Posts Tagged ‘Xoxo’

The JAYHAWKS – ” Dogtown Days “

Posted: December 6, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Previous Jayhawks’ records primarily featured the work of leader Gary Louris (or if one goes back far enough Louris and Mark Olson). XOXO features significant contributions from every longstanding member in the band. Each one is in charge of how his/her songs were arranged and recorded, as well as their parts on the co-written material. The album’s title was intended as a nod to Elliot Smith’s sensitive masterwork XO. Indeed, songs such as “Homecoming” and “This Forgotten Town” would fit right in with Smith’s delicate yet noisy oeuvre. XOXO does not have a cohesive theme as much as a consistent sunshiny tone in the land of gloom: the silver lining to the dark cloud. Even the sad songs seem to contain a wistful smile. We may be “Living in a Bubble” due to COVID-19, where Big Brother and the television news seem to control how we see the world when we are afraid to go outside, but things could be worse. “Life may be full of trouble”, but it beats the alternative. And there are ways to escape and find our sanity, if only momentarily.

The Jayhawks are very excited to premiere the full length version of the “Dogtown Days” video. Directed by renowned director and rock video pioneer Philip Harder and filmed in May 2020 during quarantine, the video tells the story of two friends on a road trip to see a Jayhawks show in the 7th St. Entry, circa 1985.

This dramatic video was produced with social distancing filming techniques and expertly integrates some archival footage of the band culled from several time periods, including actual 1985 footage shot in the Entry. Dogtown Days has a little bit of everything that makes for a great video: stunning cinematography, thrilling drone shots, an engaging plot and characters, a cool “reveal” and even an easter egg for astute students of Jayhawks history.

The beautiful full length “film short” version of Dogtown Days – featuring an extended prologue and an evocative, three dimensional sound design not found in the standard version – makes its debut today exclusively on The Jayhawks digital properties.

The 2nd single from The Jayhawks “XOXO” album, coming July 10 on Sham/Thirty Tigers.

The JAYHAWKS – ” Forgotten Town “

Posted: May 14, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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the jayhawks

The Jayhawks have a new song out Tuesday with “This Forgotten Town,” the second track off the band’s forthcoming album XOXO. They previously dropped the Elliott Smith-esque tune “Living in a Bubble.”

The mid-tempo jangly roots-pop gem opens the band’s first album of new material since 2016’s Paging Mr. Proust. The song features vocals from lead singer Gary Louris and drummer Tim O’Reagan. “Introducing different voices throughout the song added a new dimension to telling the story,” says the band’s bassist Marc Perlman, who co-wrote the song with Louris. “We approached it much like we did the whole record — more collaboration in the writing and more sharing of lead vocals than in the past.”

“Marc brought the chord progression for this song, and then I started singing a melody on top of it,” Louris adds. “We wrote the lyrics together.”

The band’s 11th studio album marks the first time the group has fully distributed its songwriting duties, with all four band members (Louris, Perlman, O’Reagan and Karen Grotberg) writing their own songs and singing lead vocals. The album follows the group’s latest release Back Roads and Abandoned Motels, a collection of previously released material that Louris wrote for other artists like the Dixie Chicks and Jakob Dylan

The opening song on the upcoming new album, XOXO, which is being released July 10th via Sham/Thirty Tigers. “This Forgotten Town” finds Gary Louris trading off lead vocals with Tim O’Reagan as Karen Grotberg joins in on harmonies, setting the stage for the band’s most collaborative album to date.

“Marc brought the chord progression for this song, and then I started singing a melody on top of it. We wrote the lyrics together,” explains Louris. “A lot of the time when I’m working on lyrics, I’m thinking as much about the sound of the words as the meaning. I like to leave space between the lines for interpretation.” Perlman adds, “Introducing different voices throughout the song added a new dimension to telling the story. We approached it much like we did the whole record – more collaboration in the writing and more sharing of lead vocals than in the past.”

XOXO is The Jayhawks’ most diverse and wide-ranging collection of songs, marking a new era for the beloved band. For the first time, the album includes lead vocal and songwriting contributions from all four members bringing a new energy and confidence to The Jayhawks’ signature harmonies and infectious melodies. The group’s camaraderie is at the heart and soul of this release, showcasing an unrelenting ability to evolve while staying true to their authentic sound. XOXO is the product of a group more inspired and more itself than ever before, and reminds us why The Jayhawks have remained such an influential and respected band for over 30 years.

The Jayhawks have continued their success since returning to the core members from the late-90’s lineup, releasing Paging Mr. Proust in 2016 and Back Roads and Abandoned Motels in 2018 to widespread critical acclaim. The culmination of five years spent growing even more together, XOXO is a sonically and emotionally cohesive album that stands as a testament to The Jayhawks’ consistent forward motion.

Alt-country vets The Jayhawks have shared this warm, breezy song which opens their upcoming album XOXO, due July 10th via Sham/Thirty Tigers

The JAYHAWKS – ” Xoxo “

Posted: April 22, 2020 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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       Gary Louris,  

 

    

   

  

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