Jaill ready to break out new album
Good news for Jaill fans. The accomplished local jangle-pop band — Johnny Marr’s a fan; and Sub Pop Records (Fleet Foxes, Sleater-kinney) released two albums — is back with its first new album in three years. The bad news: You’ll have to wait a little longer than initially thought. Recorded in 2013, Jaill’s “Brain Cream” was supposed to come out May 19 on Burger Records, Jaill’s first record label (former home to Brian Jonestown Massacre). But “Brain Cream” was just bumped back to June 30.
Here’s more good news: you can watch Jaill perform two songs from the album exclusively for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, at jsonline.com/soundcheck. Watch the videos and you’ll see Jaill is as good as it has ever been. Maybe better.
Who’s who: Josh Evert, 27 (drums); Vinnie Kircher, 34 (singer, songwriter, guitarist); Johnathon Mayer, 29 (bass); Mike Skorcz, 33 (keyboards). Kircher spoke for the band.
Day jobs and other gigs: Kircher fixes up homes. Evert is a graphic and web designer with Reunions Magazine and is the keyboardist and singer in the Fatty Acids. Mayer is a barista with Rochambo and the frontman for Surgeons in Heat. Skorcz is a bartender and formerly the frontman for John the Savage.
Band’s backstory: I started it in college with my friend Austin Dutmer in 2002. We were doing basement recordings for a while and playing shows. In 2008, we made “There’s No Sky (Oh My My)” and sent our record as a blank vinyl to Burger Records, and they put out the tape and vinyl. We got noticed by Sub Pop fairly close after that. They released “That’s How We Burn” in 2010 and “Traps” two years later. After “Traps” we added John and Mike to fill out the sound, and shortly after Austin had a second child and (bassist) Andy (Harris) was getting married, and they moved on. Josh was a good friend; his first shows were in January 2013, and the touring picked up quite a bit.
The new lineup: Having different artists, their styles come through. The first record didn’t have any harmonies on it; with John, I’m singing harmonies with him throughout. Mike has added some nice lines playing synthesizers. The drums are definitely a big change; Austin liked tight fills, and Josh brings more rock but also has an avant-garde approach.
Making “Brain Cream”: At the end of 2013 we drove down to Austin, Texas, to record at Resonate Music following a couple of recommendations. I thought being there in the winter for a few weeks would be great, but it was pretty stressful right before Christmas. In terms of my songwriting, I generally come back to upbeat, pretty songs that have a lyrical content that is in some way fascinating. These songs are probably about getting through struggle; they’re inspired by personal stuff, but the listener can get what they want out of it. I fell in love with the songs we put on this record and have stayed in love with them for a while.
Parting with Sub Pop and going back to Burger: We came to the end of a two-album contract with Sub Pop and made “Brain Cream” blindly and didn’t know how the process would go. I had a feeling the album wouldn’t get picked up. I don’t think the (sales) numbers were what anyone hopes for, but you can’t let those emotions get locked up in how you feel about the situation. They’re good friends and it was a lovely opportunity, but there was something about the fit there that didn’t gel as neatly as it needed to.
Burger has put out all of our albums on cassette and has always been a part of what we’ve been up to. The label that discovered us here in Milwaukee, it’s not the same label we’re going back to. They have full-blown distribution and stores and a definite brand. Before, it was a couple of guys. Everything is coming back around for a good reason.
What’s next for Jaill?: We’re planning for an East Coast run in the beginning of July. There’ll be a more regional tour, getting out to the West Coast and beyond, depending on any offers that may or may not come, based on the success or failure of the album. But I’m getting excited. I’m getting hopeful.
Next gig: 8 p.m. May 22, Riverwest Public House Cooperative, 815 E. Locust St. $5.