The Fool

John Rossiter (Young Jesus) had quit music to study permaculture and to work in landscapes and gardens. His last album, Shepherd Head, was too much time spent on the computer. Working with soil and plants gave him some life back. He said, You know, when gardening, the right decision to make for the landscape is usually the one that is already happening. It just takes time to read what that is. So, John left the orchard to meet Shahzad Ismaily (Feist, Lou Reed, Arooj Aftab) for lunch. They instantly bonded, talking about improvisation, rhythm, the heart. On a lark, Shahzad invited John to New York. Songs started to form, songs about shame and grief, love and redemption. They came fast, a song a day for two weeks. It was different from past albums, which felt like years of hammering out lyrics and ideas. This one came in the wake of a long illness, where tunes came in a rush, as if they were physical, as if the body couldnt heal without them. An almost involuntary outpouring, overrunning his usual self-consciousness. Rossiter had to sit and transcribe without judgment: let the ideas grow on their own. Shahzad was in LA one day when John sat down at the piano and played them for him. They decided to record them at Shahzad's Figure 8 Studios in Brooklyn these songs would blossom into Young Jesus forthcoming album, The Fool. Inner landscaping requires presence and bravery. It can get pretty dark and strange the deeper you walk into that jungle. And its from the absolute pits

Tracks

Details

Format: CD
Artist: Young Jesus
Release Date: 24 May 2024
Genre: Rock
Label: Saddle Creek
Distributor: MGM Music