I first came across Lake Clear, New York artist JBM (Jesse Marchant) via his Daytrotter session, where the acoustic finger-picking of “Years/Cleo’s Song” immediately sounded to me like something that should be artfully placed in a Woodshed Films/Malloy brothers surfing film, replete with dappled sunlight and crystalline water.
As I dug into his catalog, I discovered not only a heartbreakingly earnest voice (which on the “From Me To You…” track sounds like my favorite eras of sad-bastard Ryan Adams) but a muted melancholy that permeates his music, reminiscent of Red House Painters or José González. I can’t stop listening these days.
JBM was just signed to Partisan Records (home of them Deer Tick fellas), and they will be re-releasing his independent 2009 album Not Even in July (out April 13th). The album was recorded in a 19th-century church in NY.
JBM WINTER TOUR – WITH SONDRE LERCHE
2/2 – Dallas, TX @ The Cambridge Room @ the House of Blues
2/3 – Austin, TX @ The Parish
2/5 – Houston, TX @ The Meridian
2/6 – New Orleans, LA @ The Parish @ the House of Blues
2/8 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
2/9 – Orlando, Fl @ The Social
2/11 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
2/12 – Birmingham, AL @ Workplay Theatre
2/13 – Nashville, TN @ 12th & Porter
2/15 – St. Louis, MO @ The Old Rock House
2/16 – Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
2/17 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Varsity Theatre
2/19 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
2/20 – Madison, WI @ The Frequency
2/21 – Milwaukee, WI @ Shank Hall
2/22 – East Lansing, MI @ Mac’s Bar
2/23 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Cafe
2/25 – Louisville, KY @ Zanza Bar
2/26 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe
2/27 – Ithaca, NY @ Castaways
3/4 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
3/5 – Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel
3/6 – Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s
Name: Heather Browne Location: Colorado, originally by way of California Giving context to the torrent since 2005.
"I love the relationship that anyone has with music: because there's something in us that is beyond the reach of words, something that eludes and defies our best attempts to spit it out. It's the best part of us, probably, the richest and strangest part..."
—Nick Hornby, Songbook
"Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel." —Hunter S. Thompson
Mp3s are for sampling purposes, kinda like when they give you the cheese cube at Costco, knowing that you'll often go home with having bought the whole 7 lb. spiced Brie log. They are left up for a limited time. If you LIKE the music, go and support these artists, buy their schwag, go to their concerts, purchase their CDs/records and tell all your friends. Rock on.
Fuel/Friends is presenting the show, and elegant, intricate favorite JBM opens, so that makes it double fantastic.
Name: Heather Browne
