The Beanstalks That Have Brought Us Here Are Gone is the new album from Nick Jaina, and an unusual one at that. Nick wrote and recorded all new songs and asked different women singers to come in and sing the lead vocals. Nick's voice doesn't appear anywhere on the album, but his sensibilities are spread throughout. He was interested to work with women who had distinct voices, the same way a choreographer would use different dancers with their own signature styles to create a cohesive work of art. This album started as leftover songs from Jaina's previous album A Bird in the Opera House, which didn't fit into that album's running order. Nick was originally going to release a few of them as a free EP, but then decided to try to get different female singers to come in to replace his vocals. The first track he tried was with Laura Gibson, and it went so well that Nick knew he'd need to write more songs and find more singers. Each song presented a different challenge. Sometimes Nick wrote a song for a singer who didn't resonate with the song, and the piece had to be given to someone else. Sometimes keys had to be changed or lyrics altered, and in the case of "Once But Never Again" almost every single instrument from the original recording was replaced with something else to fit the new vocals. The result is an album that is as varied as a mix tape from someone in love with you, but as cohesive as a studio album. Nick Jaina is signed to Hush Records (Decemberists, Loch Lomond) and has lived in Portland, Oregon for the last decade. Nick Jaina has lately been writing music in New York City for a project involving ballet and choral music. He is working with dancers from the New York City Ballet and singers from Julliard School of Music to create a trilogy called Satellite, which charts the progress of a fracturing relationship from the earth into the heavens. Tracklisting 1. When the Blind Man Rings That Bell produced by Nick Jaina and Lee Howard
Stand-out Tracks 2. You Were So Good To Mefeaturing Jolie Holland 6. The President of the Chess Club featuring Amanda Spring from Point Juncture WA 9. Awake When I'm Sleeping featuring Audie Darling Recommended if you like Neko CaseEmiliana Torrini Cat Power Recent press on the live show: "Jaina himself is a savvy frontman. Sporting black-rimmed glasses; a crisp, white-collared shirt; and navy jacket with a curious felt strawberry pinned to its lapel, he inconspicuously cuddles up to the mic and grooves on his acoustic guitar. The rest of the band pops and bounces, thrusting trumpets and percussion mallets into the sky with more noticeable oomph." on his previous studio album, A Bird in the Opera House: "He is an unusual artist in the chamber/roots underground, due to higher level composing and arranging skills, a really sophisticated playing sensibility, and a Stoically mature confessional outlook in the songs." — Three Imaginary Girls "Nick Jaina's made really good records in the past - really good records. We've involved him here on a number of occasions for such reasons - these really good records. But he's made a spectacular jaw-dropper in the just released "A Bird In The Opera House," an album that startles and makes you swoon to it and its easy beauty." — Daytrotter on Sleeping on the Covers, Nick's free album of cover songs: "Even Sting's kinda cheesy "Field of Gold," sounds downright beautiful in Jaina's hands." —Willamette Week More information about the singers Laura Gibson: www.myspace.com/lauragibsonAmanda Spring: www.myspace.com/pointjuncturewa Jolie Holland: www.myspace.com/jolieholland Kaylee Cole: www.myspace.com/kayleecolemusic Luzelena Mendoza: www.myspace.com/ylabamba Audie Darling: www.myspace.com/audiedarling Myshkin: www.myspace.com/rubywarblers Johanna Kunin: www.myspace.com/johannakunin Annalisa Tornfelt: www.myspace.com/blackprairie Corrina Repp: www.myspace.com/tufawning |
