Fanatic is a music marketing company established by Josh Bloom in 1997 to build fan-to-fan connections between artists and the media. For 25 years, Fanatic has continued to help launch careers through the strategic advocacy of creative talent.
“The Kids Are Alright” lyrics nod to Squeeze’s Difford
& Tilbrook. RIYL: XTC, Empire of The Sun, Tahiti 80, Starflyer 59. “The
Original Plan” album arrives July 30th. +++
Jared Colinger of The Enigmatic Foe as photographed by Stacy Littleton +++ PLAY, POST & SHARE The Enigmatic Foe | “The Kids Are Alright”
Check out “The
Kids Are Alright,” the first single from the upcoming The Original Plan by The Enigmatic Foe at Spill
Magazine or at the link below (including two non-album tracks!) “I have no personal experience with being divorced or
having kids,” Jared Colinger says of
the song’s theme. “I’m not sure what possessed me to write from this
perspective. Maybe listening to Squeeze
and the songs of Difford & Tilbrook
had an impact. It may have been written out of fear, as I was concerned my
lyrical inspirations would suffer from being in a positive relationship. I
tried to make the father figure be a sympathetic character and to keep the kids
as the central focus, while his world is collapsing around him.” [STREAM]: https://Fanatic.lnk.to/TheEnigmaticFoe-TheKidsAreAlright +++ The Enigmatic Foe | Podcast
“In
this episode, you’ll be hearing the first part of a phone conversation I had
with Frank Lenz (credits with Richard Swift, Everest, Pedro The Lion,
Headphones, and many more) who did
the drums, percussion, and background vocals on The Original Plan,” says Jared Colinger of The Enigmatic Foe, introducing the first episode of a podcast series
about his new album. “We spoke for about an hour about music, his gear, the
songwriting process, and you get a real behind the scenes look at the
production of the album.” Check
out Lenz’s music at thefranklenz.bandcamp.com and velvetbluemusic.com. Future episodes
will feature The Original Plan collaborators Josh Dooley and Chris
Colbert. +++ The Enigmatic Foe | Vinyl Pre-Order
Pre-order the
deluxe double vinyl version of The
Enigmatic Foe’s upcoming album The Original Plan at Bandcampnow!
Pressed on standard 160gm black vinyl with a gatefold jacket at 45RPM. Includes
download card. +++ The Enigmatic Foe The
Original Plan July 30th, 2021 (S/R)
Track
Listing: 01. Simulacrum 02. The Kids Are Alright (STREAM) 03. Young Man’s Game 04. Ms. Fortune and Her Mate 05. The Suffering Art 06. Too Much Fun 07. It’s Not Who You Are 08. That Would Be Fun 09. Ninety-Nine Percent 10. Come and Go (STREAM) 11. Pavlovian Cement 12. Darkness and Light 13. Two Strong Words 14. Genesis +++ The Enigmatic
Foe | About The
Enigmatic Foe is the work of
Knoxville-based songwriter and musician, Jared
Colinger. The tunes on his upcoming new album The
Original Plan (July 30th)
often remind of a melancholy Andy
Partridge of XTC, which is,
frankly, a quality we all need to hear about in music more often. Essentially, Colinger’s
pop tunes are wrapped in just enough self-awareness to be relatable, and just
enough sadness to land. Back to operating The
Enigmatic Foe as a solo project, Colinger
is once again the Mayor of his own Simpleton (XTC!), although there are a few citizens about including Frank Lenz (Headphones, Richard Swift)
on Drums and Josh Dooley (Map, Fine China) on Electric Guitar. The Original Plan was mixed and mastered at Swift’s studio National
Freedom by Chris Colbert. With Colinger
alone at the helm again, he is also now in full command of articulating those
all-too-common solitary feelings of self-doubt and inauthenticity that permeate
music that sticks like this. “I’m afraid they can see right through me / That I’m
just a facsimile,” he bravely sings on album opener “Simulacrum,” a cathartic and personal song written shortly after Colinger’s father passed, where he
sings about the possibility of being an inferior representation of his Dad. The song leads right into what could be a meta address
of the “Simulacrum” concept by
lifting a song title from The Who on
Colinger’s original tune “The Kids Are Alright,” the album’s
first single. Far from a facsimile, however, the song shows off just how
singular Colinger’s voice and music
actually are. Clearly, the confinement of working within his newly
re-solo status suits Colinger well.
