There’s some trouble brewing this Sat:
http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/music/these-united-states-write-to-jukebox-the-ghost/
And the Evangelicals may get caught up in the middle. We interviewed them last time they were in town and love them a lot. Here is that interview, slightly updated. Enjoy.
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The Evangelicals, hailing from from Norman, Oklahoma (the home of The Flaming Lips), make dense trippy catchy indie rock. Their 2006 debut album, So Gone, received some good press, and the momentum continues to build on the excellent follow up The Evening Descends released on Dead Oceans Records in Jan. We did a last minute Blackberry interview with 25 year old frontman/founder/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Josh Jones before their show on Sat:
Evangelicals
w/ These United States (CD Release)
Parenthetical Girls
The Silent Years
@ The Rock and Roll Hotel
Sat, Oct 4th
Doors | 830pm
Show | 9pm
$12
Brightest Young Things: Have you ever been misfiled in the Christian rock section?
Josh Jones: No…. I wish!
BYT: Ever think about trying to sucker someone into putting you on the bill at a Christian Rock festival?
JJ: We’ve thought about it… those Christian fests always have the best PA’s. Also, those kids buy lots of merch.
BYT: Christians love their merch. Seriously. I was reading an interview with you where you are constantly referring to experiences that you had at age 12 that really shaped you. I can’t even remember a single instance of my 12th year, except maybe listening to MC Hammer’s Addams Groove. What the hell?
JJ: I dunno, I guess I was lucky to meet some cool kids at age 12 that influenced me pretty hardcore and that stuff is etched in my brain.
BYT: Yeah, well I know where all the treasure is hidden in the Keep on the Borderlands. So there. You also said that you were planning the new album to be
Marvin Gaye meets The Rocky Horror Picture Show, do you think you succeeded?
JJ: Well, that’s what I was thinking on that particular day… it changes. I think the record’s kinda spooky though. I can’t sing as good as Marvin Gaye though.
BYT: Heard any good records lately?
JJ: I like Phosphorescent’s new record a lot.
BYT: Agreed! What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
JJ: Dog food when I was a kid. It was kinda good if I remember correctly.
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BYT: Can you tell us about the cover design? I dig it. A lot. |
JJ: It’s my friend Amanda lookin freaked out. She has nice big eyes and we thought they’d look good on a record.
BYT: I bought the album on emusic, am I missing out on anything in the liner notes?
JJ: Well, the lyrics mainly… also a cute picture of us you hang on yer locker!
BYT: I think your tunes would do well with the 5.1 surround sound treatment. Howabout a DVD version of the album? I’m guessing that
would be really expensive to do and only me and one other guy would buy it though… but still, would be cool.
JJ: It would be cool but I doubt it’ll happen…. I’ve never even heard a record on 5.1! If someone wants to pay for it I’d be totally down to do it!
BYT: Can you pick 3 songs off the new album and pretend like you’re writing the liner notes to the Evangelicals box set 20 years from now - a little trivia/commentary on each track.
When your livin in a small town things can seem a bit overwhelming. Try not to kill yourself.
Sometimes love doesn’t work out. I remember thinking the chord progression was too simple for Evangelicals… went with it anyway.
Written during a particularly weird 6 months.
BYT: Quite an extensive tour ahead of you, are you nervous?
JJ: I’m only nervous about dying in a car crash or getting sick.
BYT: What are you driving?
JJ: Driving a van with a trailer.
BYT: What is it stocked with?
JJ: It’s stocked with lots of sauce… tabasco, chipotle ranch, vinaigrette.
BYT: If your house caught on fire what are the first 3 things you’d save?
JJ:
My dog Lemur
My computer
Some pants.
BYT: Whatever man, go pantless. Finally I’m going to start this new thing where I have interviewees pick one song for my mom to review. She’s old and goes to church a lot and doesn’t like movies with too many bad words and listens to top 40 country music and has knee problems, so choose one (off either album) that you think she’ll like.
JJ: How bout Snowflakes from The Evening Descends?
BYT: Right on, see you tomorrow.
And now for my mom’s review:
I really loved the song… it was a bit difficult to get all the words, and not sure it all made sense to me, but I loved the melody, the music, and the images of the snowflakes… it was sweet and soothing. I would give it 5 stars… not my all-time favorite song, but one I really, really liked… thought it was a beautiful song musically. I love you sweet boy!
*****
5 out of 5 stars
want more:
befriend them on myspace
purchase the record now
and
catch them live the hotel
