It's hard to find new things to write about Jake Xerxes Fussell because his songs are just so consistently great. All of the previously released singles for his upcoming album have all had that traditional folk but done in a unique way while sounding completely familiar sound, and his latest also nails that. "Rolling Mills Are Burning Down" is a great folk song. Like... it's really great. It's such a simple song, but it's a rare thing to find an artist this earnest who releases music without any pretentiousness or preciousness. "Rolling Mills Are Burning Down" makes Fussell sound like a modern day John Prine in its simple beauty.
You can listen to "Rolling Mills Are Burning Down" below. Good and Green Again is due out January 21 on Paradise of Bachelors. The album can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here. For more on Jake Xerxes Fussell, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.
Fri. Jan. 21 - Chapel Hill, NC @ The Nightlight ^ Sat. Jan. 22 - Richmond, VA @ The Camel Sun. Jan. 23 - Washington, DC @ Pie Shop Tue. Jan. 25 - Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA # Wed. Jan. 26 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Knitting Factory Thu. Jan. 27 - Boston, MA @ Club Passim Fri. Jan 28 - Keene, NH @ Nova Arts Sat. Jan. 29 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Caffe Lena Thu. Feb. 17 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gold Diggers * Sat. Feb 19 - Santa Monica, CA @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop * Tue. Feb 22 - Portland, OR @ The Old Church * Wed. Feb 23 - Seattle, WA @ Fremont Abbey * Sun. May 1 - Kilkenny, IE @ Kilkenny Roots Mon. May 2 - Kilkenny, IE @ Kilkenny Roots Tue. May 3 - Dublin, IE @ Bello Bar Wed. May 4 - Belfast, UK @ Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival Fri. May 6 - Manchester, UK @ Gulliver’s Sat. May 7 - London, UK @ Oslo Sun. May 8 - Glasgow, UK @ Glad Cafe Mon. May 9 - York, UK @ Fulford Arms Wed. May 11 - Ultrecht, NL @ Tivoli (Club Nine) Fri. May 13 - Nijmegen, NL @ Merleyn Sat. May 14 - Cologne, DE @ King Georg Mon. May 16 - Hamburg, DE @ Aalhaus Tue. May 17 - Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso ^ w/ special guest Rosali # w/ special guest Mike Polizze * w/ special guest Tom Brosseau
Music doesn't get much more simple than a voice and acoustic guitar, and that's what the latest from Jake Xerxes Fussell is... to start at least. But it's how he puts together a song that is both perfectly familiar and also unique to just him. "Breast of Glass" sounds like thousands of songs you've heard before, but also completely unique to itself. It's simple, traditional folk/Americana music but with just the slightest twist that no one but Fussell quite has. I apologize for the horrible description especially since I know he deserves a much better one, but you truly need to listen to a song like "Breast of Glass" and then you'll understand what I mean.
You can listen to "Breast of Glass" below. Good and Green Again is due out January 22 on Paradise of Bachelors. The album can be pre-ordered here. For more on Jake Xerxes Fussell, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates can be found below the song.
Fri. Jan. 21 - Chapel Hill, NC @ The Nightlight Sat. Jan. 22 - Richmond, VA @ The Camel Sun. Jan. 23 - Washington, DC @ Pie Shop Tue. Jan. 25 - Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA Wed. Jan. 26 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Knitting Factory Thu. Jan. 27 - Boston, MA @ Club Passim Fri. Jan 28 - Keene, NH @ Nova Arts Sat. Jan. 29 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Caffe Lena Thu. Feb. 17 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gold Diggers * Sat. Feb 19 - Santa Monica, CA @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop * Tue. Feb 22 - Portland, OR @ The Old Church * Sun. May 1 - Kilkenny, IE @ Kilkenny Roots Mon. May 2 - Kilkenny, IE @ Kilkenny Roots Tue. May 3 - Dublin, IE @ Bello Bar Wed. May 4 - Belfast, UK @ Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival Fri. May 6 - Manchester, UK @ Gulliver’s Sat. May 7 - London, UK @ Oslo Sun. May 8 - Glasgow, UK @ Glad Cafe Mon. May 9 - York, UK @ Fulford Arms Wed. May 11 - Ultrecht, NL @ Tivoli (Club Nine) Fri. May 13 - Nijmegen, NL @ Merleyn Sat. May 14 - Cologne, DE @ King Georg Mon. May 16 - Hamburg, DE @ Aalhaus Tue. May 17 - Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso * w/ special guest Tom Brosseau
A lot of artists are doing the traditional folk thing right now, but no one is quite doing it like Jake Xerxes Fussell. I've been struggling to figure out just why his take on traditional folk is so different, but couldn't quite put my finger on it until I saw the press release for his latest single. It states that Fussell's music has an "... unfussy lack of nostalgia and preciousness" and that's exactly it. "Love Farewell" is a modern take on a traditional folk song. It has all the elements of traditional folk, but it doesn't have that nostalgic feel and isn't trying to intentionally be a throwback. Not that we're against that sort of thing here, but Fussell brings a welcome newness to a classic artform without reinventing it. He's just doing his own thing in the world of folk and Americana, and we're all welcome to join him.
You can listen to "Love Farewell" below. Good and Green Again is due out January 21 on Paradise of Bachelors. You can pre-order/pre-save a copy here. For more on Jake Xerxes Fussell, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.
Fri. Jan. 21 - Chapel Hill, NC @ The Nightlight Sat. Jan. 22 - Richmond, VA @ The Camel Sun. Jan. 23 - Washington, DC @ Pie Shop Tue. Jan. 25 - Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA Wed. Jan. 26 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Knitting Factory Thu. Jan. 27 - Boston, MA @ Club Passim Fri. Jan 28 - Keene, NH @ Nova Arts Sat. Jan. 29 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Caffe Lena Thu. Feb. 17 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gold Diggers (w/ special guest Tom Brosseau) Sun. May 1 - Kilkenny, IR @ Kilkenny Roots Mon. May 2 - Kilkenny, IR @ Kilkenny Roots Wed. May 4 - Belfast, UK @ Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival Fri. May 6 - Manchester, UK @ Gulliver’s Sat. May 7 - London, UK @ Oslo * Sun. May 8 - Glasgow, UK @ Glad Cafe * Mon. May 9 - York, UK @ Fulford Arms * Wed. May 11 - Ultrecht, NL @ Tivoli (Club Nine) Tue. May 17 - Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
