Press for Turning to Dandelions
I love the Jake Russell Band album "Turning To Dandelions" because of its tight, interconnected musical themes; its folksy-experimental sound; and its introverted, desperate lyrics. "Turning To Dandelions" is about a man's existential journey as he tries to understand the world around him. Each song strikes in me in different ways, and I'm not sure if I've quite plumbed the depths of them. Irregardless, here are my thoughts on each song and how they are thematically and musically connected.
Jaron Davis
I was feeling down before I listened to this album. I didn't think I could feel more down than I did at that time. When I first started listening to Dandelions, I did indeed feel more down. However, by the end of the album, I couldn't have been happier. Like a slingshot that I didn't think could be pulled any further back, Jake Russell showed me that if I just pulled a little harder I would fly into a state of being far beyond happiness and suffering. With this album, they grabbed my head and forced my face to look at the reality of sadness. The reality that there is beauty in it. And the whole time I knew that he would disagree that there was any sadness or beauty on the album.
Sam Campbell, Media Them
The Jake Russell Band is weird and I think they are darn proud of that fact. On their latest, Turning to Dandelions, they seem to be at their most weirdest yet. There are no boundaries on this album. One song, the epic title track, goes on for over 16 minutes, but it's hypnotic enough that you barely notice this fact. What drives the band is Jake Russell's voice. He sings out of tune often on purpose, but he does so in such a warm and charming way. He's like a quirkier Stephen Malkmus. The arrangements are often soft and acoustic-based, and Josh Koleszar's guitar and accordion playing that compliment the arrangements often offer more beautiful and unique melodies than anything Pavement ever did. My favorite track by far is "Candide’s Blue Period," a great indie pop tune with minimalist drums that fit the mood of the song just right. I wish all of the tracks had drums, but unfortunately only some of them do. Another strength of the album is Jake's lyrics, which are conversational, insightful, and just plain refreshing compared to most bands out their today. Overall, it's safe to say that there is no band out there that sounds like the Jake Russell Band. They are doing their own thing, and while sometimes their music might be slightly hard to digest, you absolutely have to admire what they are doing.
Matt Beat, Electric Needle Room and UNOMavRadio
Listen to the album here:
Music video to "Flower," Track 7 on "Turning to Dandelions"
Other press
On a recent Friday evening a good crowd occupied One Lounge while two acts played below in Incognito. The Jake Russell Band and Platte River Rain played to a packed crowd.The Jake Russell Band, a two-person outfit, employed discarded cardboard wrapping paper tubes for percussion in addition to accordion and guitar to create a quirky mix of music and performance art. The set ended with one band member lying on the floor covering himself in scraps of paper and cardboard.
-City Weekly
About Us
The Jake Russell Band formed approximately three years ago with Jake Russell as a solo artist appealing solely to the folk genre with finger-picking tunes on an acoustic guitar. With support and encouragement from musician Joey Lemon of the band Berry and Kurt Boyer, who was the booking agent for the Red Sea, Jake Russell grew confident in his music enough to experiment with new concepts. With the full-time addition of Josh Koleszar, the band shifted towards the indie/experimental genre while maintaining the folk style on guitar and Bob-Dylan-esque lyrics. The addition of Trenton Albers on drums not only filled the sound out in ways it never had before, but added to the laid back persona of the band. Our aim is to perform innovative music that raises awareness of current events, spirituality, and experience. As musicians, we strive to challenge each other to improve at our respective instruments and abide by high creative standards. And we never take ourselves too seriously.
