Jonah

The calendar is empty.

After the release of the grand and thematic LP, Save the Swimmer, and the bitter sweet pop symphony of the subsequent Safe Distance EP, it was time for Portland, OR band Jonah to step back and dream up where they wanted to go musically with their next offering. They had won over fans and critics alike with their adherence to the majestic side of what pop music could be; something resembling early U2's passionate earnestness meets the hypnotic and dark beauty of Radiohead. Tracks from both records had made their way onto nationally syndicated TV hits and garnered radio rotation as well as landed spots on many compilation discs nationwide.

But the band was evolving and needed the experience of a seasoned producer to guide them. They chose Marshall Altman, a veteran from the world of A&R at both Columbia and Hollywood Records and a songwriter/producer with many notable artists in his resume (Marc Broussard, Zebrahead, Matt Nathenson). Altman’s friend and colleague, Joe Zook (Modest Mouse, Counting Crows, Remy Zero), was enlisted to engineer the recording. The result is the long awaited second full-length album from Jonah: Trust Everyone Before They Break Your Heart, a tightly wound pop testament that displays the breadth of the band’s talents.

From the dance-pulse sheen of Runaground and the chaotic avalanche of Time’s Up to the cinematic dreampop of The Joy of Drowning, the songs are statements to the whole: portraits of love and loss, the betrayal of the heart and the elusive promise of happiness and success, all set against a backdrop of eternal optimism for the human condition. The centerpiece of Henry Curl’s bright and dramatic tenor is echoed in the shimmering waves of Chris Hayes’ understated, less is more guitar playing, pinned down by the concise and seemless pulse of Matt Roger’s bass and Jake Endicott’s drums. It is the sound of a band evolving into something brand new, without loosing what made them so appealing in the first place.

Trust Everyone Before They Break Your Heart will be released March 9th 2007.

Hey! Posted by Talarhah on April 11, 2007    Yeah for Portland!