please enjoy: "All The Same" by Jimmy Montague Ft. Chris Farren
There's been a hole in the scene. We're living in a vibrant and multi-genred time. We're drowning in new interpretations of '90s slacker indie rock. We have the riotous palette of hyperpop to play with. We have mutinous rap-rock revivals and sexy techno and hot girls who are trying to sound like a fun time at a revisionist end of history. But something's been missing...
Whither the '70s smooth rock? The vibes of "lounge" and "yacht" and "mirrored coffee table"? The Steeliest of Dans? Do not worry. Jimmy Montague will hook you up. Jimmy Montague is the alias of James Palko, who currently plays in bass in the post-punk band Taking Meds, and whose solo artist side quest is all about taking a swing at the souped-up, session-musician-laden, measuredly maximalist pop-rock of yore.
In an interview with The Alternative from early this year, Palko described his approach to the 2021 Jimmy Montague album Casual Use: “I just wanted to make a big sounding album. I love big bands, I love huge brass arrangements, I wanted to hear these songs embody the vision of like, horn players on risers behind podiums, that sort of nonsense. My first few attempts at making records I was pretty obsessed with the idea of doing everything myself but Casual Use and my work since has seen me relinquish some control for the betterment of the songs. A very Steely Dan-inspired approach to making albums, the excitement of looking at liner notes to see who played what, bringing in the best players to suit the song. As I continue to make more albums, I have more and more fun bringing in session players (despite it financially ruining me).”
And today I blog to tell you about the new Jimmy Montague song, which features Chris Farren, and which is called "All The Same," and which has a louche and lounge-y piano part, neatly-trimmed snares, and even BACKGROUND SINGER OOH-LA-LA-LAs. It's definitely retro, but so retro it's fresh. It's cool how that sonic rotation works — even the chorus, a simple one-liner ("Cuz its all the same til I'm alone with you") has a nostalgic simplicity that still feels new and cool in this current musical climate. Get in the conversation pit and try to love someone.
Check out the link aggregation of Jimmy Montague here.
