Release Date:
January 25th, 2004
Tracklisting:
1.Love For The City [The train ride in..and first glimpse]
2.I Wonder Why [Watching people go by..]
3.Essex Houses [A sit in Central Park West..]
4.Hustle & Bustle [ Crosstown traffic..]
5.Talk To You [A chance encounter..]
6.So It's Come To This (The End) [Sad to leave..I belong]
--Demos and Alternates--
7.Love For The City (Demo take 1)
8.Love For The City (Demo take 2)
9.Essex Houses (Demo take 1)
10.I Wonder Why (Demo Take 2)
This is a very unique Js.One album, even for the stuff I'm recording these days. Experiemental in a way. I see it as a sort of Jazz/Folkish hybrid. A intresting note that I discovered after I completed the album is that this is my 10th album that I have released in my five years of distributing to Indie record shops. Also I recorded this album in an unorthodox way. I recorded each track in real time (every song each track one after another in the same sitting), thus I feel it has a connectedness and fluidity. It's almost like a live show. I didn't use and effects on the instruments and I mic'ed my acoustic instead of using the 'line in' which is typically what I used to do. I can't wait to be able to perform the complete album live. I created it for that purpose also, thus the album's only 20 minutes long. The album is entirely inspired by Nyc in the fall. Mainly Central Park, which was the alternate title for the album "Central Park West".
Actually the album is formatted like a trip to the City the way I experience it. 'Love For The City', the first track is the anthem for returning to the City via the Metro North railroad and catching that first glimpse of the Bronx which inspires that old familiarity. 'I Wonder Why' is a sort of astral observation of the people who move through the City. Rushing somewhere, walking or talking... and living their lives. 'Essex Houses' was inspired by a hill in Central Park that I sat on overlooking the ice skating rink. I could see the skyline of the west (maybe east) side from there and there was a building named "Essex Houses"...sounds simple enough. There was great music on the radio on my cd and the weather was great durring a beautiful time for being in the City.. it's one of those time when you marvel at the beauty. 'I Want To Talk To You' is simply about seeing someone around town that shakes you to the core, and to build up the courage to initiate conversation. 'Hustle & Bustle' is about cross town traffic. The business of the City near rush hour. 'So It's Come To This (The End)' is about the final moments of the trip when you reflect on the events of the day which sparks brand new hope for the future. Essentially it's anout never wanting to leave, and a sense of belonging.
