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Jabe & The All Night Circus

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Hometown	nashville, TN
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Band Members	Guitar & Vocals: Jabe Beyer<br/>Bass: Frank Swart<br/>... » more
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About the Artist

In 2007, Jabe Beyer won the BMI Music Maker Songwriting Competition and was nominated for two Boston Music Awards as well as a nomination in the WFNX Best Music Poll. His namesake band, JABE, won the Abe Oleman Songwriting Award from The Songwriting...

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I Would Have Waited For You

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I Just Wanna Know Why

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September 2008 Rock

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Performer Magazine Jabe -By C.D. Di Guardia Jabe Beyer is the kind of fellow who walks into a room to emphatic shouts of “Hey Jabe!” as he passes by. One could argue that people just like to say “Jabe,” which is actually a nickname. __Pronounced just as it looks, the name bears a familiar quality, like “Abe” or “Babe.” And yet, Jabe is name that most have not come across. The name itself has come to reference a novel musical sound, an easy-going spirit in the tightly wound, results-oriented music scene. Beyer is always at ease, both in his performances and during casual conversation. It seems almost paradoxical that his new record is entitled Where Are We Going & When Do We Get There. He does not come off as the kind of guy to ask “Are we there yet?” In many ways, it is as if he is already “there.” If not, then he is at least enjoying the ride more than most. “Everyone wants to get big or whatever,” he concedes. He clearly desires this as well, but he’s not losing sleep any over it. “I’m involved with music,” he states; “I don’t fit well in ...” he pauses; “... boxes.” Indeed, it would be hard to envision this man, with his Pinball Hero T-shirt and engineer-style cap, working in a cubicle somewhere. Jabe Beyer’s place is clearly in the studio or on the stage, behind the control room glass or leaning up to the microphone. Comfort is the name of the game, and Jabe sits quietly at the table with a drink, rolling a cigarette, as if he invented the word. It’s a warm and lazy afternoon, and Jabe doesn’t have to be anywhere at the present, so he does what he does best — he settles into the situation. All the while, he retains an air of cool good-naturedness, his quiet confidence permeating the entire room. One thing that Jabe seems to do a lot is ponder. Ask him a question and he’ll turn it over in his brain for a few seconds before speaking. In another life, he could have been a low-powered attorney, one who furtively crafts an airtight case before anyone realizes what is happening. His nature and senses serve him well; he has been able to link up with more than a few artists, affording him opportunities that the average musician never sees. He has toured Europe with both his own band and as a guitarist for other bands. He is involved with a number of groups, and is even credited on Bang Camaro’s MySpace page as a contributing member of the Dude Choir. For Jabe, Where Are We Going & When Do We Get There is an evolution of sorts. “These are songs that I have played for a long time,” he says. They are expansive, open-windowed entities buoyed by thoughtful vocals. His personality flows through the arteries of each song, creating more than a song of vocals and instruments. The twelve-track record has been forming inside of Jabe for quite a while, and each song exhibits a sense of assured maturity. A strong flavor of roots-y Americana saturates the record, and Jabe’s well-honed sense of dynamics allows him to create a story out of anything. Whether it’s the “Let’s go!” of opening track “Broken Back Road” or the easy nighttime lope of mid-record track “Both Hands on the Wheel,” Jabe takes the listener on a trip, and at times it even seems as if days and nights elapse over the course of the record. “Both Hands on the Wheel” is a midnight drive home through lonely roads haunted by the road-ghosts of earlier times. “You Can’t See the Stars from the Inside of a Bar” is a road trip home from a fun night out at the honky-tonk bar. Each song exudes a particular sentiment, as carefully thought out as Jabe’s free-flowing conversation. While his license reads “Jason Beyer,” it is clear that this man is more suited to “Jabe.” Through brisk storytelling and enlivening performances, Jabe Beyer the man and Jabe the band continue to engage audiences. While others may wonder Where Are We Going & When Do We Get There, Jabe Beyer sits back and rolls a cigarette with the confidence of a man who knows that the answer is different for everyone, with the exception of himself, of course. Turns out he’s already there. www.jabe.net Boston Herald Are we there yet?1-1442 By Kevin R. Convey Friday, June 9, 2006 Jabe Where Are We Going & When Do We Get There Hi-N-Dry | Critic: B+ New Hampshire-based Jabe Beyer’s albums have only gotten sharper as he’s worked himself backward in time through alt-country and cowpunk until arriving on his fourth album at a moody sort of post-Eagles country-rock. It’s a move that makes the most of his gift for insinuating hooks and lines, his spacious, pedal-steel driven band and a voice that could be described as resembling a postmodern Don Henley. As to the question posed by the album title, the music makes it clear Jabe is already there. Download: “Keep Goin’ Round.” (Appearing tomorrow at the Lizard Lounge, Cambridge.) BOSTON GLOBE: 2.8.07 http://calendar.boston.com/events/show/842324 In a 2001 interview musician Jabe Beyer said, ‘‘I’m not gonna be alt-country for life.’’ Fortunately for his devoted local following, six years later he has yet to follow through on that assertion. As lead singer of the roots-rock band Jabe, Beyer has released four albums, including this year’s decidedly alt-country gem ‘‘Where Are We Going and When Do We Get There.’’ Jabe’s music, which alternates between high-energy bluegrass and folksy ballads, always goes down as easily as a stiff drink in a dark country bar. The band is at work on its next album and planning a European tour, but tonight Jabe is at T.T. the Bear’s, with Dearborn Valley, Sam Reid and the Riot Act, and Jimmy Ryan opens. THE NOISE: JULY 10,2006 JABE Hi-N-Dry Records Where Ae We Going & When Do We Get There 12 songs Here’s another release from a former member of the Boston super-folk group, The Benders (also see Nolan McKelvey’s review in this issue). Somerville’s own Jabe Beyer is a singer/ songwriter who has never fails to impress. His latest release takes off where Drama City, his previous masterpiece left off. Jabe relentlessly has been developing and evolving as a songwriter, performer and poet. Songs like “Goddamn Train” and “You Can’t See the Stars From the Inside of a Bar” are spilling over with catchy lyrics and heartfelt vocals. Jabe’s vocal delivery rings with such a tender honesty, each melody resonating with emotion. This music hit me so close to home; I can’t call these songs just songs. They are memories and ghosts, hopes and dreams, they’ve transcended somehow to a higher level. The musicianship on this album is also stellar: Duke Levine, Jimmy Ryan, Dana Colley, Sean Staples, Billy Beard, Joe Klompus, Kris Delmhorst, Dave Westner and Jay Aucella. It’s a varitable who’s who list of Boston’s top folk and roots rock musicians. This album is excellent and it would be a damned shame if this boy didn’t make it big. (Kier Byrnes) http://www.wers.org/articles/?id=81" http://www.wers.org/articles/?id=81 ARTIST INTERVIEW: JABE BEYER December 01, 2006 WERS: Alright, we’re here with Jabe Beyer of JABE. You’ve released four albums since 2000, correct? JB: Ah, yes. Four albums with this band, yeah. WERS: The most recent being Where Are We Going and When Do We Get There. Drama City was released in Europe to begin a 19-stop tour. How was your reception in Europe, how did it differ from touring in the States? JB: It was really good, actually. I was pretty shocked. Most of it was in Germany and we also did Austria, Switzerland. I went over there solo, opening for Tatibo and I was kind of worried that it wouldn’t go over as well without the band, but it didn’t really seem to affect things, you know? There’s a whole different mentality over there for the music scene and excitement for live music, sort of a real network of people who talk about the stuff they see. I think it’s kind of like it probably was in the States maybe 20 years ago. Live music is still really important. People will come to the shows, they’ll drive really far to get there, they’ll tell their friends and their friends will come to see the shows. They do a lot of taping and bootlegging and that sort of stuff, so I think it went pretty well. WERS: You were also the winner of the Boston Music Awards, the Abe Olman Award, the NEMO Musicmakers Competition, which awarded a trip to a Hawaiian music festival and a year’s worth of Starbucks. Could you tell us about that? JB: Sure. I got this call that said to go down and play this gig. I went down and played and when I got there, I found out it was a competition with four other people. I didn’t want to do it, but I did and I lost. I forgot about it, but about a month and a half later, I got a call back saying that they did that little competition in about ten different places and they had ten finalists. They were having their big final competition at the Paradise and someone bailed or someone got sick or something, so they needed a wildcard spot. They asked me to come and play, so I did. I played four songs and drank some whiskey and ended up getting the award that they gave away that night. They gave me a trip to the Kouai Music Festival and a $500 prepaid Starbucks card. So that’s the story on that. WERS: Your website cites that you were "Trying to make sure that George W. Bush does not win reelection. JB: I was trying really hard, but I didn’t succeed. WERS: Oh, I know. Nobody did. Do you consider yourself to be politically active? JB: No, I’m not really politically active. I mean, I vote. I think it’s important and I had a family member who was working in the John Kerry camp. I was supporting her and supporting him. I went to New Hampshire and drove some people to the polls; I did anything I could do to be a supportive brother and I didn’t want Bush to win. WERS: Does that sort of thing play any role in your music or your songwriting? JB: Not so much directly, I don’t think. I did write one song called "Election Year," I guess it was two years ago. It could be sung for any election, a generic "tell me what I wanna hear, it’s election year" for any politician. There were some references that were a little more current. WERS: Where would you like to take things from here? Where would you like to take your music or vice-versa? JB: From here I’d like to get on a plane and I’d like to go to Brazil and hang out on a beach. That’s where I’d like to go from here. WERS: To perform in Brazil? JB: No, I’d just like to get back in my car right now and go to the airport and get on a plane to Brazil. But in general, just basically doing what I do at a level that grows. I like touring and I like playing, I like writing. There have been a couple of people that recorded some of my tunes and if that happened more, that’d be good. And if the touring stayed steady, that’d be good too. WERS: If not Brazil, do you think you’ll end up going to the festival in Hawaii? JB: Well I’ll go in 2007, I have no idea exactly when that happens, but that’s what I’ve been told. I don’t know if I play at it, I don’t know, but I will find out when I get there. WERS: Well Jabe, thank you very much. JB: Thank you, man. - Will Selfridge http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2006/06/09/life/life04.txt MUSIC SCENE: Sticking to his roots Jabe Beyer By JAY N. MILLER_The Patriot Ledger Jabe Beyer and his band Jabe may be bigger stars in Atlanta and Europe than in Boston - their hometown. But that doesn’t bother the alternative country, roots-rock musicians. ‘‘The farther away from home you play, the more fun it is when people come out to see you,’’ Beyer said. ‘‘We’ve played all 50 states, and Europe, but when you play Cambridge, five miles away, it’s not a big deal. When you go in and play Berlin, as an American musician, it adds to the idea you are serious musicians, and there is the feel of an event about it. Our low profile in Boston is just a product of us being around as often as we are; if we played once every three months we could play the Paradise. But since we want to play for a living, we need to play 10 times a month to make the rent, so we will play wherever they want us.’’ Jabe, Beyer’s quartet, will be performing Saturday night at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, celebrating the recent release of their fourth album, ‘‘Where are We Going, and When Do We Get There,’’ on Hi-N-Dry Records. Hanson saxman Dana Colley will be part of the quartet. Beyer is a New York state native who moved to Boston 10 years ago and soon immersed himself in the city’s thriving roots music scene. ‘‘I was in several bands, and into different things musically,’’ Beyer recalled. ‘‘I always gravitated toward more organic music, played on authentic instruments. The more pop music goes to technological aspects, the more I go to those first, original sounds of real music from real people.’’ Gradually, Beyer became a singer/songwriter type, pursuing his craft solo with a guitar. Before long, he’d met a lot of like-minded folks, and formed a band. Not long after, he decided to release his own record, the next logical step in a homegrown career. ‘‘Twenty Point Turn’’ was Beyer’s debut in 2000, with the band he dubbed Jabe (pronounced Jayb, like Gabe). ‘‘I began doing a lot of solo stuff, and got quite a few gigs playing guitar alone,’’ Beyer said. ‘‘Then I hooked onto playing with other people in an environment I could appreciate. I got a band together, and we began playing rock clubs, and then started our own label. We recorded the first album in my house; it was just more cost-effective than going with a record company.’’ Jabe’s first recorded efforts immediately struck a chord with alt-country, or so-called cowpunk fans. It also earned the band the Boston Music Award that year for Outstanding Debut Album. The year 2002 brought ‘‘Outback Country Vampire’’ again on Beyer’s own Woodeye label. By 2004, when ‘‘Drama City’’ came out, the band had a minor deal with Blue Rose Records of Germany. Blue Rose still handles their European rights, but now the Hi-N-Dry label, based in Cambridge, has picked up their U.S. distribution. Beyer also has a knack for lyrics. His songs are deceptively simple, with images and scenes that resonate immediately. Just the title of one tune, ‘‘You Can’t See the Stars, From the Inside of a Bar,’’ demonstrates how to the point Beyer can be. In fact, the whole new album is almost a theme project, with protagonists in nearly every song looking for something better in their lives. And Jabe delivers with conviction and honesty that adds layers of poignancy to the vignettes. ‘‘I had done a lot of recording since my last CD,’’ Beyer said. ‘‘We took a long time putting this one together, and this batch of songs just seemed to come together naturally. I’d say that ‘You Can’t See the Stars’ is a bittersweet kind of love song. The song ‘Both Hands on the Wheel’ also has that simple, truckin’ down the highway image, looking for the next horizon. That’s just how I feel right now, but I always try to have some hope in there.’’ Produced by Beyer, the new CD was mixed by Paul Q. Kolderie, and features guest spots from guitarist Duke Levine, singer Jennifer Kimball, drummer Billy Beard, Hanson saxophonist Dana Colley of Morphine fame, singer Kris Delmhorst, guitarist Kevin Barry and multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Ryan. That’s practically an all-star team of Beantown’s best roots and acoustic musicians, but Beyer shrugs that they’re simply all friends he’s played with, or backed up over the years. ‘‘The more people get ‘American Idol-ized,’ more into that karaoke bull, the more amazed they are when they hear people playing instruments like baritone sax, mandolin, or even keyboards,’’ Beyer said. ‘‘Musicians have been playing these things for years, but to many Americans today, it is all confusing and new. It is harder to get people out to shows today, no doubt, with so many home entertainment options. And the whole music scene seems to embrace that mentality of cigarettes and booze and music. With smoking out of the equation, and people drinking less, live music is suffering.’’ But Beyer is still optimistic that musicians can find a way to survive, even if, like he and his cohorts, they seem unlikely to ever make MTV. ‘‘The business can be frustrating if you lose touch with who you are supposed to be,’’ Beyer explained. ‘‘I’m not really in the business side of it - that should be someone else’s job. And I’m not in competition with other Boston musicians; it should be an inspiring and supportive community of friends. It’s not that I wouldn’t take the opportunity for a major label deal if it was offered, but I love what I do. I never did it to get on MTV. And, I never play music I don’t like, or got paid to do what I didn’t want to do. And we’ve found that more and more people don’t get their music from what is delivered to them by radio - many people are independent enough to look elsewhere, for more honest, less contrived music.’’ http://www.boston.com/ae/music/blog/2007/04/parting_is_such.html" http://www.boston.com/ae/music/blog/2007/04/parting_is_such.html The Nashville skyline has lured two more Boston artists to Music City. Gifted singer-songwriter Jabe Beyer and the Ted Drozdowski-led blues freakout group /"Scissormen are both headed south. Coincidentally, both are holding their swan songs tonight in Cambridge. Beyer bids adieu at Hi-N-Dry studios. Beyer and Drozdowski, who is also an award-winning rock scribe and all around stand up guy, will be missed. Posted by Sarah "http://www.boston.com/ae/music/blog/2007/04/parting_is_such.html"01:39 PM By Joan Anderman, Globe Staff, 01/24/2003 JABE A spoonful of bad attitude helps the country music go down, as far as we're concerned, and "Drama City," the latest from local roots scene staples Jabe, makes us want to medicate all day long. It's raucous cow-punk with a twisted heart and a sloppy soul, out in April. Check www.jabe.net for Jabe's many area dates. Boston Globe: There's a storm in 'Drama City' By Jonathan Perry, Globe Correspondent, 03/27/2003 Jabe Beyer knows it's a disgusting metaphor before he even brings it up. But bear with him, he pleads. I always relate songs to puking," says the singer-songwriter who leads the acclaimed roots-rocking Boston outfit Jabe. "You think you're gonna puke, you just don't know when. But when it comes out, you can't stop it. And you can see all the stuff inside you." Beyer apologizes when the unsavory moment's over and he's finished making his very vivid point. It's one well taken, though. His band's latest album, "Drama City" (out on his own Woodeye Records label and available at www.jabe.net), can also be heard as a reflex action to the emotional upheaval that afflicted all four members of the group last year. The album, cut mostly live in a three-room cabin in Plymouth, also happens to be the best thing he has ever done. We made the record in a week and when I listened back I thought, `Wow, this is pretty melodramatic,' " says Beyer, who through word of mouth has built a strong local following (and not one but two CD-release parties, slated for April 4 and 5 at the Lizard Lounge, testify to his popularity). Every night you'd go out and people were getting into arguments, couples were breaking up, or somebody would get arrested or their car stolen. So to me, Boston was Drama City." Hapless love affairs, dashed dreams, and fractured friendships all reside inside songs such as the high octane banjo-driven opener "Those Times Are Over," the Pogues-style jig "Into A Wall", and the meditative "Pitch Black Road." But even at its most subdued, Jabe's music is a quiet storm of desire and disillusion. Buried somewhere inside all the bleakness, though, he says, is always a flicker of hope. We have a song called `Can't Be That Bad' and in writing that I was saying, `Yeah, it might be like you're growing up too fast or you're in the wrong town or you don't know what the hell you're doing and your best friend just became somebody you can't talk to anymore'," Beyer says. "But if you don't hold out for that light at the end of the tunnel, it's going to turn on you really fast, and you're just going to go deeper into yourself where it's dark." The native of upstate New York moved from Boston to New Hampshire last year, but his music has never bothered with boundaries. His songs, built from a combustible mix of electrified violin, banjo, mandolin, guitar, and propulsive percussion, is an effortless amalgam of rock, folk, and bluegrass. His band - which includes bass player Jay Aucella, drummer Dave Westner, and multi-instrumentalist Sean Staples - is top-notch, capable of Crazy Horse stomp one moment and Old 97's swing the next. Beyer's warm, earthy voice echoes Bruce Springsteen, and it's a perfect match for the rustic, hard-won lessons and truths found in Jabe's songs. On the most primal level, I'm just trying to explain myself to myself," he says before catching himself. "Not that I have the answers to anything." Jonathan Perry's Rock Scene column next runs April 24; e-mail roughgems@aol.com. Live Review: JABEThe Middle East 4/26/03 (Joseph Kader) We are Jabe and here we go." The crowd looks to the stage, ready for a roadhouse rock show. Watching Jabe on stage, you know each member just breathes music. You can smell it on them. The party starts and everyone's taking part. The girl a few feet away from me knows what's up. She accepts the invitation from the songster. She's doing the poney dance. You know the one... Phish heads adore it and your feet (even the clean ones), just can't help it. The place heats up as Jabe rips into "Kelley Maguire," Sean Staples rocks hard with the mandolin and head-bangs to the train moving through the stage. Jabe introduces the next song as a Dylan tune. All out jammy-jam at the finale. Dave Westner sets up some great fills on the drums and Jabe takes the lead. Staples kicks Jabe in the ass to start the final number. Honkey Tonks and broken beer bottles are non-existent, but the music: that's poetry, written with some spine. Gets you right here. Amazing band. Jabe On the Road to Bluer Skies Jabe Beyer combines the brilliant lyrical incisiveness of Tom Waits and Bob Dylan with the tuneful country-politan twang of Wilco and Ryan Adams, and delivers it with the blistering fuck-all intensity of Appetite for Destruction. His songs are the sound of a flickering neon light in a bar at the end of a dark, dusty highway; he knows the pain of letting the one he should’ve clung to get away, and he’ll sing the soundtrack to every rough moment in your life. He won “Outstanding Debut Album” and was nominated as “Best New Singer / Songwriter” at the 2000 Boston Music Awards for his self-released debut Twenty Point Turn, and won the 2000 Abe Olman Songwriting Award from the Songwriting Hall of Fame. Jabe’s been touring the country relentlessly for the past few years; I caught up with him a few hours after he stepped off a plane after playing a showcase for the South by Southwest music conference in Austin, TX, to discuss the release of his third full-length album, Drama City. _Do you think the strength of your material is enough to satisfy an audience, or do you think of ways to improve your stage presence and put on a more entertaining show? _The more I think about that stuff, the less I care, really. I hope the music is enough, ‘cause that’s all I can offer. I really wish I could sit around and think of how to put on a better show or how to dress cooler or whatever, but I just can't. My dork filter turns on and I just feel weird taking the music and myself so seriously that I have to wonder about stage presence or entertaining. To me, good songs and good music are enough. If I go see someone play live, I'm totally satisfied with just some good honest music. Cool clothes or cool hair just distract me. Nowadays it seems good tunes aren't enough for the “music [buying] public.” They want bells and whistles; hocus pocus, and what they see on the TV. I kind of feel like you can't live up to that – and why try anyways? I get off on real things without glitz. That's just me. I'm a pretty boring dude. _What keeps you motivated to keep struggling and touring and making music even when life gets really difficult? Would you say you're happy and content, or are you frustrated, and if so, why?_There's no question that trying to make a living playing original music is tough. When the music you love to play isn't the music that sells eight billion records, it’s tougher. And everyone thinks you’re in it to be a rock star, like you’re either a rock god or nothing, and I think that's a shame. Everyone I know plays music for next to no money and have been for a long time, and they still play out every chance they get. It's not about the big time all the time. Would I like to make a bunch of cash playing my songs? Who wouldn't? Am I willing to fly all the way to Texas to play for 35 minutes for a record label? Yeah, sure – am I willing to do anything to make money and compromise my art, which is the only thing I really have? No way. I mean, I get frustrated just like every other guitar player in town, but in the end, it's better than any job I've ever had and I just plain love to play music. I don't think I could take anything else seriously right now. Maybe tomorrow I'll wake up and say, “Screw it” and want to be a painter or janitor or a clam flappin’ biscuit maker, but right now this is what I do. Anyways, I think there's bigger things to worry about lately, like, "Can I please have an order of freedom fries?" What a fuck is that? Freedom toast?! Come on! I was on a plane yesterday and read that they're taking cigarette images out of old albums. They digitally took Paul McCartney's cigarette out of his hand on the cover of Abbey Road! Who let that happen? I'd like to erase that person! They're erasing truth when it doesn't fit the plan anymore. That's scary stuff, man. We're all in the same boat, you know? We're all just trying to get through another day without freaking out. Be good to people, and have fun. Then there's all the shit in life that comes along with that: love, relationships, wearing different hats, work, friends, family, responsibility, all that stuff. It's the human condition. We're complicated thing, us weird humans. Trying to make sense out of the human condition is the goal, for me anyways. And for me, if I write it down and sing it into a mic, I feel like I'm getting closer. _Who's a better songwriter, Tom Waits or Bob Dylan? Who would you pick if you could only choose one to ever listen to again and why? Who else do you think is just as good or better than them? __Hey, that's not fair! That’s like asking, ‘Stones or Beatles?’ ‘John or Paul?’ It's not a race. Sometimes it feels like it, but I don't really think of music or songwriters in parts or pieces. I mean, yeah, Bob and Tom are two totally different guys doing two different things, but to me, their tunes kinda aren't. I don't have a personal connection with either of 'em as people – even though I did meet Tom Waits once. It's more how their songs affect me than it is about who they are or how they're different. Not just them, but anyone, you know? If I was forced to pick who I would listen to, first I'd shoot the person who asked the question, then I'd hide bunch of records in my pants. Then I'd go eat some sushi, light some cars on fire and quack like a chicken. You've written a lot of songs about having hard luck with love; tell me about the woman who really broke your heart, and do you think you'll always write songs about her? Are you still hurt and angry, or would you take her back if you could?_ _Well, I never used to write songs about personal relationships and stuff just because I thought it was cheap when I heard other people do it so much. On the first two records I don’t think I said ‘love’ once. The word “love” is in 99% of the songs I grew up with and I just think it got cheapened getting used like that. Like, “Hey, it rhymes with 'dove,' cool!’” or something. And by some bad cosmic joke in space I was born with the curse of actually caring about song lyrics. They matter to me. It's a cryin' shame. I mean, when I'm writing I don't sit around and think about any of this stuff or what words to use or while I'm writing, ‘cause it's usually such a quick process for me. Most songs are written in like 15 minutes. I just try to capture a moment and zoom in and out on it 'till I can see if from all angles, you know, and have some perspective on it. Once I feel like I'm onto something, I'm good to go. It's just a song anyways – there's gonna be more, so if I don't nail it on one song, maybe I'll get it on the next one. [Laughs] What was the question again? Do you consider music to be primarily art or entertainment? __To who, me or other people? Music affects me emotionally. To me, that's art. A porn film, that's entertainment. That might be a bad example. I just pick porn ‘cause I think most people would agree that porn isn't trying to make any huge statements. If we're talking about the music industry, I think its all entertainment to the labels putting that stuff out. It’s just tits and ass, ticket sales and merchandise. Which is fine, ‘cause that's business and business is money. But just be honest about it, please. Don't try and pass it off as amazing art. It could be CDs or used cars – they don't care. Not to be mean or whatever, but everyone knows the music biz is a mess. When I see MTV and a singer on top of a digitally made mountain singing in the wind and I know he's really in front of a blue screen in some movie studio in front of a fan, I'm like, "Is this where I'm trying to be? What the hell is that? Do I want to be on a stage, 50 feet from the front row, under a million dumb lights with a shiny guitar?" Uh...not really._ - Mike Baldino The Drama City CD release is a two-night stand at the Lizard Lounge, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge, Friday and Saturday April 4th and 5th with special guests Todd Thibaud (Fri.) and Dennis Brennan (Sat.), 9pm, 21+, $10 advanc CUSTOM BUILT FINLAND , EUROPE JABE: Drama City (Xemu) Jabe Beyer is New England singer/songwriter, and this is his third CD so far. The music here is great punk/bluegrass/country/rock'n'roll. And this time he had release double Cd set with disc one being actual album and disc two featuring cool extras: three videos, and three MP3 tracks (two of them being live tracks). Jabe continue that great American songwriter tradition that has produced so many outstanding artists. Songs here are really strong, and the mucianship is excellent. And hey, this CD also rocks!!! You can contact Jabe via his website THE BOSTON GLOBE (Steve Morse) November 1, 2002 Jabe at the Burren: Locally based Jabe just released a new album, ''Drama City,'' and was celebrating it with this gig. Much-improved singer Jabe Beyer has been a leader of the local roots-music renaissance and proved it with an exceptional, high-energy performance. There are echoes of Tom Petty and the Eagles in his sound, as well as influences from the Old 97s and Sixteen Horsepower (who are also thanked on the album). It made for great Americana party music, tailor-made for sweeping your cares away. http://users.pandora.be/ctrlaltcountry/Pagina1ArchiefDecember2003.htm#Jabe" http://users.pandora.be/ctrlaltcountry/Pagina1ArchiefDecember2003.htm#Jabe JABE “Drama City” (Woodeye? Records) (3,5) _ _ _ _ High energy alt. country, da’s zowat de meest adequate omschrijving die wij konden bedenken voor het stoeiwerk van Jabe op de CD “Drama City”. Van bij de bijzonder gedreven opener “Those Times Are Over” overrompelen Jabe Meyer en de zijnen je daarop met een bruisende cocktail van met een duidelijke punkattitude gezegende rootsrockliedjes. Het ene moment lonken daarbij Shane MacGowan en de Pogues duidelijk even om het hoekje (zoals in “Kelly McGuire”), het andere zijn dat eerder geestesverwanten als The Gourds of The Hangdogs (in “Crazy Anne Marie” bijvoorbeeld). Al geldt in beide gevallen, dat hier toch wel enkele versnellingen hoger gemusiceerd wordt. En als het tempo toch al eens even naar beneden mag, zoals voor de beroerd aflopende love story “Cold Cold Wind”, dan laat Meyer horen een aardig potje twang uit zijn gitaar te kunnen knijpen. Fingerspitzengefühl heet dat dan… “Drama City” wordt als dubbel-CD aan de man gebracht. Het ene schijfje staat garant voor een wild feestje, het andere voor een heleboel extra lekkers. Zo kan je ondermeer ook beeldmateriaal bekijken van de liedjes “Cold Cold Wind”, “Stupid Boy” en “Those Times Are Over” en tref je in gecomprimeerd formaat ook nog de nummers “Prison Song”, “Face For Radio (Live)” en “It’s Time To Go (Live)” op dat tweede schijfje aan. Veel fijne waar voor weinig geld dus! Als dat geen verkoopsargument is… www.jabe.net http://www.platomania.nl/maniagenre.asp?cdid=14711&platomanianr=192=192 Jabe Beyer is een prettig gestoorde en licht chaotische zanger. Karaktereigenschappen die grotendeels terug te vinden zijn in de semi-akoestische muziek van zijn band Jabe. Zijn derde cd, door het Blue Rose-label naar Europa gehaalde Drama City is wederom een mix van texmexcountry en americana, in de traditie van The Gourds of Slobberbone. Opener Those Times Are Over kent de vurigheid van 16 Horsepower. Jabe rammelt, tokkelt, en schuurt nog even door. Het liefdesdrama Cold Cold Wind luidt een adempauze in. En dan ontpopt Beyer zich bij vlagen als een waar romanticus. Met zijn rafelige stem lijkt hij zo een geestverwant van Ryan Adams. Artieste Kris Delmhorst zing en speelt ook nog mee. Maar het blijft ongekend de Jabe Beyer-show. Wervelend, aangrijpend en oprecht. Recensent : Gerben Hart Genre: Roots Verschenen in Plato Mania nr: 192 Datum recensie: 11-6-2004 CD Dit artikel heeft 0 reacties gekregen 3 1/2 stars http://users.pandora.be/ctrlaltcountry/Pagina1ArchiefDecember2003.htm#Jabe" http://users.pandora.be/ctrlaltcountry/Pagina1ArchiefDecember2003.htm#Jabe JABE “Drama City” (Woodeye? Records) (3,5) _ _ _ _ High energy alt. country, da’s zowat de meest adequate omschrijving die wij konden bedenken voor het stoeiwerk van Jabe op de CD “Drama City”. Van bij de bijzonder gedreven opener “Those Times Are Over” overrompelen Jabe Meyer en de zijnen je daarop met een bruisende cocktail van met een duidelijke punkattitude gezegende rootsrockliedjes. Het ene moment lonken daarbij Shane MacGowan en de Pogues duidelijk even om het hoekje (zoals in “Kelly McGuire”), het andere zijn dat eerder geestesverwanten als The Gourds of The Hangdogs (in “Crazy Anne Marie” bijvoorbeeld). Al geldt in beide gevallen, dat hier toch wel enkele versnellingen hoger gemusiceerd wordt. En als het tempo toch al eens even naar beneden mag, zoals voor de beroerd aflopende love story “Cold Cold Wind”, dan laat Meyer horen een aardig potje twang uit zijn gitaar te kunnen knijpen. Fingerspitzengefühl heet dat dan… “Drama City” wordt als dubbel-CD aan de man gebracht. Het ene schijfje staat garant voor een wild feestje, het andere voor een heleboel extra lekkers. Zo kan je ondermeer ook beeldmateriaal bekijken van de liedjes “Cold Cold Wind”, “Stupid Boy” en “Those Times Are Over” en tref je in gecomprimeerd formaat ook nog de nummers “Prison Song”, “Face For Radio (Live)” en “It’s Time To Go (Live)” op dat tweede schijfje aan. Veel fijne waar voor weinig geld dus! Als dat geen verkoopsargument is… www.jabe.net JAM MAGAZINE – NEW HAMPSHIRE May 2003 Review by editor in chief (rated 10.5 on scale of 1-12) How on earth have I missed this in the past? I know I listened to an earlier album, but either I was a moron or it wasn't good. Judging by his latest, Drama City, I was probably a moron. In fact, I saw him live in Cambridge a couple years ago, even that really didn't do anything for me. Again, I was probably a moron. Jabe's new CD is fun, emotive, earnest and complex. It took me just one listen through to choose two particular songs for me to obsess over. For a guy that has been part of our New Hampshire music scene, he has flown under Jam's radar. He has become a well-revered and respected musician in our scene and Boston's. For those like me who have missed out, Drama City is a blend of Americana and grunge. That's about the best I can Describe Jabe's unigue rootsy style. Have Kurt Cobain sing for Bruce Springsteen's compositions, something like that. The ballad "Can't Be That Bad" is unbelievable. Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum would wish he could sound so earnest on their power ballad "Runaway Train.” Jabe conveys a sense of hope and compassion for those who feel their lives/jobs are the worst and life sucks. While his vocals and guitars are certainly wonderful, his band puts it all together. Jay Aucella on bass, Dave Westner on percussion and Sean Staples on mandolin really push this time. Major kudos on the mandolin, which I am a sucker for, but it's existence in this song alone in mind-blowing. Kelly McGuire" is at the other end of the spectrum. It's a fun, upbeat tune about a woman who the narrator once had a relationship with, and would again. "Kelly McGuire" came from New Mexico/Moved up here about 7 years ago/She's writing her dissertation on poetry/She's gonnan be a doctor/What the hell is she doin' blowin' me?" In this one, guest Eric Royer supplies a great rockin' banjo. The best powered up banjo I've heard since Sixteen Horsepower. Everything else in between is pretty damn good too. Trapsing around a rootsy world of differing tempos, stringed and other instruments (fiddle, slide, organ, harmonica, accordion, dobro, and cello), fun or serious lyrics, and tight musicianship, Drama City is a place I want to be. One additional thing: there's a second CD in this package. The extra disc is a CD-ROM containing a few MP3s, including live versions of older tunes, and videos. http://www.rootshighway.it/outsiders/jabe.htm Jabe Drama City 3 1/2 stars non è altro che il nome d'arte di Jason Aaron Beyer, cantautore di trent'anni originario dello stato di New York. Abituato, sin da bambino, a percorrere le strade d'America in lungo e in largo per le instabili vicissitudini economiche della sua famiglia, Jabe (nomignolo affibiatogli dalla sorella) scopre così la musica, il country e le sue tradizioni. Dopo aver frequentato il college nel North Carolina, Jabe si stabilisce a Boston per intraprendere la carriera musicale, battendo le strade della città con la propria chitarra. Proprio a Boston incide il suo primo album, Twenty Point Turn, che viene eletto in città miglior "debut album" del 2000. Anche il 2004 è un buon anno: il suo terzo album vede la luce (in commercio negli Usa con un bonus CD per mp3 e video) e arriva persino in Europa, grazie alla Blue Rose. Drama City, questo il titolo, suonato con i fidati Jay Aucella (basso), Dave Westner (batteria) e Sean Staples (chitarre, banjo e mandolino), è un disco dalle molteplici sfaccettature che snocciola tredici pezzi divisi fra combat-folk (Those Times Are Over), country-punk (Crazy Anne Marie, Honest As Pure Gold, Into A Wall e Kelly McGuire) e ballate a "stelle e strisce". Nonostante lo sbarco in Europa e la lodevole confezione sonora, col suo suono elettroacustico, arricchito da pianoforte, hammond e tutto quanto appartenga alla musica americana meglio imbastita, Drama City vive ancora della positiva e spontanea genuinità del suo autore: ne accentua l'aspetto arcigno, capace di cavalcare spesso impetuose onde acustiche; ne coccola i passaggi di rock romantico delle intense Can't Be That Bad, Jerk e You'd Think I'd Learn. Grazie ai riverberi chitarristici e ai feedbacks alla Neil Young di Damn Them Big Brown Eyes, così come col rock ruvido dell'energica e lanciata Wasted (armonica southern, dita veloci sui capotasti della chitarra e flashback agli anni settanta), Drama City calpesta tutti i seminati roots a noi cari e corre spedito verso Slobberbone e Uncle Tupelo. Niente di più genuino. (Carlo Lancini) HYPERLINK "http://www.barbwaters.com/ www.jabe.net BOSTON HERALD – March 28, 2003 Jabe - Drama City (Woodeye Records): Local rockers Jabe show plenty of heart and poise on their new CD "Drama City. Jabe, featuring New Hampshire resident Jabe Beyer (vocals); Jay Aucella (bass); Dave Westner (drums); and Sean Staples (mandolin), is a mix of early Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and the Pogues. The songs on Drama City" are direct, amped and boisterous. Several tracks stand out. "Those Times Are Over," "Crazy Anne Marie," and Damn Them Big Brown Eyes" are excellent. I also was partial to "Kelly McGuire," though, for a different reason. I admit the song is peppy but I liked it so much is because my cousin's wife is named Kelly Maguire. (OK, it's spelled differently but it sounds the same.) At points the jams or interplay becomes a little overwrought and tedious. Toning some of them down ("Can't Be That Bad") would have worked a little better. Jabe's lyrics are amusing and brutally honest. In "Into a Wall," he sings, I been singing songs since the day I was born/My voice is shot but my heart is torn/My fingers are busted and all I got to show for it is debt/I shoulda listened to my father I coulda been a doctor/Or one of those guys who gets paid/No matter who wins the bet. The second disc in this set consists of a CD-ROM with three videos, a trio of unreleased MP3s (two of which are live) and a link to the band's web site. Drama City" features a batch of intriguing - and intense - tunes. It is musically comprehensive and definitely deserves a listen. Drama City" will be released on April 8 Be it audio or video, JABE is still best taken live By Jamie Perkins, Well, JABE has pretty much done it again. Their new CD, "Drama City," is full of the same type of inspired alt-country and mellower, contemplative ballads that fans of the seacoast band have come to expect. Fronted by award-winning songwriter Jabe Beyer (with Jay Aucella on bass, Dave Westner on drums, and multi-instrumentalist Sean Staples), JABE is fast becoming the band to watch in these parts. Drama City," the band's third disc, is a two-disc extravaganza; one disc of songs and one of extras, including three videos, three MP3's, and a direct link to their Web site, www.jabe.net. The sometimes grainy videos sound excellent and successfully portray the energy JABE carries out in their live shows. The extra songs in MP3 format are basically just humorous little ditties that display JABE's obvious knack for not taking themselves too seriously. The audio disc, however, displays JABE's obvious knack for hook-laden, country-tinged rock. Beyer is without question one of the best songwriters north of Boston, but the success of JABE depends as much on the rest of the band as it does on his exceptional songwriting, a notion Beyer himself seems to lampoon in the MP3 end-of-the-night track, "It's Time To Go". After all, they provide an energy and atmosphere that helps Beyer's songs remain as fluid and enjoyable as they are. While Aucella and Westner provide the low-end foundation, Staples supplies background vocals, as well as pulling out banjo, mandolin, fiddle, or a second guitar to augment the sound as needed for each song. The result is that each song has its own distinctive sound, despite the fact that Beyer's songwriting hasn't necessarily changed or branched into new territory since their last CD, the fantastic "Outback Country Vampires." And, in fairness to Beyer, it didn't really need to; his songs work just as well on "Drama City" as they did n "Outback" (though on a personal level, I do miss the fiddle melodies that were more prevalent on "Outback"). The boys seem cranked up this time around, though, as a number of these songs are uptempo, careening, and almost on the verge of being chaotic, and only get more so in the live videos on the second disc. This relative anarchy could possibly be attributed to Beyer and Staples' moonlighting in the Newgrass outfit The Benders, a project that is just as superb artistically and musically (and one could assume, as a result, just as satisfying for the artists), but is far more subdued than JABE. There is certainly no shortage of slower, introspective numbers on "Drama City," however. The truth is that the songs, fast and rollicking or slow and thoughtful, are all examples of well-wrought songcraft. Beyer's lyrics are often relationship oriented, and always strong in melody and heart. Occasionally a romantically sympathetic speaker clashes with an oversexed one, but this provides more of an emotional landscape to wander over. No one listens to an artist who isn't somewhat paradoxical anyway. Quite simply, JABE are coming up with some of the best music around, and seems like they're having an awful lot of fun doing it. One hopes they are naïve enough to keep going; my favorite track on the CD was "Into A Wall", a song which manages to reveal the frustration of every working musician out there in about two hyper minutes, and ending that frustration by various forms of cartoonish suicide. "I made twenty-four dollars tonight/ At the local watering hole/ I'm gonna leave this bar, get right in my car/ And drive right into a wall." Sadly, a sentiment that every band and singer has felt numerous times. Hopefully JABE can forego the way of Princess Grace and stay alive long enough to receive the appreciation they are so righteously playing for. Visit Jabe's website @ http://www.jabe.net MUSIC MATTERS VOL. 17 Smithtown, NY ˜Mark Gresser Jabe˜Drama City 2003, Woodeye Records Jabe makes 1990s roots rock that is played at frenetic speeds which, unfortunately, obscures some of his drama. Interesting use of a banjo replaces the jangly guitar frequently found in the genre. The songs move, some having a Western edge or an Irish lilt. Jabe‚s songwriting has very visceral imagery. Some songs just seem to be words tacked together for effect but others really grab you. „Cold Cold Wind‰ is such a tune. It is a warning to you to do more since the grave waits at the end even if you didn‚t have much fun. Visualize this story line from „Crazy Anne Marie.‰ A crazy lover with an axe and I‚m tied to a chair! Acoustic re-enactments emphasize the action and a 120 beat per minute rave fuels that cheery little tale and its Black 47ish dark and jumpy style. Other songs have a Neil Young with Crazy Horse doing „Cortez the Killer‰ feel. Good songwriting, good musicianship and a diversity of roots rock attitudes from this new Massachusetts artist. The package includes a separate CD-ROM with videos and live MP3s. ˜Mark Gresser UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE FREE PRESS By Andy Pappas Published: Monday, March 10, 2003 Jabe Beyer fronts the band that bears his name, whose influences are as diverse as country, bluegrass, punk, and good old-fashioned rock and roll. The great thing about rock music is that it is possible to blend together several styles of music, mix it up, and serve it in a unique way. In order for a band to pull this off, there must be a high level of talent present. Jabe's third release, "Drama City," is a good example of making this formula work. Drama City" (Woodeye Records) which will officially be released in April, takes the listener on a melodramatic journey of Americana through Jabe's own personal experiences. The music is loaded with banjos, mandolins, and slide guitars, combining to create an acoustic feel and organic sound. Songs like the opener "Those Times are Over" and "Crazy Anne Marie" are sure to get your feet moving. "Cold Cold Wind," "Can't be That Bad," and "Pitch Black Road" are beautifully crafted mellow tunes that put the listener at ease. Jabe has been compared to Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Neil Young, but his style is closer to the "Alternative Country Scene" which includes well known bands like Wilco, The Jayhawks, and Sixteen HorsePower The group's constant gigging and touring prove to be the lifeblood of the band--selling the majority of their CD's on the road. Jabe's previous release, "Outback Country Vampire" sold in the thousands--quite an accomplishment for a self-sufficient band from New England. Last year Jabe toured every city from here to New Orleans, and is preparing to do it again. Jabe promises to be a great live show, and "Drama City" is worthy of adding to your CD collection. If you are interested in purchasing a CD or seeing the band live, you can check out www.jabe.net. *** Q&A with Jabe Q: You're compared a lot to Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Neil Young. Have you been influenced by these artists? A: I listen to so many different kinds of music, and I feel like there probably is a difference between being influenced by somebody, and being a fan of somebody. I like a ton of bands, but I don't know how much they influence what I do. If people listen to it and say my influences are Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits, then I'm not going to complain. I don't know what the Bruce connection is to be honest. I don’t own a Springsteen album. People need something to compare you to in order to define you in some way. I would rather be compared to Bruce then you know, a John Denver or something." Q: Do you think your style is unique in today's world? A: If you're a person who pays attention to the mainstream thing, and you compare some bands to that, then we are unique. If what people are paying attention to is MTV and "Rolling Stone," then yeah we are totally unique. I don't see banjos, fiddles, or mandolins on MTV, and that stuff is all over our record. I'm so far removed from that world anyway. I don't watch that stuff, I don't have much interest in it. Its not unique in the world I live in. All my friends and all the bands I enjoy play similar music to mine in one sense or the other. It is more organic. I totally like folk music. I like rock 'n' roll. I like all that stuff. Q: Do you feel that because of your style you attract a variety of fans? A: I feel like the scene that we fit into is the " No Depression Scene" (named after an Uncle Tupelo song). People who know of this know what to expect. A lot of people come to see us, and don't know what the hell it is. They know they dig it, but say 'what do you call that kind of music,' and I'm like 'I don't know.' Q: You've achieved a nice level of success. A: Success? Really? I wouldn't say that. Q: Are you content where you're at or do you have big plans for the future? A: I'm having a good time. As long as things are moving forward and the music stays at the forefront, I'm all for it. We are at the point now where we've played almost everywhere in Boston and the Northeast, and the key is getting the band on the road again to get to the next level. Not everyone in the country is going to come to Boston to see us, we have to go to them. Q: Is the album reflective of what's going on in your life? A: Totally.. Every damn word on the record is true, except for getting murdered with an ax part. The only way I saw myself getting through last year was to have songs as an outlet. It is so over the top, it's almost funny, so why not poke fun at it and call it drama city. I was in Boston, and that was like Drama City. Everywhere I went, there were people breaking up, not talking with each other, people getting into fights, people getting arrested, people going to jail, people losing their kids, you got to turn it into something good. http://www.usmfreepress.org/news/2003/03/10/ArtsAndEntertainment/Review.And.Interview.With.Musician.Jabe.Beyer-389897.shtml EAST COAST ROMPER: MARCH 2003 JABE- Drama City Xemu Records