Artist: Jukebox The Ghost
Album: Safe Travels
Bitrate: 248kbps avg
Quality: EAC Secure Mode / LAME 3.98.4 / -V0 / 44.100Khz
Label: Yep Roc
Genre: Rock
Size: 88.94 megs
PlayTime: 0h 47min 02sec total
Rip Date: 2012-07-03
Store Date: 2012-06-29
Track List:
--------
01. Somebody 4:06
02. Oh, Emily 4:03
03. At Last 3:36
04. Say When 4:06
05. Don't Let Me Fall Behind 3:50
06. Dead 4:15
07. Adulthood 3:31
08. Ghosts In Empty Houses 3:58
09. Devils On Your Side 2:26
10. All For Love 3:32
11. Man In The Moon 1:57
12. everybody Knows 3:54
13. The Spiritual 3:48
Release Notes:
--------
Jukebox the GhostÆs third album Safe Travels marks a period in the bandÆs thatÆs
steeped in change, both personally and professionally. Relationships dissolved
and crumbled. Loved ones passed on. The band themselves relocated from
Philadelphia to New York City and played over 200 shows since the release of
their last album in 2010. In the midst of so much change, the band spent months
in the studio creating what would become ôSafe Travelsö, a record that
represents a shift in the bandÆs creative trajectory.
ôIt felt like the music was finally growing with us ù Songs that relate to who
we are as people right now, not who we were when we were 19 or 20,ö Siegel said.
ôThis record is more heartfelt; part of that came from not worrying about
exactly what kind of music we were supposed to be making and instead just
working on songs that felt genuine and natural at the time.ö
Safe Travels, at its core, represents three people going through universal life
changes û A way of coping with how quickly things can turn around, for good and
bad. And though itÆs clear their sound and outlook have matured to addressing
some darker subject material, their brand of upbeat pop still remains intact.
ôWeÆve always been the kind of band that juxtaposes darker lyrics with upbeat
music, but this record feels a little more personal,ö Thornewill said. ôIn the
grand scheme of things, itÆs certainly not a downer record but you need pain to
get joy, and joy to get pain; theyÆre inseparable.ö
Bolstered by an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, an appearance
at Lollapalooza, and extended opening tours with Ben Folds, Guster, Adam Green
and JackÆs Mannequin, the band has acquired an incredibly loyal (and sometimes
rabid) fanbase since the release of 2008Æs ôLet Live and Let Ghostsö. Over the
years, Jukebox the Ghost has maintained a tour schedule that most bands would
balk at, playing over 150 shows a year and becoming a well-oiled, high energy
live band. This summer, the band embarks on their biggest headline tour to date
after performing at Bonnaroo on the albumÆs release weekend ù Their Bowery
Ballroom show in June has already sold out two months in advance.
ôSafe Travelsö also marks the first time that the band had been afforded
unlimited studio time. The sessions took place in Brooklyn, with their friend
Dan Romer (Ingrid Michaelson, Jenny Owens Young) producing and engineering. The
result is a collection of 13 songs that finds the band maturing both musically
and lyrically. The band was also able to work with a string section for the
first time, which gave Thornewill the chance to flex his compositional skills
and formal classical training.
TheyÆd be the first to admit that their previous two records had a charming,
ôhyperactiveö quality about them, but you donÆt get that sense here. ThereÆs a
balance between the peppy piano pop of songs like the albumÆs upbeat opener
ôSomebodyö, the bouncy synth-pop of ôOh, Emilyö and the radio-ready drama of
ôDonÆt Let Me Fall Behindö to more poignant, contemplative songs in the albumÆs
second half that represent the bandÆs desire to travel into new sonic territory.
ôIn the past Ben and Tommy sometimes wrote from various fictional perspectivesö
says drummer Jesse Kristin, ôbut the songs on this album feel closer, more
personal, and steeped in actual life experiences.ö
This creative shift is best exemplified by ôDead,ö ôAdulthood,ö ôGhosts in Empty
Houses,ö and ôThe Spiritualö û songs that deal with death and mortality head on,
with an immediacy that was masked on previous albums.
ôAdulthoodö was initially a difficult song for Thornewill to perform. Written
before his grandfatherÆs death from lung cancer, the line ôIn my lungs I still
feel youngö was painfully prophetic and the overall message that ôfrom
adulthood, no one survivesö became all too real. ôDeadö approaches a similar
theme with understated elegance. The song begins with SiegelÆs innocent, boyish
croon over a ghostly drone and builds into a climax with post-rock ferocity
entirely new to the bandÆs catalogue.
ôEven though weÆre tackling some difficult themes this go-round, weÆre still a
band that wants people to feel good,ö said Tommy. ôWeÆre the same upbeat band
weÆve always been, but weÆre firm believers that pop music can have depth.ö
Ask BrooklynÆs Jukebox the Ghost why their third album is called öSafe Travels,ö
on a surface level, itÆs likely theyÆll tell you about a song by AustinÆs Red
Hunter, who performs as Peter and the Wolf. The song, from his 2006 album
öLightnessö became something of a mantra for the band. öSince weÆre always in
new cities and away from the people we love, that song really hit home for us,ö
said Ben. ôIt was a song that represented saying goodbye.ö
On ôSafe Travelsö, Jukebox the Ghost manages to contrast these darker themes
with the same optimistic sound and a familiar sense of youthfulness that stays
true to their core.