Jason Schwartzman goes coconuts
I don’t know Jason Schwartzman.
I only really “know” him as a string of quirky character roles in his various movies. So maybe it’s logical as I spin his throughly likeable new musical effort under the name Coconut Records that my always-visual mind pictures a parade of those guys performing these songs. Whether it’s a fleeting image of King Louis XVI (Marie Antoinette) sensitively strumming the guitar and pining away on “Summer Day,” or Max Fischer (Rushmore) jerkily dancing along to the irresistible title track, this is an album that’s just as off-kilter yet pleasingly authentic as the variety of movie roles he chooses.
Nighttiming (Young Baby Records, 2007) is eclectic and enjoyable, with a sound that reminds me of Pavement, The Format, Modest Mouse, and a dash of new-wave goodtimes.
Schwartzman blends some of the jangly California indie-pop of his previous work with Phantom Planet with his experience in composing film scores — I found surprising aural creativity throughout.
It was just released digitally, and will be out in proper CD form this summer. Highly recommended.
Back To You – Coconut Records
Easy Girl – Coconut Records
Name: Heather Browne
Very cool! I love Jason Schwartzman!
theEvilAngel — April 12, 2007 @ 9:40 am
I used to think he was in the Wilson clan (Luke & Owen), I never paid much attention to him before besides just being a character actor. Good sounds though!
Russ! — April 12, 2007 @ 10:33 am
Yes!!!! This is good. “O R They?”
Eric — April 12, 2007 @ 9:31 pm
Classic. I say that all the time, Eric (much to my friends’ chagrin).
heather — April 12, 2007 @ 9:37 pm
Don’t short change Jason’s awesome role as Cool Ethan in “Slackers”… listening my first time through Coconut Records (it’s on emusic) and really liking it… West Coast will def find its way onto some mix tapes (um, “tapes”) some day. On first impression, it sounds like one of those records that you put on Sunday morning in the summer time to forget that the weekend has passed… kind of surprised with the country-western feel to some of the songs but I certainly don’t mean that in a bad way (listening to ‘Slowly’ now)…
newbobby — April 20, 2007 @ 2:01 am
i like him, i like the music.
anybody hear a bit of ben kweller in his tunes?
rockthelion — February 7, 2008 @ 5:12 pm