Massachusetts based Jabe took the name of guitarist / vocalist Jabe Beyer who's press kit says has "the blood of Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits running through his veins." I'm not a doctor (nor do I play one on TV) but I think Mr. Beyer is in need of some blood work. I mean, having Neil Young's blood can't be healthy, can it ? Jabe play an assortment of styles that can best be described as rock with a country/folk/bluegrass flavor. While this is not my bag and probably not 99% of Romper readers' thing either, I've got to admit two things: 1). I like the track Those Times Are Over as it is pretty damn catchy and lyrically hits close to home and 2). Overall, Mr. Beyer is a talented lyricist. If you want to seem cooler than your snobby friends with DMB bumper stickers, look for this 2 CD set from Jabe. The 2nd disc has some MP3 files that were pretty good with the lyrically entertaining Face For Radio and It's Time To Go. Other noteworthy tracks on disc one were the upbeat Into A Wall and the dark Cold Cold Wind. Like I said, this really isn't for me or most ECR readers but I thought I'd give Jabe props for what they do because they do it well. I also detect a little Bob Dylan in Jabe Beyer's veins. Hopefully, they screen him at Red Cross blood drives. I'd rather die on the operating table than get a transfusion from this cat- he's toxic ! Review by: Samuel Adams http://www.home-of-rock.de/CD-Reviews/Jabe/Drama_City.html" http://www.home-of-rock.de/CD-Reviews/Jabe/Drama_City.html Cowboys auf Speed, fällt mir spontan ein, denn dermaßen schnell, druckvoll und alles im Weg stehende niederreißend sprudeln Those Times Are Over, sowie Kelly McGuire aus den Boxen. Fiddle, Banjo und auch die anderen Instrumente fahren anscheinend Doppelschicht. Geht es um Country, redet man ja gerne von Rhythmen die an trabende Pferde erinnern – den erschöpften Cowboy durch die Prärie tragend. Umgesetzt auf die ersten beiden JABE Songs müsste man folgendens schreiben: Cowboy war jahrelang im Knast und nun zieht es ihn unbändig nach Dodge City ins Puff. Um dem treuen Freund auf Höchstleistung zu bringen, bekommt der Vierbeiner einige aufgeschnittene Habanero Red in den Allerwertesten und schon lässt er jeden Dragster zur Weinbergschnecke mutieren. Spaß beiseite, das ist Alternative Country pur. Mit Honest As Pure Gold wird das Tempo etwas zurückgefahren – aber es ist ein nach vorne treibender Song mit gekonntem Refrain. Cold Cold Wind ist eine weitere Steigerung. Midtempo, Mandolinenkläge die mehr als begeistern, etwas düstere Gitarrenstimmung, ja stellenweise etwas psychedelisch. Kurz: eine Übernummer. Interessant, was andere Magazine über JABE schreiben: Jam Magazine, New Hampshire: "A blend of Americana and Grunge East Coast Romper (über Jabe Beyer): "the blood of Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits running through his veins In der Tat erinnert manches an Young oder Springsteen. Aber immer ist dieser Cowboypunk mit an Bord. Und dann die Lyrics: Klar, genretypisch geht es meistens um Liebe und Suff, aber erstens ist genau das das Leben und zweitens kommen die Texte nicht banal daher, sondern schneiden voll ins Fleisch und zwar quer zur Faser. Und wenn jetzt noch jemand sagt, er kennt einen Countrysong in dem es um Nekrophilie geht, dann glaub ich das nicht. Crazy Anne Marie ist trotzdem schön und wieder im Uptempobereich angesiedelt. Didn't Ever Blink lädt zum Fußwippen ein und kommt traditionellen Countryliebhabern doch mehr entgegen. Can't Be That Bad ist eine tolle Ballade, die unweigerlich zum mitsingen animiert. Düstere, CRAZY HORSE Gitarren eröffnen Damn Them Big Brown Eyes. Roots, Americana, Alternative Country – weg vom bisherigen Cowboy Punk. Jabe Beyer verlieh der Band JABE seinen Namen, aber allerspätestens jetzt wird klar, dass ihn dies nicht automatisch zum Alleinherrscher macht – die Band ist eine Einheit und spielt auf sehr hohem Niveau. Düster auch Pitch Black Road. Eher 'ne Folk Nummer, denn Country. Vielseitig sind sie also auch, die Jungs. Wasted rockt mit Swampanleihen, ja man fühlt sich als Passagier in einem Schnellboot durch die Sümpfe von Louisiana düsend. Jerk nimmt das Tempo wieder zurück und zeigt, was ein Springsteen so nie konnte. Into A Wall knüpft da an, wo die beiden ersten Tracks endeten, erinnert außerdem etwas an die POGUES. Also wieder Gaul mit Chilli im Hintern. Brutale Bremse dann zum Abschluß der CD. Es wird wieder langsam und ein tolles, abwechslungsreiches Album geht zu Ende. Alternative-Cowboy-Punk-Countryrock würde ich sagen. Kommt gut, macht Spaß und ist eine Empfehlung wert. Ulli Heiser, (HYPERLINK "http://www.home-of-rock.de/Impressum/Ulli_Heiser.html"Impressum, HYPERLINK "http://www.home-of-rock.de/Impressum/AutorArtikel/Artikel_Ulli.html"Artikelliste), 11.07.2004 JABE BEYER’ S DRAMA CITY By Kier Byrnes Whether Jabe Beyer is performing a solo acoustic set at Club Passim or he’s backed by his supergroup of musician friends like Jay Aucella on bass, Dave Westner on drums and Sean Staples on mandolin, one thing’s for certain; there’s gonna be some kick-ass good ole’ American rock and roll. Sure, some may call it country, some may call it redneck. But I’ll tell you one thing, with a new cd in the works called “Drama City,” you’ll be bound to hearing more of this very talented songwriter. Noise: Your past albums have gained all sorts of rave reviews including a Boston Music Award. Was there a lot of pressure when making “Drama City”? Jabe: Pressure from who? The record label? The agent? The A&R guy? I don’t have any of those things to worry about. The only pressure I have is from me and I’m way too critical. I’m just trying to write and record them as best as I can. That's it. It’s what I like to do. I never concern myself with what other people might think of it. Not while I’m writing it anyway, "Like is this too mushy?" or "What will capitol records think of this?” That way lies madness. The music business is a mess. I know what I think is good and what isn’t. I’ve been playing in bars for years. You get a different mentality. It’s about music or it’s not worth it. Lord knows it’s not good for your pockets or your health. And when you have no rent money and can’t buy gas for your car, you damn well better like the music you’re playing. If you think in terms of the music business, you’re going to end up crawling back to your hometown crying in the end. Noise: Do you think "Oh Brother Where art Thou?" winning a Grammy for best new album been a factor to the comeback of the whole roots rock/alt country scene? Jabe: I have no idea what affects other people. The idea of “the masses” is something I can’t comprehend really. I don’t get it, like when everyone in the country is talking about the same event, or the same movie; one big, media sponsored perspective. That scares me. As far as music goes, who wins a Grammy and who doesn’t has absolutely no effect on my life whatsoever. I live so far away from that world it would make about as much difference as who wins a bowling match. I don’t even know what alt country is anymore. As if I ever did right? I used to think that was my ‘genre’. I'm not even writing those types of songs anymore. I wish I had some great philosophy on the state of the alt. country scene, but truth is I just don’t. I tend to like more organic, roots oriented music. But that’s just me and if someone turns on Stereo Lab, or something like that, I’m not going to tell them to turn it off you know? Noise: Do you base most songs off of real people and events? To what extent is your songwriting biographical? Jabe: Drama City….definitely the real deal as far as my life. Every single word of that record is true; except the getting killed part. I wasn’t murdered by an axe wielding psycho. The year I wrote those songs was an emotional rollercoaster for me, as well as for a lot of my friends. Everyone’s world just kind of turned upside down all at once. Boston, to me, was drama city. Every night out, there was some couple in an argument or people avoiding other people and just all this really heavy stuff going on everywhere. I got my heart knocked around some and that was just the way it went down. When I listened to the finished record it was just so melodramatic. Sean said so too. I had to poke fun at that. Noise: What was the inspiration behind the new album, “Drama City”? Jabe: Inspiration? Not to sound all heavy and creepy, but inspiration is a word that just gets thrown around and thrown away too much. People use it like a napkin. They need it then and only then and when they’re done they just throw it away. Inspiration’s not a surface type of thing to me. To me it’s something that actually stops you in your tracks and makes you turn a different direction. It makes your face go white. It lets you hear or see something or think of something in a way you’ve never done before. So many things don’t affect people. They just walk right through things, you know? Walk through ideas and art like they’re clouds. It’s hard to know who people are. Noise: How did you manage to hook up with the backing musicians in your band? Jabe: People have come and gone over the last few years. Drummers, fiddlers, guitar players, but not bass players. Jay Aucella has been playing with me for 8 years now. He's not a "backing musician." I never really think of people that way anyway. They’re in the band when they’re in the band. Right now it’s me and Jay and Dave and Sean. And when we play it’s an "us" mentality, not "me". I play solo a lot too and when I do, it’s Jabe too. Because that's me. It’s a tough line for me to walk sometimes, booking gigs as JABE. Makes me sound like an egomaniac or something. For the guys too I’m sure. Maybe we should be “Jabe and the Flying Chicken Biscuit Monkeys” when we play as a band. Sometimes people wonder if they’re getting Jabe solo, or a band, or a duo or whatever. As long as I’m at the gig, writing the music and singing the tunes it’s going to be JABE. If things change, then they change. If someone has to leave, I find someone else. I try not to dictate what people play, so when friends have left the band, it’s never been a personal thing. Everyone’s got their road, and roads fork. That’s just life. I’m just glad there are even people who enjoy playing the songs enough to do it. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate those guys. Noise: Sean Staples has got to be one of the top mandolin players around. How is it working with him? Jabe: It sucks. Sean is impossible. He demands his own dressing room. No I’m just kidding. Sean is a great guy. And definitely about as good a mandolin player as it gets. He’s become what he is out of his pure love for music. He lives and breathes it. All kinds. He loves Gillian Welch, he loves KISS. He’s plays them at the same time in his room on two different stereos and waits for people outside to explode. Noise: Both you and Sean are also in a bluegrass/roots rock band called The Benders, another band that’s getting pretty big around New England. So my question is: Benders vs. Jabe. Who wins in a wrestling match? Jabe: It depends what team I’m on. Noise: One of my favorite Jabe songs is "Kelly McGuire." I was at one of your shows and ran in to her. I was surprised that she was a real person. What does a girl have to do to get full props in a Jabe song? Jabe: Next question. Noise: Is "Kelly" on the album? Jabe: The song is, but the woman herself isn’t. She was going to do a cowbell cameo but her work in the Andes didn’t allow for it. Noise: Who are some of your influences/bands you dig? Jabe: There are all kinds of people. I moved to New Hampshire, the “classic rock” state, in January. I don’t think that’s what they call it, but that’s what it should be. I spent 7 years in Boston, and was blown away by the musicians there. I still am. I’ll drive 80 miles each way to see Dennis Brennan. In NH, there are great things going on too. Say Zuzu was great band. It was weird. One day I walked into this bar in Somerville that I’d been going to all the time for years. I walked in, looked around and walked out. By the time I hit the door I knew I was leaving Boston. It wasn’t because of any certain thing. It just hit me. A few months later I fell in love with this girl from NH, and that was that. Bye-bye Boston. Funny thing is I’m still in Boston all the time anyways. I just get to leave when I’m done. Noise: Has getting out of the city and moving to New Hampshire affected you musically? Jabe: Maybe a little bit. I have less to compare myself too maybe. Which is good because the “self-critical, way-too-filtered” me got a much needed break. I don’t have the constant din of band names and musicians and signs and posters in my face like I did in Boston. I took myself out of context. It’s kind of nice. Noise: Where are your favorite places to play? Jabe: Wherever we get paid and the sound is halfway decent. Just kidding. Or am I? We went on tour in March of this year and were pretty much gone till the end of May. That gave me a great deal of perspective on Boston as a musical spot. Boston is an entity, bubble to cut your teeth in you know? It also made me realize that Boston is a crazy soup bucket of talent. I’m sure you could say that about any city but Boston’s got great music dripping out of its ears 7 nights a week. It just needs more people to realize it. Especially booking agents. Noise: You are no stranger to the club scene. I've seen you at TTs or the Lizard Lounge where it's like a 45 minute set and you're off but I’ve also seen you at places like the Burren where a show can be an all night affair. How do you gear up for those types of shows? Jabe: One thing I definitely don’t do is ‘gear up’ for anything. I’ll just end up disappointed if I do because it never translates into a better show or better experience. The band never practices unless we’re going into the studio, which is hardly ever. I’ll dump 10 new songs the guys have never heard, we’ll have an hour rehearsal and they’re off. As far as the club scene goes, I’ve never really been into it or accepted by it. I’d rather play for 3 hours, get a free meal and drinks, and have the people that want to see us pay only $3, than play for 35 minutes on a Monday night at 11pm, in a club, for 2 free warm beers, no money and fans have to pay $8. It’s not even an option. I made a conscious decision not to play rooms like that. Sometimes you have to, but if I have a choice, I stay away from that equation. Now that we’re filling places, with a line of people down the road, its time to rethink how I can find a bigger room that still works out for the band, the club and the people who come out to the shows. Jabe will be playing at The Burren in Davis Square in Sommerville, MA on January 10 and January 31st. Cover for each night is a mere three dollars. For more information about Jabe and samples from his new album, “Drama City,” check out his website at www.jabe.net. What are some of your most requested songs? Depends on if I’m playing a bar or an old folks home. What was the inspiration behind the new album? -inspiration? Not to sound all heavy and creepy, but inspiration is a word that just gets thrown around and thrown away too much. People use it like a napkin. They need it then and only then and when they’re done they just throw it away. With no “thanks,” just “bye bye,” ya know? Inspiration’s not a surface type of thing to me. To me its something that actually stops you in your tracks and makes you turn a different direction. Makes your face go white. lets you hear or see something or think of something in a way you’ve never done before. whats inspiring about that to me, is that it affects me and I love that.. that’s where I am thankful for it. so many things don’t affect people. They just walk right through things, ya know? walk through ideas and art like they’re clouds. Its hard to know who people are. Who is Charlie "The Bubble"? He’s an old guy from Brooklyn. Stays inside a lot. Used to kill people for money. He’s retired now. Sits around and thinks. Mostly about candy, boats, and twizzlers. JABE Xemu Records Drama City 13 Song CD The finest work to date by one of my all-time favorite musicians, ***Drama City*** sounds like the souls of Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Tom Waits channeled through early Whiskeytown, 16 Horsepower and The Old '97s and the middle ground between ***O Brother, Where Art Thou*** and ***Appetite for Destruction***. Heartbreaking, honest, witty, bitter, joyous, cutting and sarcastic, singer/guitarist Jabe Beyer's songs, lyrics and gift for melody are on par with any of the greatest songwriters you can name. He writes at least one song every day, and you're guaranteed to be humming (and singing at least half the lyrics to) any of them after the first listen. ***Drama City*** includes a bonus CD-Rom of videos and MP3s and was recorded in a mere eight days by the band in their home studio for next to nothing, and it turned out sounding better than albums that are the result of months and tens of thousands of dollars spent in the studio. If a better, more affecting album is released this year, I'll eat my keyboard. Mike Baldino http://www.facemag.com/columns/index.php?article=287" http://www.facemag.com/columns/index.php?article=287 What a breath of musical fresh air JABE is! Coming at you with a plethora of instruments and the sense that this band just has fun playing together, JABE shines