It’s a meeting of minds, a coming together and a coming-of-an-age from the world’s favourite indie-alt-rock outsiders.
‘Jump Into Love’ is “possibly” the 20th studio album from lo-fi royalty Half Japanese. Atypically out there and off-kilter, it wears its heart on its sleeve through a cascade of new, dark and brooding songs from the band who would be king.
Loved by Kurt Cobain, Daniel Johnston, Penn Jillette and outsiders everywhere, Half Japanese continue their quest for answers; creating a soundscape for a post-zombie land where bells chime and it’s OK to say “Yes”.
It’s another adventure; series 20 from an introspective parallel world where the super prolific Jad Fair cogitates on life, love, giants, the possessed and even bigger issues that simply swell the brain.
Half Japanese currently includes Jad with John Sluggett, Gilles-Vincent Rieder, Mick Hobbs and Jason Willett, a veritable who’s who of DIY indie culture. Recorded at Tempo House, Baltimore, Russian Recording, Bloomington Indiana, Studio de la Trappe, Donneville France and la Casamurada, Tarragona Spain. The album was mixed by long time Half Japanese sparring partner Jason Willett at his home in Baltimore, Maryland.
“The band members live such a far distance from each other. John is up in Asheville area. Gilles is living in Switzerland. Mick lives in London. It’s such a distance that we’re not able to rehearse so of course it’s going to keep a kind of rawness to it,” says Jad.
‘Jump Into Love’ follows a string of excellent expanded re-issues of classic Half Japanese albums on Fire Records and Jad’s release of some 15 solo albums between 2020 and 2022.
“I feel a need to do music and do songwriting. It’s something I really miss when I’m not doing it. There’s a certain amount of tranquility that’s obtained from the fact that you can be working on songs each day. I think you use that certain portion of your brain that is otherwise not used. I kind of kind of prefer using it than not using it.”
‘Jump Into Love’ is out 21st July. Available in Limited Edition White Vinyl and CD.
