Talking Shop With JBM- “Not Even In July” (Out 7/27)

With the release of his debut album, Not Even In July just a week away, Jesse Marchant, or as the initials he will soon be known by, JBM, has been busy touring the country, making his way around the States three times over the past few months. Earning a spot on Paste Magazines “Best Of What’s Next” list and sharing the stage with the likes of St. Vincent, Elvis Perkins and Tallest Man On Earth, JBM is doing exceedingly well- especially for a man who didn’t consider himself a working musician until just this year.
Though his musical roots go back to his childhood, where he began training in classical guitar, Marchant didn’t put on his singer/songwriter cap until later in life. Not Even In July is a record born out of personal tribulation, created from scraps of songs written during his time in Los Angeles and fully realized after isolating himself in a cabin up in the Adirondacks. Demoed by JBM in the woods and recorded in just two weeks with Henry Hirsch in New York, the progress of this sleepy, soulful album has snowballed into a highly anticipated new work.

The fuzzy atmosphere of a tape rolling fills the space behind JBM’s minimalist strumming and gentle vocals for most of Not Even In July, giving the feeling of being up in the cabin with Marchant as he pieces together each track. Though a few tracks, such as the L.A. greed inspired “Ambitions & War” and methodic “Friends For Fireworks” pick up the pace and add a little more accompaniment than the rest, by and large Not Even In July is an acoustic confessional of JBM’s experiences with life, love and death.  Despite being topics familiar to every form of human expression, it’s the combination of Marchant’s delicate timbre and blatantly honest lyrics that make his take on the matters unique.  From the string accompanied strum of “Going Back Home” and Jesse’s confessional “Oh my love/ In the ways that you need me I’m coming back/ Oh my love/ Its ways that you need me that make me want to run” to the delicate transition the oaky strings of instrumental track “Years” make into the despairing “Cleo’s Song”, JBM manages to draw compassion from his listener almost instantaneously, making a connection that normally only comes after devoting a few albums worth of fandom to an artist.
With the record seeing its officially release on July 27^th, Marchant is continuing his diligent tour of the US, making a stop in Chicago this Wednesday, July 21^st at Schubas Tavern along with Nathaniel Rateliff. The show starts at 9pm, is 21+ and $10 at the door.

JBM spoke to us from the road recently, answering questions about Not Even In July, life on the road, and even humoring us with response to the much-hated “Top 3” questions we love to ask.

Reviewsic: What’s the back-story on how this project came to be what it is today?

JBM: I began recording demos in my apartment a few years ago upon returning from the guitar center with a pro-tools setup. I had been playing without recording for two decades and I decided that was time enough, so I brought the rig home and started the next day. My neighbor hated me for it.

Reviewsic: What are your top three musical influences?

JBM: I hate that question, because I don’t really have tops for anything, books, films, etc. The music that I have listened to most in my lifetime is probably Nick Drake, Radiohead and the FM radio that played in the house, growing up, who spun the best of the ’60′s, 70′s, 80′s and today. Also, Buddy Guy influenced my guitar playing a lot when I was young. M. Ward’s early records were a big inspiration to me when I first began recording my demos. I learned to play all his instrumentals, they’re all beautiful.

Reviewsic: Is there any instrument you don’t play, but wish you did?

JBM: Yeah, most of them.

Reviewsic: What are the last three albums or bands you listened to?

JBM: The last drive I took I listened to these:

Phosphorescent- Here’s to Taking it Easy

Nirvana- Unplugged in New York

Neil Young- After the Goldrush’ (kind of one of my go to records)

Reviewsic: If you could work with one person in the music industry (musician, label, producer etc), who would it be and why?

JBM: So many, I don’t know. I’d like Angelo Badalamenti to help produce one of my records. I think that would sound really nice.

Reviewsic: Tell us about your intentions for music/what drives the music you make  - is there a particular concept/creative direction behind it?

JBM: It’s mostly to make money. I just try to write and record songs that I think will sell well. That’s basically the concept.

Reviewsic: Who are three of your favorite local bands?

JBM: I haven’t been in NY much lately so I’m a bit out of touch with the scene.

I like this Phosphorescent record a lot, and I think that he’s from there..St-Vincent is mind-blowing live. Avi-Buffalo, whom I recently toured with, puts on an really passionate performance too; I loved their shows…and they’re from California. So much for the local thing. Sorry.

Reviewsic:If you could book a tour with any 3 bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

JBM: Oh man, here’s the top 3 again. Shit. Drawing a serious blank. This is really off the cuff. George Harrison. Because I love his songs and I could join him on-stage to sing along and play guitar duels with him. Bon Iver. For the same reasons listed above. And I love the live show and would enjoy watching it every night. And then maybe Michael Jackson, just to watch what that was like when people would completely loose their shit and faint all over the place. They don’t really do that much anymore.

Reviewsic: If you were to put out an album of strictly covers, what are a few songs we’d find on the track listing?

JBM: Frankie and Albert – Joe Callicott

Run of the Mill- George Harrison

Graceland – Paul Simon

Sail On- Lionel Richie

I’m On Fire- Bruce Springsteen

Je L’aime A Mourir – Francis Cabrel

Pictures of You- The Cure

Dondante- My Morning Jacket

Lyin’ Eyes – The Eagles (for my father)

Reviewsic: How would you compare yourself as a musician at the point of this new album as opposed to when you first began playing?

JBM: Well, now I hear so much more when I listen to music than I did back then, so that simplicity is lost, which is a bit of a shame. But, I ‘m much more open minded now then I was when I was younger, so I listen to all kinds of different music and I like many more kinds of music because of that. Also, I’ve developed my own way of playing my instruments now and I like that. I used to get frustrated if I couldn’t play like someone else who I wanted to play like. I still try though. I also have a lot more guitar pedals now than I did when I was 7.

Reviewsic: What are some of your favorite cities and/or venues to play? (or what are some venues/cities that you really want to play)

JBM: Minneapolis, Lincoln Hall in Chicago, Texas, Orlando, The Troubadour and El Rey in Los Angeles. The people there have felt really alive and psyched about music, generally, and that’s a nice feeling. In some big cities you get a bit of an indifferent vibe from the audience, and that’s no fun to play to. When people arrive at door time and head right to the front of the stage to check out the gear, then you know that it’s gonna be a nice crowd.

The Bowery Ballroom in New York City I like a lot too.

Reviewsic: What are the best and worst music moments so far in your career?

JBM: Worst moment- There have been a few, but I try to let them roll off my back, so nothing is really coming to mind that vividly. Noisy rooms, generally, suck pretty hard.

Best moment- I don’t know that’s difficult. Performing to a crowd filled with friends and family members is a special feeling.

Reviewsic: What is the most memorable concert you’ve ever attended?

JBM: Recently, a Haiti benefit concert in Brooklyn. Zach Galifianakis performed and then Justin Vernon, Annie Clark and some of the Megafaun guys played a bunch of covers together that blew my heart apart. When I was a kid, I ended up at a Richard Marx concert in Lake Placid, NY, and my mom snuck up past security to the front of the stage. I watched her make her way up there from the stands. It was memorable.

The Radiohead set at Bonnaroo a few years ago was most epic/other-worldly.

Reviewsic: What are your plans for your music in the next year?

JBM: I’m gonna tour some more and try to put together a band. When I get some time alone, I’ll work on songs for my next record.

Tags: Interview, New Music, Tour, Upcoming Release, Upcoming Show