Or, maybe he’s just a great actor? “I’m not sure what possessed me to write from this
perspective,” he says of “The Kids Are
Alright.” “I have no personal experience with being divorced or having
kids. I may have written it out of fear!” RIYL obsessives will also hear shades of Squeeze, Depeche Mode, and The Smiths
on Colinger’s expansive 14-cut The
Original Plan. Contemporaries such as Empire of The Sun, Tahiti 80,
and Starflyer 59 (who Colinger has actually collaborated with
previously) also ring bells. The Original Plan also delves into a variety of less expected sounds,
with “Pavlovian Cement” and it’s
Latin Jazz-leaning dueling saxophones, the country shuffle of “Ninety-Nine Percent,” and a 6/8 waltz
courtesy of “It’s Not Who You Are.” The overall concepts of The Original Plan address
the idea that we often (or maybe never?) end up where we originally set out to
get to. Colinger’s route has
certainly been circuitous to the max. Over 15-plus years of releasing music, in what venerable
rock magazine The Big Takeover calls
“a classic evolvement narrative” (also noting that Colinger’s guitars twinkle “like better ‘70s FM rock,” natch), Colinger has mastered the simplicity of
reaching for and writing about what’s right there within. He makes this task that so many writers never manage
to achieve look, well... simple. The Original Plan by The
Enigmatic Foe is schedule for release digitally on July 30th and as a deluxe
two-LP vinyl set. Jared Colinger of The Enigmatic Foe is available for
interviews. Contact Josh Bloom
at Fanatic for more information. +++ The Enigmatic Foe | Links ASSETS : FACEBOOK : INSTAGRAM : YOUTUBE : BANDCAMP : SPOTIFY : APPLE
: SOUNDCLOUD +++ Josh Bloom at Fanatic
Promotion | Contact WEBSITE
: FACEBOOK : TWITTER : INSTAGRAM : YOUTUBE : SOUNDCLOUD : SPOTIFY : BLOG : E-MAIL
“Excite Me Much” out today. “Like a Brazilian bossa
nova singer parachuted into the middle of an indie pop song.” — Sunday Star
Times (New Zealand) +++
Elroy as photographed by Jimmy Metherell
+++ PLAY, POST & SHARE Elroy | “Excite Me Much”
Check out “Excite Me Much” from the
upcoming debut self-titled album by Elroy at FLOOD
Magazine or the link below! Reckoning with “the groggy morning
after” as described by FLOOD
Magazine, Elroy explains, “The
song ‘Excite Me Much’ I wrote the
day after my brother’s wedding and I was very short on sleep and hungover due
to the festivities of the night before. But the guitar just sort of played the
line from this song without me thinking or trying too much.” [STREAM]: https://Fanatic.lnk.to/Elroy-ExciteMeMuch +++ Elroy Elroy Aug. 13th, 2021 (Grand Phony
Records)
Track Listing: 01. The Whole Thing 02. Worth The Wait 03. Lost Our Mystery (SINGLE
EDIT | ALBUM
VERSION) 04. The Highest Tree 05. Frogs 06. Excite Me Much (STREAM) 07. Life Is At Home 08. Way Down Above Below 09. Doesn’t It Bother You 10. Bye For Now +++
Elroy | About
After years of touring
and collaborating as a drummer and multi-instrumentalist in various groups (Wild Nothing, Connan Mockasin), as well as with his family (extensive worldwide
touring with his brother, Liam Finn
and as part of Crowded House with
his father, Neil Finn), Elroy Finn (going simply by Elroy) will release his debut
self-titled album on Aug. 13th,
2021. A talented multi-instrumentalist – “I was obviously
surrounded by instruments a lot growing up thanks to my Dad, so I was very
fortunate in that way,” he says – Elroy was written, produced,
recorded, and mixed by Elroy
himself. A brief self-release of the record in his native New
Zealand earned attention right away for the hazy, coaxing sound that Elroy says he hopes will “evoke the
weightless feeling you get just before you fall asleep.” It does. New Zealand’s national newspaper Sunday Star Times describes the album as “acquiring layers of
sounds and textures and falsetto vocal harmonies” that “gradually transforms
into a sturdy wee slab of lo-fi psychedelia.” The paper goes on to highlight the upcoming single “Worth The Wait,” describing Elroy’s performance as “a tentative
romantic assessing a new relationship, his voice sweet and airy, like a
Brazilian bossa nova singer parachuted into the middle of an indie pop song.” Elroy says the tune is only a “non-specific, ambiguous love
song,” which feels like he is speaking from a place of humility that could only