in their first impressions…to me, of course. I became an instant fan from the first tune “Those Times are Over,” to the last “You Think I’d Learn.” Lead singer and band namesake, Jabe Beyer, lends his raw vocals, songwriting and guitar-playing talents with his fellow bandmates (Jay Aucella, Dave Westner and Sean Staples) offering truly unique music which I can only categorize as rock/folk/bluegrass/country. JABE would call it “Locomotive-Cow-Punk-Alterna-Roots-Songster Music.” Whatever it is, it’s quite a wide range of musical styles but put it all together and it sounds good…damn good. Recorded in eight days in three different cities in Massachusetts, JABE has become a staple of Boston, making quite the niche for himself over the years. It’s more than worth mentioning that Beyer is the 2000 Abe Olman Songwriting Award winner from the National Academy of Popular Music, SESAC, and Songwriting Hall of Fame. Take a listen. by Shelby Morris WBUR.org Review- Danielle Dreilinger No one ever accused the four-piece band Jabe of being subtle. The band's third album, "Drama City," busts out of the gate with revved-up string horsepower and speed banjo. Frontman/ songwriter Jabe Beyer has a rock-and-roll heart and bluegrass hands, and his band pulls off the rare feat of fusing rock energy with authentic folk spirit. Unlike some bands that use acoustic instruments as stage props, the mandolin and banjo are full players in Jabe's music. Drum sets are never used in bluegrass and rarely in live folk performances, but the snare/banjo combination makes for a distinctively rickety, frenetic quality that expertly sets the album's mood. Dave Westner plays drums and co-produced the album; omnipresent Boston musician Sean Staples takes banjo, fiddle, and mandolin. Beyer howls about mistakes and frustrations. His album, is dark. "Dirty old rags or a silk white shirt, either way they're just gonna cover you in dirt," he growls cynically in "Cold Cold Wind." But Beyer's directness can be funny. One uncensored lyric draws a line from the id to the gut: he comments about a lover that "she's writing her dissertation on poetry, she's gonna be a doctor-- what the hell's she doing blowing me." "Into a Wall" is the plaint of a Boston bar band gigging for $24 a night in smoky rooms, while "Crazy Anne Marie" paints, with broad strokes, a "Misery"-like tale of an axe-wielding girlfriend. Beyer presents himself as a beer-drinking outlaw, but under the raucous rough-thatch, there's poetry in his music as well. He has a gift for capturing "sensitive" moments. In one song, he recalls, wistfully: "all the times you said you loved me and I didn't even blink." Beyer sings about failure, hopelessness, and ennui, but he views losers (including himself) and ex-lovers with compassion. "Pitch Black Road" expresses sympathy for societal underdogs in a raspy whisper. Yet another breakup song, "Honest as Pure Gold," encourages the future while it mourns the past: "And all the dreams that you had, it don't mean they won't come true/And all the nights, beautiful when the shadows fell on you. Drama City" expresses a unified vision. Most of the songs boast a rushing wall of sound and a cinematic sweep -- "Damn Them Big Brown Eyes," "Jerk," "You'd Think I'd Learn." Although the album circles around familiar themes, the songs don't get stale. Beyer may be drinking from the dregs of the last beer in the bar, but as the depression-fueled drums and mandolin barrel forward, you can't help but tap your foot. He is a great songwriter, and this is a great, great album. Drama City" reflects two recent folk album trends: (1) a track where the band messes up and starts over but leaves the mistake on the recording and (2) video-enhanced CD tracks to play on your computer. The do-over shtick is an obvious ploy to make the album seem more "casual" and informal, but hey -- it works. The videos, however, which record live performances, are less successful. "Cold Cold Wind" is arty, "Those Times Are Over" is okay, "Stupid Boy" is jumpy and unsteady. There's something embarrassing about watching a local band on the video screen -- it's like looking at your fellow bleary barflies when the lights go up at 1:55 in the morning. It's nice to have a few extra songs, but if you live in New England, don't bother with the video footage. Go see Jabe live. Danielle Dreilinger reviews folk, bluegrass and country music for WBUR, Boston's NPR News station. http://www.jabe.net http://www.rootshighway.it/outsiders/outsiders.htm" http://www.rootshighway.it/outsiders/outsiders.htm Jabe - Drama City Blue Rose 2004 3 1/2 STARS Jabe non è altro che il nome d'arte di Jason Aaron Beyer, cantautore di trent'anni originario dello stato di New York. Abituato, sin da bambino, a percorrere le strade d'America in lungo e in largo per le instabili vicissitudini economiche della sua famiglia, Jabe (nomignolo affibiatogli dalla sorella) scopre così la musica, il country e le sue tradizioni. Dopo aver frequentato il college nel North Carolina, Jabe si stabilisce a Boston per intraprendere la carriera musicale, battendo le strade della città con la propria chitarra. Proprio a Boston incide il suo primo album, Twenty Point Turn, che viene eletto in città miglior "debut album" del 2000. Anche il 2004 è un buon anno: il suo terzo album vede la luce (in commercio negli Usa con un bonus CD per mp3 e video) e arriva persino in Europa, grazie alla Blue Rose. Drama City, questo il titolo, suonato con i fidati Jay Aucella (basso), Dave Westner (batteria) e Sean Staples (chitarre, banjo e mandolino), è un disco dalle molteplici sfaccettature che snocciola tredici pezzi divisi fra combat-folk (Those Times Are Over), country-punk (Crazy Anne Marie, Honest As Pure Gold, Into A Wall e Kelly McGuire) e ballate a "stelle e strisce". Nonostante lo sbarco in Europa e la lodevole confezione sonora, col suo suono elettroacustico, arricchito da pianoforte, hammond e tutto quanto appartenga alla musica americana meglio imbastita, Drama City vive ancora della positiva e spontanea genuinità del suo autore: ne accentua l'aspetto arcigno, capace di cavalcare spesso impetuose onde acustiche; ne coccola i passaggi di rock romantico delle intense Can't Be That Bad, Jerk e You'd Think I'd Learn. Grazie ai riverberi chitarristici e ai feedbacks alla Neil Young di Damn Them Big Brown Eyes, così come col rock ruvido dell'energica e lanciata Wasted (armonica southern, dita veloci sui capotasti della chitarra e flashback agli anni settanta), Drama City calpesta tutti i seminati roots a noi cari e corre spedito verso Slobberbone e Uncle Tupelo. Niente di più genuino. (Carlo Lancini) HYPERLINK "http://www.barbwaters.com/ www.jabe.net PORTLAND PHOENIX: PORTLAND MAINE EDITOR’S PICK Jabe Beyer’s new double disc, Drama City, runs the alt-country gamut from the shuddering cow-punk of "Those Times Are Over" and the slow-burn Neil Young–guitar threaded through "Damn Them Big Brown Eyes" to the more laid-back Americana of "Pitch Black Road." Jabe’s gift for songcraft and vocal delivery is in evidence at every point on the record; check out his gruff Shane MacGowan delivery on "Kelly Maguire": "I met this girl named Kelly Maguire/With hair like straw and a tongue like fire./She had whiskey, and we had fun." Makes you wish for a girl cut from the same cloth. Jabe holds a CD-release party at the Barley Pub in Dover, New Hampshire, at 10 p.m. on Friday, call (603) 742-4226, and at Gritty McDuff’s, 396 Fore Street, Portland, Saturday at 9 p.m. Call (207) 772-2739 for cover. Jabe Drama City Blue Rose Format: CD PC: Y76 Best.-Nr.: BLU 0329 Einer alten Tradition aus den 60ern und 70ern folgend wurde die Newcomergruppe Jabe aus Boston, Massachusetts ganz einfach nach dem Vornamen ihres Bandleaders, Jabe Beyer, benannt. Um die enorm breite stilistische Palette von Jabe zu erfassen, sollte man unbedingt das gesamte Album durchhören. Ein frühes Urteil würde wich tige Details auslassen, könnte sich zu sehr auf die allerdings dominierenden schnellen bis sehr schnellen Nummern konzentrieren. Tatsächlich beginnen Jabe mit einer furiosen Variante des Bluegrass, genauer eine Mischung aus elektrischem Bluegrass und Highspeed Country Rock, etwa „Bluepunk Countrygrass“ oder so. Die Kombination von einschlägigen Instrumenten des Genres wie Gitarre, Banjo, Mandoline, Dobro, Standbass und Fiddle mit dem Handwerkszeug einer kräftig und hartanpackenden Rockband gelingt großartig und wirkt zu jeder Zeit voll überBest. zeugend. Doch diese formal extrem originelle Soundhülle wäre auf Dauer nicht viel wert, würde sie Jabe Beyer nicht mit diesen kernigen, kraftvollen Songs füllen und mit seiner markigen, wettergegerbten Reibeisenstimme veredeln. JABE Drama City (2 Discs) jabe.net This is all about texture – layers of earthy rhythms and inspiring grooves all drawn from the spirit of roots music. A medley of instruments like mandolin, banjo, fiddle, accordion, and harmonica, along with electric, acoustic, and slide guitars, bass (acoustic, electric, double), and drums and percussion are responsible for the wonderfully smoky flavor of Jabe’s music. Team this blend with the first-rate playing of Jabe’s band – Jay Aucella (bass), Dave Westner (drums), and Sean Staples (mandolin), and Jabe’s edgy, folksy songwriting and vocal style, and you’ve got what I consider an outstanding album. I can’t say enough about “Drama City” – I am captivated; completely tingling from the vibes this emanated. Along with this stimulating 13-song CD, “Drama City” features a second CD with three videos and three MP3s. This was an excellent idea as it gives people a chance to get a glimpse of the band’s live presence (and I was happy to see one of my favorite tracks “Cold Cold Wind” on video), which is a lot more vibrant and energetic than one may expect for the genre. The MP3s are two live and one studio track – three more opportunities to showcase Jabe’s songwriting talent (and sense of humor) and music for newly ardent fans like me. Too many good songs to pinpoint all together here – just for a smattering of hard folk, rock, bluegrass, blues, and roots, I urge you to check Jabe out. Debbie Catalano http://www.soundcheckmag.net/pages/cd2.html#Anchor-6296 TIRAMILLAS http://www.tiramillas.net/musica/novedades/15_06_04/jabe.html" http://www.tiramillas.net/musica/novedades/15_06_04/jabe.html “Drama city” (BLUEROSE) En un universo musical donde no existe la MTV es donde vive Jabe Beyer. Original y agresiva, su banda -llamada simplemente JABE- ha ganado el Premio de la Música de Boston, varios premios a la composición, ha aparecido en el Billboard Magazine y ha tocado en festivales con Bob Dylan, Rusted Root, 16 Horsepower, Old 97s y otros. Ha grabado tres discos él mismo, los ha autoeditado y ha girado sin descanso por los EEUU creando una reputación como uno de los mejores y más trabajadores grupos en directo. Para la prensa local este es su mejor disco, y reciben comparaciones con artistas de la talla de Ryan Adams y Neil Young. Skratch Magazine September 2003 JABE DRAMA CITY SELF-RELEASED The third full-length release from Boston's brilliant Irish folk tunesmith Jabe Beyer is a two-CD set that bridges Dylan, Tom Waits, and Springsteen to the acoustic energy of the Emerald Isle. With 13 original songs on one disc and three live videos and three MP3 tunes on the other, Beyer has create. The music on this disc is a fast-paced cross of alternative country and bluegrass on speed. Beyer is simply one of the best songwriters in America. His lyrics are a heart-wrenching cry from the far end of a smoky bar. Choruses like "I made 24 dollars tonight at the local watering hole / I'm gonna leave this bar, get right in my car, and drive right into a wall" are the type of hard-nosed poetry that dominates this album. There are some excellent slow ballads on this release, on which Beyer's voice sounds eerily like Springsteen. We can only hope that Jabe never makes more than $24 a night and that the band stays mean and hungry, never plays for a major label, and continues to make art like this for years to come. www.jabe.net -DUG http://www.skratchmagazine.com/cdReview/CDreviewsSEP03.php SOUNDCHECK MAG http://www.soundcheckmag.net/pages/cover6.html JABE By Eric Holland_Photo by David Mclain The company one keeps says a lot about a musician. Jabe has got a friend who plugged a banjo into a Marshall stack and another who is a fiddle player that joined the circus. I hooked up with Jabe at about 9:30 on a Wednesday night in Allston Rock City. “I don’t see why you can’t rock with a banjo. It sounds bad ass. We’re loud as fuck. As the bar we were in was threatening Karaoke, we skedaddled to my apartment where I asked him if he wanted a beer or something.” Got any booze? I poured him about five shots worth of Jack and gave him the last ice cube in the tray. He made no comment and left no moisture in the glass. Jabe dug on the fact that I had been listening to the first Izzy Stradlin and the Juju Hounds disc and we agreed Sabbath is the shit. Gillian Welsh, Reverse, Black Crowes, Old 97s (especially Too Far to Care), Tom Waits, Wilco, The Benders (who he is a member of), Dennis Brennan, and Sixteen Horsepower were also mentioned. Jabe is up in Northampton, NH these days after spending eight years in Somerville and is solo again after living with a girl for a while. „You can‚t just avoid each other for three days.‰ Jabe plays guitars, organ, melodica, and accordion plus blows harp and fools around on drums. He also is a mean songwriter. (My faves: ‰Damn Them Big Brown Eyes‰ and „Jerk.‰) He missed every Thursday and Friday of school while growing up to travel to craft shows in a camper, and characterizes W „as a rich cowboy not smart enough to digest the consequences of what we‚re doing to the world.‰ Drama City features Dave Westner on drums, Jay Aucella on bass, and Sean Staples on mandolin, banjo, and fiddle. „It came out well. It‚s a good snapshot that was recorded in eight days. After 9/11, some gigs got cancelled so we took advantage of the time. Everything‚s live with two vocal takes. No punching in except for a few mandolin parts and some B3 added later. I did the folk scene for a long time. I like organic, acoustic songwriter based stuff pumped up to rock. I‚m resting from! roots rock now. I‚m doing an atmospheric, ethereal thing with analog synths. I go in at ten, write a song, record it all day and try not to sound like me. Catch Jabe sounding like himself at the record release party at Lizard Lounge on April 4th and 5th and pick up Drama City with a bonus CD-Rom disc containing three vids and three MP3s. For more info, go to Jabe.net, pigpilemusic.com, and folkweb.com. January 10, 2003- Boston, MA By Richie Hoss It’s 10:30 on a bitter cold Friday night in Davis Square and there’s a line extending down Elm Street outside The Burren. The reward for bearing the 19˚ January cold is to pay three dollars for three hours of one of the best alt-country/rock performers you’re ever going to see—Jabe. It is hot and packed in the back room where Jabe and his band--consisting of bass, drums, and mandolin, with Jabe on guitar—are already at full throttle slinging Jabe’s Tom Petty/Bob Dylan meets The Charlie Daniels Band brand of music. This is not one of your typical scenester shows wre the audience is too cool to get up close during the first set and dance. No, the room is really swinging, everywhere. As drinks are spilled and coats are shed, Jabe brings it on, playing their homemade instruments, which really seems to suit this band’s homemade feel. The songs seem unstructured or unpracticed: Jabe continually nods to his band when a song ends or a solo begins, but that somehow adds to the theatrics. There are lots of bands that play with feeling but few that make you feel. Jabe does both. Jabe begins the last set with a couple of rockers to let everyone know that this show isn’t going to slow down yet. One of the songs starts out like Hendrix’s “Foxy Lady” and Jabe continually switches musical hats in the last hour; going through rock, rockabilly, and alt-country. All the girls up front are hanging on his every word through his ballad “Maybe Next Time,” and then, just like that, the show ends, making a three-hour set seem like a half hour. http://www.skratchmagazine.com/cdReview/CDreviewsSEP03.php http://www.slugmag.com/oldslug/173/SLUG_MAG.html Jabe Drama City Woodeye Records Upon hearing the new album from Jabe, one could be forgiven for thinking Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy were the last great alt-country rockers. Drama City exceeds anything done by the great Uncle Tupelo, from the raging ferocity of "Kelly McGuire" to the near Johnny Cash-like "Pitch Black Road". The album changes tones and moods, yet always keeps a sense of self-deprecating humor throughout, whether intoning about love, drink or even necrophilia (surely a first for country). Jabe Beyer‚s lyrics stay razor-sharp and a sense of knowing wit stays throughout the record, with the exception of the beautiful, honest "Jerk." Country music has never sounded so fresh. ˆMartin Hollis http://www.rocktimes.de/gesamt/j/jabe/drama_city.html" http://www.rocktimes.de/gesamt/j/jabe/drama_city.html Cowboys auf Speed, fällt mir spontan ein, denn dermaßen schnell, druckvoll und alles im Weg stehende niederreißend sprudeln “Those Times Are Over”, sowie “Kelly McGuire” aus den Boxen. Fiddle, Banjo und auch die anderen Instrumente fahren anscheinend