Surrealist Post-Punk song suite that blends electro/experimental rock, dada/psychedelic imagery, and introspective lyrics with existentialist sentiments.

11 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Psychedelic, ROCK: Modern Rock



Details:
A veteran of the '80s scene in San Francisco, Andrew Jackson has played with the bands Zru Vogue and Science Patrol before stepping out with his own brand of surrealist post-punk. A true renaissance man, Andrew L. Jackson â songwriter, poet, artist, multi-instrumentalist â brings us songs with deeply introspective lyrics and unconventional hooks.

The psychedelic rock of the late 60's profoundly influenced Andy when he was young and growing up in Southern California. Then, after moving to the San Francisco Bay Area, came glam-rock, punk rock, and post-punk, each of which uniquely imprinted on his psyche.

Andyâs songs blend dada/surrealist imagery with unique personal statements and existentialist sentiments. The arrangements tend to be similarly creative â from acoustic to electric to electronic, often mixing elements of different styles or genres.

Artist's Statement:

Surrealist Post-Punk. Thatâs what Iâm calling it, since itâs intentionally influenced by late-70âs/early 80âs styles and textures mixed with a 60âs psychedelia sensibility. That, and lyrics evocative of surrealist paintings, films, and montages. Plus the usual Lou Reed/David Bowie underpinnings. And all the other usual Andy-isms are still there, of course.

I did a lot of composing in Logic on a Mac laptop this time out. It was gratifying and allowed for capturing spontaneity in more locales. Guitar variety adds color to the mix: electric and acoustic 12-strings and several different Strats, forward/reverse/e-bowed/phase-shifted/and otherwise manipulated for just the right sound. A variety of software synthesizers in addition to ârealâ keyboard add texture to the retro-electronic sound palette.

Altogether, thereâs a more rockânâelectronic sound to Songs For Unknown Superstars than my last solo CD, the quieter and more introspective Memories of Things That Never Happened, though this CD does have its gentler moments. Listen to the almost-title track "Unknown Superstar" for the compelling first-person tale of a faded star cooped up in his room forgotten by a world that used to adore him, and hear how "Stories She Holds" unfolds as it floats through on 808 drum beats, 12-string guitar arpeggios, and a "ha ha ha" chorus reminiscent of my haunting 1981 Zru Vogue single "Nakweda Dream."

Acoustic instruments like Melodica, Blockflöte, and gourd shakers help to stir the psychedelic pot on the songs âMike, I Want To Tell Youâ (an ode to a web designer friend) âUnknown Superstar,â and the electro-funk âE.R.I.K.A.,â while 12-string electric solos by Zru guitarist Rick Cuevas lend an R.E.M. aura to âSomeone Elseâs Name.â

âFrom A to B and Back Againâ draws inspiration equally from post-punk electro, Andy Warhol, and the backing tracks of Dr. Dre, âResigned To Your Fateâ is an angry/resigned/inspired rock song with Joy Division aspirations, âSweet Thingâ is a heartfelt sort-of-love-song marrying R&B beats, reverse guitar, retro suitcase piano, and Bowie-esque vocals, âTendrilsâ wears its Eno pedigree and surrealist imagery with pride, âMemory Blankâ is deconstructed postmodern electro-rock soaked in existentialist angst, and âMike, I Want To Tell Youâ recalls Lou Reedâs song-styling at its best. âCoffee With The Queenâ stands at the center of the album as a psychedelic-rock
mini-masterpiece.

Like a box of fine chocolates, âSongs For Unknown Superstarsâ offers variety and plenty of surprises in its menu of Sweet Things, Coffee, tea, and Tendrils. Enjoy alone or with others.