be developed by growing up surrounded by legendary songwriting talent. The tune is actually a fine example of Elroy’s ability throughout the album to
hit that sweet spot where the songs are “gentle and catchy,” but “deceptively
difficult to write,” as noted in the Sunday
Star-Times. Similarly, New Zealand’s Listener Magazine, calling the record “bold and assured,”
recognizes Elroy’s modesty, saying
he “has done well to avoid the pitfalls of emulation or rebellion.” With this
record, he takes “the tropes of the catchy, melodic music he was raised around
and deliberately drapes them in a shimmering, beguiling gauze.” In regard to his lyrics, Elroy is equally humble. “As far as lyrics go, I tend not to over explain
meanings as I think it’s really important for people to mis-hear and interpret
them however they want,” he explains, adding slyly, “It’s also better, because
it means I don’t have to admit if the song isn’t really about anything.” Perhaps this notion is just Elroy’s humility shining through yet again, or maybe it is a
defining characteristic of the deceptive simplicity of his music. Elroy
arrives Aug. 13th, 2021
on the Grand Phony label, preceded by
the singles “Excite Me Much,”“Life Is At Home,” and “Worth The Wait.” Elroy is available
for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom
at Fanatic for more information. +++ Elroy | Links ASSETS : FACEBOOK : TWITTER : INSTAGRAM : BANDCAMP : GRAND PHONY RECORDS +++ Josh Bloom at Fanatic
Promotion | Contact WEBSITE
: FACEBOOK : TWITTER : INSTAGRAM : YOUTUBE : SOUNDCLOUD : SPOTIFY : BLOG : E-MAIL
Nearly succumbing to debilitating depression, thinking
he needed to leave a legacy, Ackerman is better now. Stunning second full-length
out Sept. 17th. +++
Gregory Ackerman as photographed by Nell
T Sherman +++ PLAY, POST & SHARE Gregory Ackerman | “Think Straight”
“I honestly don’t
remember writing this song at all, which is funny because it’s called “Think
Straight,” says Gregory Ackerman of the opening cut on his upcoming
new album StillWaiting Still. “It was an exercise to
clear my head at the time.”
Ackerman was going through some of the worst moments of his
life. “I didn’t like my job,
I felt lost in love, my good friend Robert (the Still Waiting Still song
“For Rob” is dedicated to him) had committed suicide a few weeks prior,
and I was extremely ill (a week later I’d be hospitalized with a serious gut
infection.) I had a lot of anxious thoughts, and Istarted playing this
circular guitar-pickin’ pattern that echoed the unending flow of worriedthoughts
in my mind. “The song’s lyric,
‘It’s a tall tree that we must climb every day’ refers to waking up everymorning
feeling like I had to climb my way out of despair, feeling like every day was a
losingbattle with the depression I was fighting at the time. I felt
like I wanted to disappear from theworld. “Not only was Robert
gone, but earlier that year, our friend Tim had also unexpectedly died.Rob,
Tim, and I had all lived in a house together in college, and at the time, I
honestly rememberfeeling like I was next. I felt like something was after
me, and I had convinced myself that deathcomes in threes. I felt
haunted at the time with guilt, misery, anger, and confusion.” Fearing death would
find him soon, Ackerman felt like he had to start recording songsimmediately. “I had to leave a legacy
when I left, so the album became a sort of retrospective, combiningsongs
from college (the days of Tim and Rob) with my newest material. “Think
Straight” wasthe first song we started recording in the studio
because it was my most recently written song. Ithought to myself, ‘If I
die, at least I will have recorded my most recent song, and at least peoplewill
be able to hear the songs I was working on.’ “The breakdown of the
song is imagining myself in a better mental space, taking on a newmindset
against worry and fear. I thought that if I could at least imagine a different
mindset, thatmaybe one day I could get back to a better one. “I was honestly scared
about the dark place my mind had fallen into. The notion of ‘got to thinkstraight’
was a plea to myself to get it together, to start digging myself out of the
darkness I wasin, and it ended up helping me slowly dig back out. “Well, now that I
think about it, I guess I do remember writing this song,” Ackerman concludes. +++ Gregory Ackerman Still
