
DB: Aww, thank you, I really appreciate that. We worked hard on it.

PW: So you’re a bit of a world traveler, where do you call home?
DB: Well, my parents moved us around a lot. He was a pastor, but I would say Portland.
PW: That’s kind of my old stomping grounds. I love the Roseland. So you have a bit of a worldview but also I read that “Valentino” was written about an imaginary friend, I love that.
DB: Well, I spent a lot of time on my own growing up, certainly. I don’t have imaginary friends now, just something I did. I liked creating.

PW: That’s fair. So is that a part of your process, in writing, I mean? I was listening to the contrast in songs, I played “Fools” and “Nothing But A Miracle” back to back about 10 times.
DB: Yeah I wrote “Fools” first, and about a year later wrote “Nothing But A Miracle” so there was a big difference in feeling over the year.

PW: So you certainly ran the gamut of emotion of the year then huh? I respect that. So did you think when you were playing in Prince‘s living room that you had finally arrived?
DB: Ya know, it was less that, and more that I felt validated. Here I was writing these songs, and someone comes along and wants me to play them. I began to say to myself “I can do this.”

PW: So what’s the next big project for you, sometimes artists immediately go back to studio to keep it rolling. Is that your case as well?
DB: Oh mentally, I’m on my 7th record. I know that’s really far ahead and I tend to do that, so I’m trying to “live” in this record right now. It’s hard because I’m always moving forward.
PW: Well I have to say I truly admire this record, you put a lot of honesty and heart into it, I respect that.
DB: Well, thank you. That means alot.

PW: So I promised I would only keep you for 20 minutes and I will remain a man of my word, but one last question Miss Birch. Since beginning this record and now, what is the most memorable moment to date?
DB: Wow, there are so many. I’d say being on Letterman was pretty amazing.
PW: Well. I thank you, Miss Birch for talking with me and I want to encourage you to keep doing this as long as you can. We need more of you. I hope you have a great rest of the day.
DB: Thank you, Thomas, and take care.

Diane Birch: website | myspace

If Folk Rock had a face, it would look something like Orenda Fink. Her embodiment captures her talent as though the wind breathed it into her. With writing as powerful as her voice, it’s no wonder her latest endeavor simply entrances. It takes strength to hold a soul down and cause them to listen, and this is a journey like none have seen in quite a while. Ask The Night is as real as it gets and as mysterious as you want it to be.

As Orenda’s second outing as a solo artist, on top of this being her second project of 2009, Ask The Night is a stand alone work. Taking conflicting emotions to task, Orenda has managed to siphon through the unrequired words and filled her journey with simple concepts that speak volumes.

“Why is The Night Sad,” begins with an ominous foreboding, forcing you to question your own night and how it might resemble hers. Her gentle and soothing voice reminisces the humming of the “Shins.” Taking you from room to room and opening all the chests with her own lock and key, Orenda manages to unfold a mental wound that seems universal.

Burrowing deeper into Ask The Night you find treasures of pain and pleasure. Some of which is left to interpretation with lyrics like, “Love of a man that didn’t belong..” from “Sister” and “In Rooms of silence, we just join in…” from “That Certain-Something Spring.” But not to leave us a deep curiosity, she also wraps around the logic of truth and simplicity, allowing us permission to say to ourselves “Now pain is the only word I need to know.”

With so much self evaluation, one would think it would need a rest stop of sorts, and that is truly what her track “The Garden” resembles. It’s a transition into clarity and hope. It reminds us that Fink is not all about just pain and suffering, she lets us know that it’s just a part of the grand scheme, and “If you lose your home, and you lose all you’ve worked for, if you lose it all, it’s alright.” The violin sways in like a savior soothing the soul in rough times as a banjo fills in where it was born to go.

Song placement in any LP is so very important as it is not only an artist wanting to display, but also for the listener to receive the complete story without fragments. Ask The Night has that and more, taking us from one place to another with clear transition and motivated vocals. Orenda Fink says at the end of this journey “It’s so sad to watch the world go bad” but invites us all to ask it together, and simply stare at the moon, and ask the night.

Tracklisting:
01. Why Is the Night Sad
02. High Ground
03. Sister
0 4. That Certain-Something Spring
05. The Garden
06. Wind
07. Alabama
08. The Mural
09. Half-Light
10. The Moon Knows

Orenda Fink: website | myspace

Somewhere between the Colorado Rockies and Santa Fe, New Mexico, Jesse Elliot and These United States were on a tour bus soaking in Americana, the road, and the “Knight Rider” car. All this for the love of music. At 1 p.m. I had the honor of calling Jesse to chat about their journey, their tour, and their cell phones.

Jesse Elliot, These United States: Hey man, sorry about that, I have come to realize that my cell phone is worthless. I never understood how important it was to have reception until I didn’t have it.
Thomas Starks, PopWreckoning: That’s ok, sir. I truly understand. So where are you now?
JE: We are, I think, driving through the eastern ridge of the Rockies. It’s so beautiful out here.
PW: And where is your next stop?
JE: We’re headed to Santa Fe to play at Corazon. We’ve been playing with a lot of metal bands. It’s been really cool.
PW: Nice, I love that area for music, New Mexico, Arizona, so much talent out there.
JE: Yeah this tour has really been good.