Doppelschicht. Geht es um Country, redet man ja gerne von Rhythmen, die an trabende Pferde erinnern – den erschöpften Cowboy durch die Prärie tragend. Umgesetzt auf die ersten beiden Jabe Songs müsste man folgendens schreiben: Cowboy war jahrelang im Knast und nun zieht es ihn unbändig nach Dodge City ins Puff. Um dem treuen Freund auf Höchstleistung zu bringen, bekommt der Vierbeiner einige aufgeschnittene Habanero Red in den Allerwertesten und schon lässt er jeden Dragster zur Weinbergschnecke mutieren. Spaß beiseite, das ist Alternative Country pur. Mit “Honest As Pure Gold” wird das Tempo etwas zurückgefahren – aber es ist ein nach vorne treibender Song mit gekonntem Refrain. “Cold Cold Wind” ist eine weitere Steigerung. Midtempo, Mandolinenkläge die mehr als begeistern, etwas düstere Gitarrenstimmung, ja stellenweise etwas psychedelisch. Kurz: eine Übernummer. Interessant, was andere Magazine über Jabe schreiben: “Jam Magazine, New Hampshire”: ,"A blend of Americana and Grunge “East Coast Romper” (über Jabe Beyer): "the blood of Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits running through his veins" In der Tat erinnert manches an Young oder Springsteen. Aber immer ist dieser Cowboypunk mit an Bord. Und dann die Lyrics: Klar, genretypisch geht es meistens um Liebe und Suff, aber erstens ist genau das das Leben und zweitens kommen die Texte nicht banal daher, sondern schneiden voll ins Fleisch und zwar quer zur Faser. Und wenn jetzt noch jemand sagt, er kennt einen Countrysong in dem es um Nekrophilie geht, dann glaub ich das nicht. “Crazy Anne Marie” ist trotzdem schön und wieder im Uptempobereich angesiedelt. “Didn't Ever Blink” lädt zum Fußwippen ein und kommt traditionellen Countryliebhabern doch mehr entgegen. “Can't Be That Bad” ist eine tolle Ballade, die unweigerlich zum mitsingen animiert. Düstere Crazy Horse Gitarren eröffnen “Damn Them Big Brown Eyes”. Roots, Americana, Alternative Country – weg vom bisherigen Cowboy Punk. Jabe Beyer verlieh der Band Jabe seinen Namen, aber allerspätestens jetzt wird klar, dass ihn dies nicht automatisch zum Alleinherrscher macht – die Band ist eine Einheit und spielt auf sehr hohem Niveau. Düster auch “Pitch Black Road”. Eher 'ne Folk Nummer, denn Country. Vielseitig sind sie also auch, die Jungs. “Wasted” rockt mit Swampanleihen, ja man fühlt sich als Passagier in einem Schnellboot durch die Sümpfe von Louisiana düsend. “Jerk” nimmt das Tempo wieder zurück und zeigt, was ein Springsteen so nie konnte. “Into A Wall” knüpft da an, wo die beiden ersten Tracks endeten, erinnert außerdem etwas an die Pogues. Also wieder Gaul mit Chilli im Hintern. Brutale Bremse dann zum Abschluß der CD. Es wird wieder langsam und ein tolles, abwechslungsreiches Album geht zu Ende. Alternative-Cowboy-Punk-Countryrock würde ich sagen. Kommt gut, macht Spaß und ist eine Empfehlung wert. THE NOISE (Boston) Live Review: JABE at The Burren 9/27/02 Trying to meet your friends at The Burren is a very daunting task when Jabe is performing. The place is so packed when I arrive, I can't spot my cohorts, let alone find a place to stand anywhere, so I edge my way towards the bar. This here music is some of the best drinking music you'll find anywhere; rooted in folk, bluegrass and country but still about as rock 'n' roll as it comes. Tonight Sean Staples amazes me yet again with his virtuosity on the mandolin. Jabe, the frontman for whom the band is named, has the crowd in the palm of his hand as usual, with people singing and dancing several rows deep. One wouldn't normally expect Asians to play redneck music, but Jabe had this new guy on fiddle that was top notch. To steal a line from Charlie Daniels, the devil was in the house of the rising sun tonight. Yes siree, tonight Jabe and his boys put on one hell of a show. Yee Haw! (Kier Byrnes) whats up magazine. feb/march 2002; issue 1, vol. 4 JABE: Outback Country Vampire Crossing the bridge between traditional bluegrass and modern rock and roll is Somerville's own, Jabe. His latest effort, "Outback Country Vampire," has helped earn him a Boston Music Award nomination for "Best Roots Rock Band." The songs you'll find on "Outback" aren't as over the top as Jabe's live show, where he's been known to rock out with the fervor of a mad man, yet its definitely not as toned-down as Jabe's other band, The Benders; a more traditional Appalachian ensemble that also performs some of the material from this album. "Outback" is able to capture a magical hybrid of good ole Americana, folk and country with songs like "Old Masons Bridge" and "Let in the Blue" But if I had to sum it up, I'd say this CD just plain out rocks. CONTACT: www.jabe.net Earpollution.com - review As Jabe took the stage in the backroom of The Burren, I immediately realized that I had seen them before and my satisfaction on making it out to see some live music on a Friday night intensified. I hazily recalled a cold Winter's night at Tir Na Nog, another Somerville breeding ground for rustic tunes and relentless hangovers, when I saw this same stocky frayed-haired singer/guitarist and his counterpart on mandolin--who's as close to a near spitting image of most artists' conception of Christ as I've ever seen or imagined--lead their band through a foot-stomping set laced with the essence of American music's most traditional forms. Tonight was no different, as Jabe leveled a crowd packed like sardines in the neighborhood Irish music hall with a country rock/bluegrass hybrid, played with the velocity and high fever pitch of good punk. Manic, yet faultless drumming provided the combustion and infectious mandolin playing and fervent vocals supplied the color. Songwriter and frontman Jabe Beyer directed the barnstorming quartet through a collection of roots-driven, runaway train-like workouts, building chords into songs on his electric guitar and bursting forth with vocalized emotion, although Sean Staples' mandolin playing and on-stage theatrics stole the spotlight from the barroom bard more than once. Jabe Beyer, relocated to Boston from upstate New York in the mid-'90s, began playing solo acoustic shows around town at cafes and small bars, developing a style all his own along the way. Eventually he formed his own band, named it after himself and has been touring like a madman ever since. Earlier in the year, Jabe released their second album, Outback Country Vampire, a fertile collection of songs worthy of the widespread local praise it received, but not totally representative of the live sound heard at The Burren. The album features ten different musicians alongside Beyer and showcases a fast and furious fiddle and a resonant banjo on many of the tracks. Staples' mandolin is suspiciously absent from all tracks but one. After seeing what this man can do with that little cousin of the guitar, I'd have to say that it's not only suspicious but quite unfortunate as well. If Jabe can pack this much energy into a live performance with four instruments, I must wonder excitedly at the possibility of seeing them with Staples plus a fiddle player and banjo picker in tow--Pure rockin' bluegrass action! -Dan Cullity [ top of page ] [Image] I wandered into the back room of The Burren in Somerville one night a few months ago to find a country-rock band onstage. Now normally, I enjoy country-rock bands, so I was fairly content. I ordered my Guinness and settled into a booth in the back. But gradually, the music started winnowing deep into my brain. There was a crack piano player, some great fiddle, and a lead singer who showed a bit more soul than the average back-of-the-Burren white funk crooner. Then I noticed myself singing along. The songs were catchy enough that you could learn the hook in two minutes, and every few songs the band would play a cover - some you would expect from a country-rock band (Bob Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee") and some you wouldn't (Radiohead's "Lucky"). I found myself singing harmonies on a song I knew, Gillian Welch's "Tear My Stillhouse Down," and the piano player heard me in the corner and actually motioned for me to come sing into his microphone. That's my half-hearted attempt at placing myself in my article in a New Journalism style, and it's my introduction to the story of Jabe Beyer, the best folk-rock-country-blues singer in Boston, and his band Jabe. His first record, Twenty Point Turn, won Best Debut Folk/Acoustic album at the Boston Music Awards, a second album is due out shortly, and the rip-roaring live show is on display often at local Boston pubs like Tir Na Nog and The Burren. How did you start playing music? I was a craft show kid. My mother made this crazy beautiful jewelry out of horseshoe nails and my family would be in a different town like every weekend, living in one of those crank open trailers. There would always be live music at these shows and I would just sit there for hours and listen. One band gave me a copy of their record and signed it. I was five years old. That was that, hooked for life. Tell me about the folks who play with Jabe. I swear I've had at least 20 different people in the band, mostly drummers who come and go. About 3 years ago I just couldn't take the folk thing anymore. The people are so great but it just isn't me. I like bars, booze, and loud music too much. What amazes me the most is that people actually want to play on my songs. I've had some of the best players in town play gigs with me for no money just because they dig the music. First there's Jay Aucella, whose been playing bass with me since day one. He's got this vibe. You see him play and you just say to yourself "that guy's a bad-ass." On drums now is Dave Westner who recorded almost all of Twenty Point Turn, the first record. He filled in one gig on bass when Jay was sick. Then he played piano for a few months, then he filled in on drums, now he's the drummer. The guy's a walking musical note who smokes more cigarettes than anybody I know. Keeping the forth member is always the kicker. We've had Casey Driesson who plays with Steve Earle now, we play with Bow Thayer from Elbow, Sean Staples (who plays with Kris Delmhorst and Catie Curtis), K. Ishibashi who joined the circus, Joe Kessler (from Wooden Leg), and some other fanstastic weirdos. All I know is its always different and it's always fun. Different songs sound different ways depending on who is playing. What other bands do you play in? I play in old-time kind of thing called The Benders. It's another situation where I look around and see who I'm playin with and just have to laugh. Nolan McKelvey on bass, Bow on banjo, Tim Kelly on dobro and Steve Mayone on mandolin. I heard there's another Benders in town. We're gonna have to fight it out I think. We started out just fucking around and then we played a gig and boom, we were a band. The records coming out at the end of September. We couldn't have made it any cheaper. We recorded it in one afternoon standing in a circle around two mics in my living room with a bottle of Jameson, a lot of grass and a bunch of tunes. We did the printing at Kinko's. God bless the cutting machine. I've also been playing with Elbow now for two years with Bow Thayer, Mike Press, and Jeremy Curtis. They were a band way before I stumbled in. That was another great accident in my world. Those guys are the epitome of what it should mean to play music. They live in Vermont, so I've done a lot of driving but the music is worth it. I sure as hell ain't doing it for my health. I've learned so much from those guys. Your music definitely seems to fall into that No Depression insurgent-country genre. Do you agree? Yeah, I guess we fit in there more than anywhere else. I could give a shit what people call it to be honest. But yeah, I think that whole scene is great. I listen to those bands more than what's going on nowadays on the radio. I'm into words. If the words are good, I'll listen to anything. I've spoken to Bloodshot many times. They're a great label. I dig the Old 97's and other bands like 16 Horsepower. Local music is where my head is though. Somerville, baby, the new alterna-super-mega hell-country capitol of the universe. The music here is amazing. If the whole insurgent county thing is where people want to group us with, I'll take it. Where do you get your ideas for cover tunes? If we cover something it's gotta be something not many people do, or know very well. Like Radiohead's "Lucky." That OK Computer album is so good, but nobody I know was playing any songs off it. It was a joke that started in my kitchen. I thought "Lucky" would sound cool all fast and bluegrassed out, so we did it. We're no cover band, but it's nice to play songs you wish you wrote, every so often. We do (Tom Waits') "Chocolate Jesus" sometimes, just to change things up a bit. I swear I was gonna write that song. Tom just beat me to it. Tell me what you were trying to do with the first record. On Twenty Point Turn I guess was just trying to make a good record without all the bells and whistles. I made the whole thing for $2100. Recording, mastering, everything. We did the basics in one day. 20 tunes, added some tracks to most of them, recorded a lot in my bedroom with a shitty mic, no headphones, plugged it into my stereo and had the idea that that was all OK. I was like, "Who needs all that other stuff. Fuck that. I can do this cause I know what I want and no buttons or knobs or local guitar hero guy or whatever is gonna do it for me." Just songs and words. I think an acoustic record can sound heavy and dark if you do it right. Dave Westner was a blast to work with too. He put on tape what I heard in my head without me even telling him. Then the record won a Boston Music Award. That was nice. How does the new record differ from the first? I think its gonna be called "Outback Country Vampire". There's so much stuff recorded over the last year that it's hard to know what to put out. If I had the dough I'd have put out another record last year too. I got all caught up in a manager deal that never went down which wasted about 8 months or so. They said they were gonna pay for the album, put us on the road, blah blah blah. So I waited and waited and they turned out to be jokers. The timing could have been better but I learned how much a lawyer costs and read enough books about the music biz to know I just need to write and play and whatever happens, happens. The new stuff is a lot darker as far as production goes, and I been trying to take my writing and dumb it down a bit. Less chords, less words, more feeling. I've been lost in a world of vampire books, murder ballads, bars, and life after dark for the past two years, so I can't help but write about it. One last question. What's the deal with chicken? (Jabe's website at www.jabe.net has a special section on chicken) Don't even go that direction. It's a contagious disease. An underground conspiracy. A monkey on your back. Look out. Just be on your way. [Insights Archive] INSTANT - (c) 2000 Interview With The Outback Country Vampire By April Boyle [Image] "Now I've got my head on straight, and I'm in my prime, standing at the corner of opportunity and time," sings front man Jabe Beyer (lead vocals, guitars, accordion, Wurlitzer, b-3 organ, tenor banjo, harmonica, trumpet) in the recently released song, "Keep On (OutBack Country Vampire). Jabe is the embodiment of this lyric. If you haven't at least heard of Jabe, it's not for lack of trying on the band's part. Jabe has been tearing up the club and bar scene several times a month with a madcap paced bluegrass/alt-country that's racking up connections and pushing open doors. The band was chosen to open up for 16 Horsepower in February at Lillis. Then, in June, the quartet got the privilege of opening up for one of their favorite bands, the Old 97s, at the Paradise. "Opening for the Old 97s was fuckin' great," says Beyer. "They were one of the nicest, most welcoming bands we've played with in a long time. No attitudes or anything like that. Just plain old good guys. Funny as hell, actually. They had a lot of good advice as far as business stuff goes, and it was just nice to play with a band we really like and see that they're doing the same shit we do, on a bigger scale, and still have their heads together. They just love music. We might do some more shows in the fall. Opportunity and time are certainly in Jabe's favor now, but that wasn't always the case. The band has undergone its share of growing pains since Beyer first joined forces with bassist Jay Aucello six years ago. Like many bands, Jabe just couldn't seem to find the right lineup. A perpetually revolving cast of players drifted in and out of the band, making it hard for Jabe to solidify its sound. "Jay and I were the only two that would stay," says Beyer. "I was trying to write all the songs, book all the gigs and rehearse with four different people in a week, at four different times. It was driving me fucking crazy. Other than Aucello, the only constant seemed to be the band name , much to Beyer's chagrin. Beyer began playing under his name as a solo act. After forming the band, he tried on several occasions to change the name--coming up with such outlandish names as The Twirling Dildo Beacons, Used Erotica, Broken Gold, Hot Rod Chicken Party and Your Mamma's House--but none of the names seemed to take. Says Beyer, "No one liked them, and the band was changing all the time. So, I was like, 'If I'm the only one in this