Waiting Still Sept. 17th, 2021 (S/R)
Track Listing: 01. Intro 02. Think Straight (STREAM) 03. Full Grown 04. Peace of Mind 05. Good Song 06. Seasonal Living 07. Happy Phase 08. 2023 09. Mr. Moon 10. For Rob 11. Right Again 12. My Heart Goeth 13. All This Thinking
+++ Gregory
Ackerman | In The Press
“Bathed in Californian moonlight.” — PopMatters “I’ve had this song going around my head since I first
heard it.” — Folk Radio UK “Oscillates between giving hope to those who are
lovestruck and those who just need a breath of fresh air.” — Atwood Magazine “That unmistakable laid-back vibe of Southern
California.” — For Folk’s Sake “Hard to resist.” — Adobe and Teardrops +++ Gregory Ackerman | About
“I used to feel like I
was the only one that should have a say in my process,” says Los Angeles-based
multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Gregory Ackerman of his music.
“I’ve since discovered that both life and music get better the more people you
share them with.” The latest work that Ackerman
is sharing with the world is Still Waiting Still (out Sept.
17th, 2021), the follow-up to 2019’s “Stresslove EP”
(V2/Munich Records), and Ackerman’s first full-length since his
debut album And Friends in 2018. Still Waiting
Still was produced by Pierre
de Reeder of Rilo Kiley who adds touches of hypnotic mysticism on
top of the California summer sunset melodies, which beautifully combine with Ackerman’s
plainspoken philosophical lyrics and twisty, dexterous guitar to create what is
now Ackerman’s signature sound. The title of Still
Waiting Still’s first single seems to reference the evolution in Ackerman’s
thinking. “Full Grown,” originally a spare song written when he was only
20-years-old (Ackerman is
now 28), is given a full production makeover for inclusion on Still
Waiting Still. “For the rendition of ‘Full
Grown’ on Still Waiting Still, I had violinist Gabriel
Wheaton update it with a beautiful string arrangement. His contribution
resulted in an amazingly thematicversion of what I now consider to be
an ‘old classic’ from my catalog.” In addition to Wheaton,
new friends that Ackerman has invited to participate in creating Still
Waiting Still include other Los Angeles-area talents such as Grant
Milliken, Eva B. Ross,Shelby Gogreve, and Theo and
Mark Federonic. “These are all great
musicians that I met playing shows in Los Angeles,” Ackerman says. “This
new personnel, combined with my trusty foundation (Ackerman’s brother Eric,
close friend Keenan McDaniel, and friend and producer, de Reeder), helped Still
Waiting Still become a lively collection of brand-new material mixed
with songs that I’d written years ago.” Ackerman guesses that half of Still Waiting Still’s
13 songs were written while he was in college, shortly after he had begun to
write and record in earnest. His posts of the results on Soundcloud revealed
that listeners liked what they heard, and Ackerman was later signed on
an unsolicited demo to V2 –affiliated singer-songwriter offshoot, Munich
Records. “For this album I
wanted my past self and current self to align again as one fluid artist. All of
the songs on Still Waiting Still have an inherent grit or humor
to them, and were written with a youthful ironic moodiness which I relate to
once again as a 28-year-old.” “I wanted to bring
back the states of mind that I used to feel,” Ackerman continues, going
on to reference the album’s second upcoming single, the aptly titled, “Good
Song,” in which he sings about “dredging up feelings from the past,” while
trying to write a song about writing songs. “‘Good Song’ came
out of my frustration in feeling the pressure to make ‘likeable’ music,” Ackerman
confesses. “I was constantly feeling mostly self- imposed pressure to write
a ‘hit song,’ and I remember being able to finally take a step back from that
mindset and look at it humorously. Why not write a song about trying to write a
good song?” Still Waiting
Still contains 13 of ‘em
actually, and Ackerman is proud. “It’s not perfect,
just as nothing with a heartbeat ever is, but I hope that it represents some
part of me that perhaps I could not express any other way.” Still Waiting
Still, the second album by Gregory
Ackerman, arrives on Sept. 17th, 2021 preceded by the singles “Full
Grown” (June 18th), “Good Song” (July 23rd), and “Mr. Moon” (Aug
20th).