PW: So tell me about the tour. This particular one you seem to be ALL OVER the place, Festivals, Colleges, Venues, Radio Stations–do you feel the difference in each and do you like it?
JE: Wow, that’s really interesting that you ask that. Most people don’t get that each place by nature is different. With the college sets it forces us to be more simple with the sets. You never know if you’ll be playing a concert hall or a cafeteria, so it’s been an experience, but in the same respect, the venues are great too. We love them all for very different reasons.

PW: So does this tour you’re on, does it have a name, or a distinction?

Jesse laughs and calls out to the band “Hey guys, do we have a name for this tour? Think about that for a minute.”

JE: It’s funny we were just talking about that, and right now we don’t have a name. If you can think of one and send it our way, with our approval, we’ll name it that. We’re always on the road though, like that candy that doesn’t quit…the Everlasting Gobstoppers, that’s what it’s called, we’re on the “Gobstoppers” tour.

PW: Looks like you beat me to the punch. So this label you’re on right now, what’s it called and are they mainly responsible for the booking or are you involved in it as well?
JE: Yeah, we’re with United Interests out of Boulder Colorado. We just had a dinner thing with them. It was really good to spend some time with them, ya know? They’re good people.
PW: I had an opportunity to speak via email with Erin Barnes. I have to tell you, I have rarely witnessed a label to forward speaking in their adoration of its bands. They love you.
JE: Really? Aww man, that’s so cool. We have been really active with them and the booking agent in where and when we play. It’s been great. The Monolith (Festival in Morrison Colorado) was pretty amazing! We like to play the rock and roll music for the people.

PW: So does the road affect your writing at all?
JE: With the great many sounds we come across, it does affect our music, and writing. Some of it makes us want to quit. But there are more reasons to keep going, like, I’m staring at a million mountains right now.
TS: I think you just wrote a lyric.
JE: HAHA Yeah, it’s something else…..

Jesse stops talking to me, a band mate catches his attention and informs that the “Knight Rider” car is on the road, everyone wants to see it.

PW: So you have had a rotating line up, why is that?
JE: Well, it was that way for about a year and a half. People’s other projects and so forth. I’ve been able to work with some very talented people too. But the line up now as I see it is solid as Robbie, Tom, Justin, Collin and I. I see us all playing together 60 years from now saying things like “Hey remember when we were good?” We’ll be playing the same songs too.

PW: Speaking of songs, this new LP, Everything Touches Everything, what was it that brought out that name? Were you in a moment, was it heavy? Because that title is pretty weighty.
JE: Actually, it’s a quote from Borges. We wanted to take from someone who was much better than us.

PW: Ahhh, still the songs in it are also quite heavy. Do you write as a collective or alone?
JE: Well, I write with acoustic guitar, but then I bring it to the band and we all have a say. Like there may be a song that I think is it, but then it doesn’t turn out ya know.

PW: This particular LP has plenty of Biblical undertones, specifically, “Conquest and Consequence.”  You make reference to the beheading of John the Baptist, a blood red sky and Jesus on the cross, can you elaborate on that?
JE: I think politics are fascinating, the Bible is fascinating. The Bible is a list of some of the most amazing stories ever told, why not draw from it? We also worked around that song for a while, finally took a 4th crack at it, and there it was. (He takes a census of the song to his band mates) It’s one of the best tracks for sure for us.

TS: How do you feel when you are compared to other bands, simply because of the nature of music? I, myself, felt tones of Modest Mouse. Does it bother you?
JE: Take it seriously, but not too seriously..especially if it’s a harsh criticism. Just learn from it if you can.

TS: And how do you feel about someone referring to you in any specific genre, like Folk or Americana?
JE: I think Americana is probably the best place we fit, because it’s so broad. I like Americana, as a great big stew pot. It’s like it’s all of it like a mutt. I love those types of dogs, just a bit of everything, scruffy, like us.
TS: I like that concept too.

Jesse stops for a moment, there is a silence, then talking in the background.

JE: We’re passing “Garden of The Gods” road, all we see is a Days Inn and a Super 8. It’s funny.

It’s interesting to hear out loud how his mind processes; he’s not afraid to say it.

PW: So Jesse, tell me, after this tour, will you go right back on the road, or into studio?
JE: Definitely back into studio. We have a batch of about 20 songs to pull from, too, so we’re excited to see where it goes.
PW: And where will it go, studio wise? Back to DC?
JE: Kinda going all over the place for the next one. Maybe Philly or Colorado.
PW: Well, I thank you, Jesse, and thank your band for me. It was a pleasure to speak with you and I’m hoping to catch a live set soon. Jesse….Jesse?

At 1:43 p.m. The Rockies cut us off. We were done anyway. Funny how it all just works out.

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