BIOGRAPHY
The Jackmormons release their Portland-centric "Into The Lovely", the first release from Cosmo Sex School Records
Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons enter their tenth year together with the release of "Into The Lovely", the band’s tribute of sorts to Portland, the city they call home. "Into The Lovely" will launch Cosmo Sex School Records, a new Portland based label.
Recorded at Portland's Jackpot Studios, "Into The Lovely" is the first Jackmormons album to be recorded in Portland (Joseph's solo album "Cherry" released last year was also recorded there). "We decided to create a record that sounded like Portland to us," says Joseph. "Lovely's" liner notes read like a who's who in the Portland music scene. Jerry Joseph (electric and acoustic guitars, piano, vocals), Junior Ruppel (bass, vocals) and Brad Rosen (drums, vocals) are joined by special guests Jenny Conlee of The Decemberists on keyboards, Willy Vlautin of Richmond Fontaine on vocals, Steve Drizos on percussion, Mike Lewis, Pat Kearn, Mark When, and Joseph's co-hort from his Little Women days, Steve James, on guitar. The album also features a track mixed by the legendary Dave Barbe (Drive By Truckers, Son Volt).
The eagerly anticipated "Into The Lovely" is the first studio album from the Jackmormons in almost four years, their previous release, "Mouthful of Copper" was a double live album released in 2003. After years of playing together, the band set out to do something different with this album. The original Jackmormons trio spent time touring with Steve Drizos (percussion) and Steve James (guitar) prior to recording the album. The result is an album that contains all the elements that make the Jackmormons great, the powerful rhythm section, the raw vivid lyrics, and the intense chemistry with more layers and textures. "It's a lot of electronica looped with other stuff. It's a lot fuller sound," Joseph said of "Into The Lovely." "We were looking for an excuse to do something different. It's this weird, thicker sound. It's kind of different to go out on tour and then record."
Don’t look for this album under "Joseph" in your local record store, this is the first Jackmormons album that will be filed under only "The Jackmormons". As Joseph puts it, "If you don't know that I play in this band by now, then you will never really know."
"Into The Lovely" is the first release on Cosmo Sex School Records. The label is planning to release Joseph’s back catalog, including his Little Women recordings, some of which have long been out of print. We can also expect some of the trademark controversial t-shirts and merch that the Joseph camp is known for.
Jerry Joseph can always be found on tour in some configuration somewhere. This spring, he will hit both coasts and the Southeast.
|