Hear title track, out everywhere now, via Americana
Highways. New album follows-up 2017’s Longshot.
Artist plays hometown show tonight. +++
Chris
J Norwood as photographed
by Alyssa Leigh Cates +++ PLAY, POST & SHARE Chris J Norwood | “I Am Not Cool”
“Unpretentious and genuine.” — Americana
Highways
Check out the title track from I Am Not Cool by Chris J Norwood at Americana
Highways or at the link below. “Anytime I start a new album I usually demo out each
track on my own, with some demos being more fleshed out than others,” says Chris J Norwood. “‘I Am Not Cool’ was one that I had a pretty clear vision on from
the beginning. “We tried a bunch of things in the studio with the rest
of the guys in the band, but ultimately just kept coming back to how the demo
sounded and went off of that. This track is one of the most ‘me’ sounding
tracks that I've ever released, and it ended up setting the tone for how the
rest of the album sounds.Certainly,
still rooted in Americana and Singer-Songwriter vibes, but definitely less
twangy and more produced.”
“His clear, plain-spoken tone is ideal for this type
of storytelling.” — Dallas Morning News “A tale about the uncertainties of life and the
adventures it may bring.” — Central
Track “Talk about making a statement. Norwood’s debut album introduces a compelling new songwriter to the
Texas Americana scene.” — Twangville “[A] searing summer song set that Americana, Folk, and
Alternative Country fans will all love.” — Buddy
Magazine “I can’t wait to see what else Chris J Norwood has for
us in the future.” — Wild Roots Magazine +++ Chris J Norwood I
Am Not Cool Aug. 20th, 2021 (State Fair Records)
Track Listing: 01. I Am Not Cool (Prologue) 02. The Final Girl (VIDEO) 03. Good Guy With A Gun 04. Creature of Bad Habits 05. Leaving Louisiana Behind 06. I Am Not Cool (STREAM | LYRIC VIDEO) 07. 85 Feet 08. Grandpa Was A Farmer 09. I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart) 10. Home Is You And Me 11. Love And Mercy 12. I Wrote You A Song +++ Chris J Norwood | Live
05/21/2021: Dallas, TX @ Oak Highlands Brewery 06/04/2021: McKinney, TX @ Texas Music Revolution +++ Chris J Norwood | About Chris
Norwood isn’t cool. Or Chris J
Norwood, as the Dallas-based singer-songwriter bills himself, is not cool. So “not cool” that when searching for a synonym for
“uncool” that starts with “J” in order to complete a lame joke, this writer
could not find one. Pretty damn uncool. Norwoodis honest,
however, and in a world that becomes more cynical by the moment, the kind of
honesty that he conjures and delivers so eloquently and elegantly on his new,
very uncool, album I Am Not Cool (Aug. 20th,
State Fair Records), well, that kind of uncool is... cool? The album is the follow-up to Norwood’s much-praised 2017 debut record Longshot. In addition to Norwood’s
genial ability to say things you may not want to hear and leave you
appreciating the experience, he is also masterful at a kind of tongue-in-cheek
levity that is sorely missing from this genre. There’s only two kinds of music / What’s true and what
ain’t / It only takes three chords to set the record straight Norwood sings these lyrics on the “I Am Not Cool” title cut, a perfect example of how his economy of
words is quizzical, meta, and puts a smile on your face all at the same time. But, wait, there’s more. Norwood really gets going on the album’s second single “I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart),”
which is such a plainly evocative song title that other songwriters should be
shaking a fist in Norwood’s general
direction for thinking of it first. A universal sentiment succinctly stated. “It’s a 10-year marriage kind of love song,” he says
of the tune, and as if to hammer that description home, Norwood’s wife Carrie
joins him on vocals, which adds a whole new level of “what is going on here?!”