band, I'm just going to call it Jabe.' Now, it drives me nuts, day after day, and I still don't know what I want to do. It's almost too late to change it because we've been playing with this name for so long, but at the same time, it's not just me. It's a bitch of a situation. Beyer may have misgivings about using his name, but his band mates are happy to let it be. "It's short, and it's to the point," says Sean Staples (mandolin, mandoblaster, guitar). "Who cares about the name? Names really don't matter when you come right down to it anyway. So long as people know where to find you, and they come, that's all that's important. Despite lineup changes, Jabe kept on. Then, in 2000 things began to click into place. Staples joined the band in January 2000, firming up the current lineup that began falling into place in 1999 when Dave Westner (drums, Wurlitzer) switched to drums, after a half-year stint as Jabe's keyboard player. The media attention and accolades began pouring in. Beyer was awarded the Abe Olman Songwriting Scholarship from the National Academy of Popular Music, SESAC and Songwriting Hall of Fame in February. Later, in April, Jabe took home the Boston Music Award for "Outstanding Debut Album" for the band's first release, Twenty Point Turn, originally released in November 1998. Jabe followed up the success of Twenty Point Turn with the release of a second album in March of this year. The album is titled Outback Country Vampire, a reference to the band's nocturnal lifestyle. Says Staples, "The nature of playing in this kind of band is that we're out pretty much all night. We generally don't get home until pretty late, more or less vampire hours. Like Twenty Point Turn, Outback Country Vampire was a do-it-yourself, self-released project. The album utilizes the recording, mixing and producing talents of Beyer and Westner, with the help of D. Dubya at Alphabase, Boston, and the mastering talents of Aucello at Sixpenny Brace Mastering, New Hampshire. With the exception of "Rocky Times Come N' Go" (Beyer/Monge) and "Put Away your Water" (Beyer/Aucello) all songs are written by Beyer. "I'm a selfish bastard, and it's my band, so I write all the songs," jokes Beyer. "I write pretty consistently, and have for a few years now, so there's no shortage of material to pick from. I tend not to write for a month or so, then 10 songs will just skirt out in like two days, and whatever I'm doing at the time has to wait. If I have a job, I just blow it off. If I have other things to do, they all get sidelined till the songs are done. It tends to piss people off, but I can't help it. I play in other bands where I'm not the songwriting guy, but this band is my baby, and I guess that's just how it is. Over the two years since releasing Twenty Point Turn, Beyer's songwriting style has evolved, influenced by the various band members and guest musicians who passed through the ranks of Jabe. "My goal for the first album was just to get a bunch of good songs out with the drums, the bass, the guitar and the words and not worry about all the hocus pocus, bells and whistles and fancy guitar playing," explains Beyer. "Since I made that one, I started hanging out in Somerville and the scene that's going on in that area. I've been influenced by that and people that give me music that they're into. Three out of the four Jabe members play in other bands in and around Somerville. Beyer and Staples both play with The Benders. Staples also plays with his band, the Resophonics. Westner has a band called Fred’s Bowling Ball. Over the past few years, Somerville has been growing into an extended family of musicians. Many of these musicians make guest appearances on Outback Country Vampire. "In Somerville, there's so many bands that are around and so many different people that play together," says Beyer. "It's not really planned out that there's guest people playing on the record. I live with a guy who sings really well. If he's sitting in the kitchen, and we're not doing anything, he's going to sing on it. I've got a friend that plays fiddle. We record everything, and we usually do all the drums and bass at Dave's place. Then we do a lot of the tracking at my house or Dave's place later. It's so low-key that Bow Thayer (The Benders, Bow Thayer and the Euphorians, Elbow) comes in and plays banjo on things. It's very much a community. It's crazy cool. Outback Country Vampire captures the vitality and enthusiasm of Jabe. This is a band that's not afraid to have fun. It's roots rock, thrown into high gear, with wonderfully told tales of murder, mayhem and love threaded through the music. "It's a real high-energy sort of roots rock," says Beyer. "We jump around and have a good time, but Sean plays the mandolin, and there's a fiddle player all over the record who's going to start playing with us again. I play acoustic guitar about half the time. Jay plays acoustic bass. But, there's no way in hell that it's folk or country. It's like rock with organic instruments. "It's music that draws heavily from traditional country music, bluegrass and real authentic forms of folk music, but sort of smashes them together," adds Staples. "All of us are in our 20s and early 30s, so growing up with Black Sabbath and Aerosmith was unavoidable. All of us played in garage bands when we were kids, and that's the kind of stuff that we were playing. That's definitely an influence, but as you explore more, you realize that there's a whole world of stuff out there. There's a whole bunch of people that are taking different elements of really raw, soulful traditional music, and they're smashing them together with Husker Du, the Sex Pistols and the Clash. I don't think that necessarily compromises either form of the music." "You can't invent anything completely new these days anyway," agrees Aucello. "Everything is a compilation of something. The members of Jabe are just trying to have fun and put out some good music in the process. "I'm just a guy who likes to write songs, hang out in bars with my friends, smoke cigarettes, laugh and goof around," says Beyer. "I just try and write songs that say something in a way that brings you through. If it's a sad song, I want to feel better by the end of it. If it's a happy song, I want to feel happy when it's over. Good songs to me make sense today, tomorrow, in 20 years, even 20 years ago. Good songs last. Seems like songs on the radio these days are just so self-pitying, 'I'm a loser and a martyr, and I'll be dead and fuck the world.' Whatever, man. Good luck singing that song when you're 50. Over the two-year period that Outback Country Vampire was recorded, Jabe's lineup was still in flux. The result is a cast of 11 musicians, including guest musicians and previous Jabe members. Although Jabe is pleased with the end product, the members feel that the band's sound has developed over the last year, with one solid lineup in place. "If you've got just a whole group of people there playing, it can make for great moments, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be the tightest thing in the world" explains Staples. "This has been a pretty steady lineup for a while, and I think the songs definitely get a good treatment as a result of it. I think we're definitely at the point where we're kind of reading each other's minds a little bit. That's when you know a band's been playing together for a while, when you start doing that kind of stuff. Outback Country Vampire may only be a few months old, but Jabe is already recording another album. The band says that the album is nearing completion, but its release date is contingent on available cash flow. Jabe's big goal now is to get out on the road and tour. "We can play in Boston four times a month for three years, but it's not going to get us anywhere," insists Beyer. "Now that I feel like we've got a band where people are going to stick around, it's definitely time to go on the road. We can play for hours, three hours at least without stopping, without worrying about it. We've got tons of songs. We're consistent. I think we sound good 99% of the time. I don't want to be the biggest thing in Somerville. I'd like to play all over the county, like every other band, but I think we that we're playing the kind of music that you can play for a long time. Of course, there's always the issue of money, or the lack of. "It's kind of a sad situation," quips Westner. "We've got no van. We've got no bread to support ourselves on the road. We don't know how to go on the road. So, we're trying to figure that out next. We make records for nothing. So, next we're going to figure out how to go on the road for nothing. Jabe is always on the move, and the best way to keep track of the band is through the band web site, www.jabe.net. The web site has tour dates, a bio, press, pictures and downloadable mp3 samples. There's also a link to send Beyer e-mail and questions. When tooling around the web site, don't forget to check out the band's quirky "chicken of the month. According to Beyer, there's a chicken conspiracy all over the universe... Interview With The Outback Country Vampire By April Boyle Now I've got my head on straight, and I'm in my prime, standing at the corner of opportunity and time," sings front man Jabe Beyer (lead vocals, guitars, accordion, Wurlitzer, b-3 organ, tenor banjo, harmonica, trumpet) in the recently released song, "Keep On (OutBack Country Vampire). Jabe is the embodiment of this lyric. If you haven't at least heard of Jabe, it's not for lack of trying on the band's part. Jabe has been tearing up the club and bar scene several times a month with a madcap paced bluegrass/alt-country that's racking up connections and pushing open doors. The band was chosen to open up for 16 Horsepower in February at Lillis. Then, in June, the quartet got the privilege of opening up for one of their favorite bands, the Old 97s, at the Paradise. Opening for the Old 97s was fuckin' great," says Beyer. "They were one of the nicest, most welcoming bands we've played with in a long time. No attitudes or anything like that. Just plain old good guys. Funny as hell, actually. They had a lot of good advice as far as business stuff goes, and it was just nice to play with a band we really like and see that they're doing the same shit we do, on a bigger scale, and still have their heads together. They just love music. We might do some more shows in the fall. Opportunity and time are certainly in Jabe's favor now, but that wasn't always the case. The band has undergone its share of growing pains since Beyer first joined forces with bassist Jay Aucello six years ago. Like many bands, Jabe just couldn't seem to find the right lineup. A perpetually revolving cast of players drifted in and out of the band, making it hard for Jabe to solidify its sound. "Jay and I were the only two that would stay," says Beyer. "I was trying to write all the songs, book all the gigs and rehearse with four different people in a week, at four different times. It was driving me fucking crazy. Other than Aucello, the only constant seemed to be the band name , much to Beyer's chagrin. Beyer began playing under his name as a solo act. After forming the band, he tried on several occasions to change the name--coming up with such outlandish names as The Twirling Dildo Beacons, Used Erotica, Broken Gold, Hot Rod Chicken Party and Your Mamma's House--but none of the names seemed to take. Says Beyer, "No one liked them, and the band was changing all the time. So, I was like, 'If I'm the only one in this band, I'm just going to call it Jabe.' Now, it drives me nuts, day after day, and I still don't know what I want to do. It's almost too late to change it because we've been playing with this name for so long, but at the same time, it's not just me. It's a bitch of a situation. Beyer may have misgivings about using his name, but his band mates are happy to let it be. "It's short, and it's to the point," says Sean Staples (mandolin, mandoblaster, guitar). "Who cares about the name? Names really don't matter when you come right down to it anyway. So long as people know where to find you, and they come, that's all that's important. Despite lineup changes, Jabe kept on. Then, in 2000 things began to click into place. Staples joined the band in January 2000, firming up the current lineup that began falling into place in 1999 when Dave Westner (drums, Wurlitzer) switched to drums, after a half-year stint as Jabe's keyboard player. The media attention and accolades began pouring in. Beyer was awarded the Abe Olman Songwriting Scholarship from the National Academy of Popular Music, SESAC and Songwriting Hall of Fame in February. Later, in April, Jabe took home the Boston Music Award for Outstanding Debut Album" for the band's first release, Twenty Point Turn, originally released in November 1998. Jabe followed up the success of Twenty Point Turn with the release of a second album in March of this year. The album is titled Outback Country Vampire, a reference to the band's nocturnal lifestyle. Says Staples, "The nature of playing in this kind of band is that we're out pretty much all night. We generally don't get home until pretty late, more or less vampire hours. Like Twenty Point Turn, Outback Country Vampire was a do-it-yourself, self-released project. The album utilizes the recording, mixing and producing talents of Beyer and Westner, with the help of D. Dubya at Alphabase, Boston, and the mastering talents of Aucello at Sixpenny Brace Mastering, New Hampshire. With the exception of "Rocky Times Come N' Go" (Beyer/Monge) and "Put Away your Water" (Beyer/Aucello) all songs are written by Beyer. I'm a selfish bastard, and it's my band, so I write all the songs," jokes Beyer. "I write pretty consistently, and have for a few years now, so there's no shortage of material to pick from. I tend not to write for a month or so, then 10 songs will just skirt out in like two days, and whatever I'm doing at the time has to wait. If I have a job, I just blow it off. If I have other things to do, they all get sidelined till the songs are done. It tends to piss people off, but I can't help it. I play in other bands where I'm not the songwriting guy, but this band is my baby, and I guess that's just how it is. Over the two years since releasing Twenty Point Turn, Beyer's songwriting style has evolved, influenced by the various band members and guest musicians who passed through the ranks of Jabe. My goal for the first album was just to get a bunch of good songs out with the drums, the bass, the guitar and the words and not worry about all the hocus pocus, bells and whistles and fancy guitar playing," explains Beyer. "Since I made that one, I started hanging out in Somerville and the scene that's going on in that area. I've been influenced by that and people that give me music that they're into. Three out of the four Jabe members play in other bands in and around Somerville. Beyer and Staples both play with The Benders. Staples also plays with his band, the Resophonics. Westner has a band called Fred’s Bowling Ball. Over the past few years, Somerville has been growing into an extended family of musicians. Many of these musicians make guest appearances on Outback Country Vampire. In Somerville, there's so many bands that are around and so many different people that play together," says Beyer. It's not really planned out that there's guest people playing on the record. I live with a guy who sings really well. If he's sitting in the kitchen, and we're not doing anything, he's going to sing on it. I've got a friend that plays fiddle. We record everything, and we usually do all the drums and bass at Dave's place. Then we do a lot of the tracking at my house or Dave's place later. It's so low-key that Bow Thayer (The Benders, Bow Thayer and the Euphorians, Elbow) comes in and plays banjo on things. It's very much a community. It's crazy cool. Outback Country Vampire captures the vitality and enthusiasm of Jabe. This is a band that's not afraid to have fun. It's roots rock, thrown into high gear, with wonderfully told tales of murder, mayhem and love threaded through the music. "It's a real high-energy sort of roots rock," says Beyer. "We jump around and have a good time, but Sean plays the mandolin, and there's a fiddle player all over the record who's going to start playing with us again. I play acoustic guitar about half the time. Jay plays acoustic bass. But, there's no way in hell that it's folk or country. It's like rock with organic instruments. It's music that draws heavily from traditional country music, bluegrass and real authentic forms of folk music, but sort of smashes them together," adds Staples. "All of us are in our 20s and early 30s, so growing up with Black Sabbath and Aerosmith was unavoidable. All of us played in garage bands when we were kids, and that's the kind of stuff that we were playing. That's definitely an influence, but as you explore more, you realize that there's a whole world of stuff out there. There's a whole bunch of people that are taking different elements of really raw, soulful traditional music, and they're smashing them together with Husker Du, the Sex Pistols and the Clash. I don't think that necessarily compromises either form of the music." "You can't invent anything completely new these days anyway," agrees Aucello. Everything is a compilation of something. The members of Jabe are just trying to have fun and