Given all the music that I've covered this year with a connection to Melbourne, Australia, it probably was inevitable that I eventually would review an album entitled Melbourne. And so here we are, with the debut album from Jackson Scott, a young American who currently resides in Asheville, North Carolina. Scott records his psychedelic pop material solo on a four track, and then manipulates it with Garageband. There are some Syd Barrett touches here, as well as some slacker psychedelia elements displayed earlier this year by Bored Nothing (ah, Bored Nothing is from Melbourne!). But there are some unique elements here as well, and they help Melbourne stand out and suggest a promising future for its author. One such touch is the sound manipulation -- he changes the pitch of his voice in the songs and further manipulates the music during the production of the tracks. Quite simply, the lad has a good instinct for what sounds add interest without crossing the threshold into negative territory. Another, is that Jackson Scott has the ability to knock out a wonderfully relaxed pop song, irrespective of the subject matter. Probably the best examples are "In the Sun", "Any Way" and the lovely "Sandy" (about Sandy Hook) --
Good examples of the Syd Barrett influence are "Tomorrow" and "That Awful Sound", the latter of which you can stream here --
And here is a track that combines several of the elements that demonstrate Jackson's appeal --
Jackson Scott is not a finished product -- and at age 20 he shouldn't be. But while Melbourne is not perfection, it bears signs of talented songwriting and production, and hits excellence in a number of spots. It is a great start. The album is out on July 23 on Fat Possum. Tour dates are provided after the relevant links.
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Fat Possum page for Melbourne
Currently Scheduled Tour Dates:
09/11 Columbus, OH – Ace of Cups
09/12 Bloomington, IN – The Bishop
09/13 Detroit, MI – The Garden Bowl
09/14 Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern
09/16 Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry
09/17 Des Moines, IA – Vaudeville Mews
09/18 Kansas City, MO – The Riot Room
09/20 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
09/21 Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
09/23 Seattle, WA – Barboza
09/24 Portland, OR – Holocene
09/26 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore*
09/27 Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour*
09/28 San Diego, CA – Cashbah*
09/29 Phoenix, AZ – The Crescent Ballroom*
10/02 Austin, TX – The Mohawk*
10/03 Little Rock, AR -Stickyz Rock n’ Roll Chicken Shack*
10/04 Nashville, TN -Exit In*
10/05 Atlanta, GA – Terminal West*
10/06 Carrborro, NC – Cats Cradle*
10/08 Washington, DC – Rock & Roll Hotel*
10/09 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church*
10/19 Pittsburgh, PA – Altar *
09/12 Bloomington, IN – The Bishop
09/13 Detroit, MI – The Garden Bowl
09/14 Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern
09/16 Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry
09/17 Des Moines, IA – Vaudeville Mews
09/18 Kansas City, MO – The Riot Room
09/20 Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge
09/21 Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
09/23 Seattle, WA – Barboza
09/24 Portland, OR – Holocene
09/26 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore*
09/27 Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour*
09/28 San Diego, CA – Cashbah*
09/29 Phoenix, AZ – The Crescent Ballroom*
10/02 Austin, TX – The Mohawk*
10/03 Little Rock, AR -Stickyz Rock n’ Roll Chicken Shack*
10/04 Nashville, TN -Exit In*
10/05 Atlanta, GA – Terminal West*
10/06 Carrborro, NC – Cats Cradle*
10/08 Washington, DC – Rock & Roll Hotel*
10/09 Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church*
10/19 Pittsburgh, PA – Altar *
* = w/ Unknown Mortal Orchestra
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