to the proceedings. Further on, “Good
Guy With A Gun” will remind listeners of the political rhetoric it
references, but is more tragically tied to the songs from Norwood’s debut album, which dove head-first into his very personal
story of growing up as a child of a father who died by his own hand. “This song is about that,” he explains, “But more than
that it’s about the ridiculous theory that the NRA likes to tout. The only way
to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun? My dad was a good guy
with a gun, so how were we supposed to stop him from killing himself?” Once again, it is astounding how Norwood is able to take such personal matters, write about them with
conviction and clarity, make it catchy and memorable, and make you feel like
you challenged yourself and had a chuckle all at once. Uncool? Hmm. Frankly, Norwood
says that claiming himself “uncool” may be an awful career move. “I’ll either
make it or break it as uncool Chris J
Norwood,” he opines on the topic. But, the thing is, Norwood’s work is righteous no matter how it is perceived by anyone
who makes judgments about “career moves.” This brand of vulnerable,
self-effacing songwriting, salted with a bit of required brainpower... it’s
unique. And it’s here to stay. Maybe the J stands for “justified?” I Am Not Cool, the second album by Chris J
Norwood arrives via State Fair
Records on Aug. 20th,
preceded by the singles “I Am Not Cool”
(May 21st), “I Need You
(To Quit Breaking My Heart)” (June 18th), and “Good Guy With A Gun” (July 23rd.)
Chris J Norwood is
available for interviews. Contact Josh Bloom
at Fanatic for more information.
Hacha De Zola in discussion with American Songwriter
ahead of fifth album release, “East of Eden.” Re-mastered “Greatest Hits” comp also
out now. +++
J Hacha De Zola as photographed by Christine Samaroo +++ J Hacha De Zola | “Which Way”
J Hacha De Zolachats
with American Songwriter about
his powerful new single “Which Way,”
taken from his upcoming fifth album East of Eden, out June 11thvia Caballo Negro. “Never before have I felt such a departure from
reality as I have during the lockdown—people dying, family, friends, and their
family, dying,” reveals Hacha De Zola,
discussing the deep feelings behind his new single “Which Way,” out now. He tells
American Songwriter, “Never
before was there this blatant defiance of all rational thought being
demonstrated by those in positions of power, pure fear, pure hype, [and] the
population at large seemingly trapped in this dogmatic, dualistic fatalistic
slow decay.” [STREAM]: https://Fanatic.lnk.to/JHachaDeZola-WhichWay +++ J Hacha De Zola East
of Eden June 11th, 2021 (Caballo
Negro)
Track Listing: 01. Faded 02. Lost Space (STREAM) 03. Which Way (STREAM) 04. East of Eden 05. A Viral Spring 06. Shadows On Glass 07. That Pleading Tone 08. Sad Song 09. Green and Golden 10. Meet Me +++ J Hacha De Zola | In The Press
“A wild man.” — Paste “Alluring and unsettling.” — NJ.com “The kind of alluring character found in old
children’s books.” — UTNE “Dangerously delightful.” — The Big Takeover “Bound to light the way forward and inspire a legion
of imitators.” — PopMatters “Beckoning listeners somewhere exciting.” — BTRtoday “Possessed and cacophonic.” — Atwood Magazine +++
“As enticing as it is distant and strange.” — MAGNET “Sits at his own, most likely oddly shaped table.” — Pancakes and Whiskey “No one around left to hit him with any sort of
healthy competition.” — Ghettoblaster “One of the most important and singular artists making
music today.” — Stereo Embers “A challenging, at times daunting, listen.” — BLURT “Mutant blues rock.” — Treble “A modern day Frank
Zappa.” — Adam’s World +++ J Hacha De Zola | About
For his fifth album, East of Eden (Caballo Negro, June 11th), J
Hacha De Zola has left the “urban junkyard” of his previous albums and
slipped into a natty white suit. His look is more accessible this time around – see the
dignified vibes of his latest single and album art – and his sound matches. “This record is unlike any other I have made
previously,” the Jersey City-based artist acknowledges. “I stayed focused on
what was truly best for each song, keeping it somewhat simple – at least for me
– rather than allowing myself to become overly self-indulgent in terms of
running away on tangents.” The result is an album that exemplifies the universe
that Hacha De Zola has built over
his four previous albums (as well as EPs that cover ground from the all-Spanish
“Syn Illusión” to his versions of
hits by female pop stars on “UnPOPular”),
while also charting new territory. East of Eden is some kind of place where Jim
Morrison did downers instead of acid in the control room during the
recording of Pink Floyd’s “The Great Gig In The Sky.” As Hacha De
Zola tells it, the creation of this record was actually less frenetic than
all that. “I came into the studio with a developed concept, and
the songs written already,” he says. “This time, I had a clear cut direction
ready to go. I have to be honest, I have never really been comfortable with my
singing voice, and I wanted to do something that would be more challenging.” The push pays off, as Hacha De Zola’s vocals are the focus here. Where previous records
saw him vocalizing in a way that complimented the music, this time the music
compliments the man. “A big inspiration for me on East of Eden was the
vocal group tradition from the 1950s and 60s,” he says. “Especially those from
New Jersey, New York, and Detroit. Doo-wop groups like Sha Na Na, The Temptations,
The Four Seasons, and others. Being
a Jersey boy, I couldn’t help but be influenced in the rich vocal singing group
tradition and history in this area.” Digging into the roots of his musical soul, literally
and figuratively, sounds pure in context throughout the new album, and
especially on its pre-release singles “Lost
Space” and “Which Way,” showing
off a level of maturity and thoughtfulness that can only come from the
development that years of album-making brings. “Even with all of its imperfections, it was very
important for me to bring the nuances of the vocal components of this record
right to the front. I truly feel that I have found my own voice,” Hacha De Zola says. With that, he may never return to the “urban junkyard”
and his method of rendering records via his “reductive synthesis” method (read
about it here) ever again. It is a position that is congruent with the
state of the world that longed to “return to normal,” but may never be able to
find the way back to exactly that. “The title of the record reflects that,” Hacha De Zola explains. “East
of Eden, a sense of being left behind or abandoned, banished from the
‘garden.’ Off to the Land of Nod where Cain was banished for murdering his
brother, Abel. “It’s a bit of a biblical reference that I found was
quite apt,” he continues. “Especially during this moment of divisiveness among
so many people over so many things. Lyrically, I couldn’t help but infuse many
of these feelings into the songs.” Hacha De
Zola’s “Which Way” single is one that best reflects his hard-won ability
to infuse these real emotions into what has become known as somewhat esoteric
work. “That song was a way of taking inventory of the chaos
and confusion of the moment. It’s a somber song, and it wasn’t an easy one to
write. At the time, it was very difficult to focus on anything other than
trying to protect the vulnerable members of my family and not getting sick. I
had to push myself pretty hard to work through the fear.” His new strength and resolve fits Hacha De Zola well, just like the natty new clothes on his back. East of Eden, the fifth album by J Hacha De
Zola, arrives on June 11th,
2021, preceded by the singles “Lost
Space” on April 30th
and “Which Way” on May 21st. +++ Also Out Now | J Hacha De Zola’s Greatest Hits
Obviously, as a songwriter, J Hacha De Zola and John
Denver come from vastly different places, with different musical ideas… As
for the could-be-ironic, mostly inexplicable, definitely fun tribute that is
the J
Hacha De Zola’s Greatest Hits album cover, a dead-on approximation of
singer-songwriter John Denver’s own
eponymous and iconic John Denver’s Greatest Hits album
image… Hacha De Zola focuses in on,
and connects with what they have deeply in common, saying, “I loved this idea
of being exactly what you are. Whatever you are, be it.” +++ J Hacha De Zola J
Hacha De Zola’s Greatest Hits Out Now (Caballo
Negro) Streaming Link: STREAM FULL LP