put out some good music in the process. "I'm just a guy who likes to write songs, hang out in bars with my friends, smoke cigarettes, laugh and goof around," says Beyer. "I just try and write songs that say something in a way that brings you through. If it's a sad song, I want to feel better by the end of it. If it's a happy song, I want to feel happy when it's over. Good songs to me make sense today, tomorrow, in 20 years, even 20 years ago. Good songs last. Seems like songs on the radio these days are just so self-pitying, 'I'm a loser and a martyr, and I'll be dead and fuck the world.' Whatever, man. Good luck singing that song when you're 50. Over the two-year period that Outback Country Vampire was recorded, Jabe's lineup was still in flux. The result is a cast of 11 musicians, including guest musicians and previous Jabe members. Although Jabe is pleased with the end product, the members feel that the band's sound has developed over the last year, with one solid lineup in place. If you've got just a whole group of people there playing, it can make for great moments, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be the tightest thing in the world" explains Staples. "This has been a pretty steady lineup for a while, and I think the songs definitely get a good treatment as a result of it. I think we're definitely at the point where we're kind of reading each other's minds a little bit. That's when you know a band's been playing together for a while, when you start doing that kind of stuff. Outback Country Vampire may only be a few months old, but Jabe is already recording another album. The band says that the album is nearing completion, but its release date is contingent on available cash flow. Jabe's big goal now is to get out on the road and tour. We can play in Boston four times a month for three years, but it's not going to get us anywhere," insists Beyer. "Now that I feel like we've got a band where people are going to stick around, it's definitely time to go on the road. We can play for hours, three hours at least without stopping, without worrying about it. We've got tons of songs. We're consistent. I think we sound good 99% of the time. I don't want to be the biggest thing in Somerville. I'd like to play all over the county, like every other band, but I think we that we're playing the kind of music that you can play for a long time. Of course, there's always the issue of money, or the lack of. "It's kind of a sad situation," quips Westner. "We've got no van. We've got no bread to support ourselves on the road. We don't know how to go on the road. So, we're trying to figure that out next. We make records for nothing. So, next we're going to figure out how to go on the road for nothing. Jabe is always on the move, and the best way to keep track of the band is through the band web site, www.jabe.net. The web site has tour dates, a bio, press, pictures and downloadable mp3 samples. There's also a link to send Beyer e-mail and questions. When tooling around the web site, don't forget to check out the band's quirky "chicken of the month. According to Beyer, there's a chicken conspiracy all over the universe... COUNTRY STANDARD TIME REVIEW OF OUTBACK COUNTRY VAMPIRE November 2001- by Andy Turner Jabe Beyer’s songs on his band’s second effort are silly, dark, sad, funny, spooky, hell-raising, fascinating and always interesting._ Beyer and his Boston buddies play a sort of raucous bluegrass cowpunk that is powered by a train beat along the lines of the Old 97’s. In fact, the liner notes deem Stupid Boy, a “total Old 97’s rip-off” which it is sort of, but there is a lot worse things a band could do. “Checkout Girl” is a sweet ode to salvation in a supermarket that has lines like “There’s a frenzy in the marketplace/Someone ran off with the scale” and concludes with a triumphant “But I’ll meet her at the bar tonight, I will/I’ll just sit on my stool and twirl/Just me and the Checkout Girl.” “Danglin’ From a Broken Star” is a terrific ballad that would be the perfect “Coulpes Only”song at your favorite alt-country skating rink. Other highlights include the bluesy hillbilly boogie of “Forever is a Long Time” and the spastic bluegrass of “Let in the Blue” and “Rocky Times Come N’ Go.” Terrific songwriting and playing, full of fun and feeling. -Andy Turner

Jabe Press- Lots of it by
Performer Magazine Jabe -By C.D. Di Guardia Jabe Beyer is the kind of fellow who walks into a room to emphatic shouts of “Hey Jabe!” as he passes by. One could argue that people just like to say “Jabe,” which is actually a nickname. __Pronounced just as it looks, the name bears a familiar quality, like “Abe” or “Babe.” And yet, Jabe is name that most have not come across. The name itself has come to reference a novel musical sound, an easy-going spirit in the tightly wound, results-oriented music scene. Beyer is always at ease, both in his performances and during casual conversation. It seems almost paradoxical that his new record is entitled Where Are We Going & When Do We Get There. He does not come off as the kind of guy to ask “Are we there yet?” In many ways, it is as if he is already “there.” If not, then he is at least enjoying the ride more than most. “Everyone wants to get big or whatever,” he concedes. He clearly desires this as well, but he’s not losing sleep any over it. “I’m involved with music,” he states; “I don’t fit well in ...” he pauses; “... boxes.” Indeed, it would be hard to envision this man, with his Pinball Hero T-shirt and engineer-style cap, working in a cubicle somewhere. Jabe Beyer’s place is clearly in the studio or on the stage, behind the control room glass or leaning up to the microphone. Comfort is the name of the game, and Jabe sits quietly at the table with a drink, rolling a cigarette, as if he invented the word. It’s a warm and lazy afternoon, and Jabe doesn’t have to be anywhere at the present, so he does what he does best — he settles into the situation. All the while, he retains an air of cool good-naturedness, his quiet confidence permeating the entire room. One thing that Jabe seems to do a lot is ponder. Ask him a question and he’ll turn it over in his brain for a few seconds before speaking. In another life, he could have been a low-powered attorney, one who furtively crafts an airtight case before anyone realizes what is happening. His nature and senses serve him well; he has been able to link up with more than a few artists, affording him opportunities that the average musician never sees. He has toured Europe with both his own band and as a guitarist for other bands. He is involved with a number of groups, and is even credited on Bang Camaro’s MySpace page as a contributing member of the Dude Choir. For Jabe, Where Are We Going & When Do We Get There is an evolution of sorts. “These are songs that I have played for a long time,” he says. They are expansive, open-windowed entities buoyed by thoughtful vocals. His personality flows through the arteries of each song, creating more than a song of vocals and instruments. The twelve-track record has been forming inside of Jabe for quite a while, and each song exhibits a sense of assured maturity. A strong flavor of roots-y Americana saturates the record, and Jabe’s well-honed sense of dynamics allows him to create a story out of anything. Whether it’s the “Let’s go!” of opening track “Broken Back Road” or the easy nighttime lope of mid-record track “Both Hands on the Wheel,” Jabe takes the listener on a trip, and at times it even seems as if days and nights elapse over the course of the record. “Both Hands on the Wheel” is a midnight drive home through lonely roads haunted by the road-ghosts of earlier times. “You Can’t See the Stars from the Inside of a Bar” is a road trip home from a fun night out at the honky-tonk bar. Each song exudes a particular sentiment, as carefully thought out as Jabe’s free-flowing conversation. While his license reads “Jason Beyer,” it is clear that this man is more suited to “Jabe.” Through brisk storytelling and enlivening performances, Jabe Beyer the man and Jabe the band continue to engage audiences. While others may wonder Where Are We Going & When Do We Get There, Jabe Beyer sits back and rolls a cigarette with the confidence of a man who knows that the answer is different for everyone, with the exception of himself, of course. Turns out he’s already there. www.jabe.net Boston Herald Are we there yet?1-1442 By Kevin R. Convey Friday, June 9, 2006 Jabe Where Are We Going & When Do We Get There Hi-N-Dry | Critic: B+ New Hampshire-based Jabe Beyer’s albums have only gotten sharper as he’s worked himself backward in time through alt-country and cowpunk until arriving on his fourth album at a moody sort of post-Eagles country-rock. It’s a move that makes the most of his gift for insinuating hooks and lines, his spacious, pedal-steel driven band and a voice that could be described as resembling a postmodern Don Henley. As to the question posed by the album title, the music makes it clear Jabe is already there. Download: “Keep Goin’ Round.” (Appearing tomorrow at the Lizard Lounge, Cambridge.) BOSTON GLOBE: 2.8.07 http://calendar.boston.com/events/show/842324 In a 2001 interview musician Jabe Beyer said, ‘‘I’m not gonna be alt-country for life.’’ Fortunately for his devoted local following, six years later he has yet to follow through on that assertion. As lead singer of the roots-rock band Jabe, Beyer has released four albums, including this year’s decidedly alt-country gem ‘‘Where Are We Going and When Do We Get There.’’ Jabe’s music, which alternates between high-energy bluegrass and folksy ballads, always goes down as easily as a stiff drink in a dark country bar. The band is at work on its next album and planning a European tour, but tonight Jabe is at T.T. the Bear’s, with Dearborn Valley, Sam Reid and the Riot Act, and Jimmy Ryan opens. THE NOISE: JULY 10,2006 JABE Hi-N-Dry Records Where Ae We Going & When Do We Get There 12 songs Here’s another release from a former member of the Boston super-folk group, The Benders (also see Nolan McKelvey’s review in this issue). Somerville’s own Jabe Beyer is a singer/ songwriter who has never fails to impress. His latest release takes off where Drama City, his previous masterpiece left off. Jabe relentlessly has been developing and evolving as a songwriter, performer and poet. Songs like “Goddamn Train” and “You Can’t See the Stars From the Inside of a Bar” are spilling over with catchy lyrics and heartfelt vocals. Jabe’s vocal delivery rings with such a tender honesty, each melody resonating with emotion. This music hit me so close to home; I can’t call these songs just songs. They are memories and ghosts, hopes and dreams, they’ve transcended somehow to a higher level. The musicianship on this album is also stellar: Duke Levine, Jimmy Ryan, Dana Colley, Sean Staples, Billy Beard, Joe Klompus, Kris Delmhorst, Dave Westner and Jay Aucella. It’s a varitable who’s who list of Boston’s top folk and roots rock musicians. This album is excellent and it would be a damned shame if this boy didn’t make it big. (Kier Byrnes) http://www.wers.org/articles/?id=81" http://www.wers.org/articles/?id=81 ARTIST INTERVIEW: JABE BEYER December 01, 2006 WERS: Alright, we’re here with Jabe Beyer of JABE. You’ve released four albums since 2000, correct? JB: Ah, yes. Four albums with this band, yeah. WERS: The most recent being Where Are We Going and When Do We Get There. Drama City was released in Europe to begin a 19-stop tour. How was your reception in Europe, how did it differ from touring in the States? JB: It was really good, actually. I was pretty shocked. Most of it was in Germany and we also did Austria, Switzerland. I went over there solo, opening for Tatibo and I was kind of worried that it wouldn’t go over as well without the band, but it didn’t really seem to affect things, you know? There’s a whole different mentality over there for the music scene and excitement for live music, sort of a real network of people who talk about the stuff they see. I think it’s kind of like it probably was in the States maybe 20 years ago. Live music is still really important. People will come to the shows, they’ll drive really far to get there, they’ll tell their friends and their friends will come to see the shows. They do a lot of taping and bootlegging and that sort of stuff, so I think it went pretty well. WERS: You were also the winner of the Boston Music Awards, the Abe Olman Award, the NEMO Musicmakers Competition, which awarded a trip to a Hawaiian music festival and a year’s worth of Starbucks. Could you tell us about that? JB: Sure. I got this call that said to go down and play this gig. I went down and played and when I got there, I found out it was a competition with four other people. I didn’t want to do it, but I did and I lost. I forgot about it, but about a month and a half later, I got a call back saying that they did that little competition in about ten different places and they had ten finalists. They were having their big final competition at the Paradise and someone bailed or someone got sick or something, so they needed a wildcard spot. They asked me to come and play, so I did. I played four songs and drank some whiskey and ended up getting the award that they gave away that night. They gave me a trip to the Kouai Music Festival and a $500 prepaid Starbucks card. So that’s the story on that. WERS: Your website cites that you were "Trying to make sure that George W. Bush does not win reelection. JB: I was trying really hard, but I didn’t succeed. WERS: Oh, I know. Nobody did. Do you consider yourself to be politically active? JB: No, I’m not really politically active. I mean, I vote. I think it’s important and I had a family member who was working in the John Kerry camp. I was supporting her and supporting him. I went to New Hampshire and drove some people to the polls; I did anything I could do to be a supportive brother and I didn’t want Bush to win. WERS: Does that sort of thing play any role in your music or your songwriting? JB: Not so much directly, I don’t think. I did write one song called "Election Year," I guess it was two years ago. It could be sung for any election, a generic "tell me what I wanna hear, it’s election year" for any politician. There were some references that were a little more current. WERS: Where would you like to take things from here? Where would you like to take your music or vice-versa? JB: From here I’d like to get on a plane and I’d like to go to Brazil and hang out on a beach. That’s where I’d like to go from here. WERS: To perform in Brazil? JB: No, I’d just like to get back in my car right now and go to the airport and get on a plane to Brazil. But in general, just basically doing what I do at a level that grows. I like touring and I like playing, I like writing. There have been a couple of people that recorded some of my tunes and if that happened more, that’d be good. And if the touring stayed steady, that’d be good too. WERS: If not Brazil, do you think you’ll end up going to the festival in Hawaii? JB: Well I’ll go in 2007, I have no idea exactly when that happens, but that’s what I’ve been told. I don’t know if I play at it, I don’t know, but I will find out when I get there. WERS: Well Jabe, thank you very much. JB: Thank you, man. - Will Selfridge http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2006/06/09/life/life04.txt MUSIC SCENE: Sticking to his roots Jabe Beyer By JAY N. MILLER_The Patriot Ledger Jabe Beyer and his band Jabe may be bigger stars in Atlanta and Europe than in Boston - their hometown. But that doesn’t bother the alternative country, roots-rock musicians. ‘‘The farther away from home you play, the more fun it is when people come out to see you,’’ Beyer said. ‘‘We’ve played all 50 states, and Europe, but when you play Cambridge, five miles away, it’s not a big deal. When you go in and play Berlin, as an American musician, it adds to the idea you are serious musicians, and there is the feel of an event about it. Our low profile in Boston is just a product of us being around as often as we are; if we played once every three months we could play the Paradise. But since we want to play for a living, we need to play 10 times a month to make the rent, so we will play wherever they want us.’’ Jabe, Beyer’s quartet, will be performing Saturday night at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, celebrating the recent release of their fourth album, ‘‘Where are We Going, and When Do We Get There,’’ on Hi-N-Dry Records. Hanson saxman Dana Colley will be part of the quartet. Beyer is a New York state native who moved to Boston 10 years ago and soon immersed himself in the city’s thriving roots music scene. ‘‘I was in several bands, and into different things musically,’’ Beyer recalled. ‘‘I always gravitated toward more organic music, played on authentic instruments. The more pop music goes to technological aspects, the more I go to those first, original sounds of real music from real people.’’ Gradually, Beyer became a singer/songwriter type, pursuing his craft solo with a guitar. Before long, he’d met a lot of like-minded folks, and formed a band. Not long after, he decided to release his own record, the next logical step in a homegrown career. ‘‘Twenty Point Turn’’ was Beyer’s debut in 2000, with the band he dubbed Jabe (pronounced Jayb, like Gabe). ‘‘I began doing a lot of solo stuff, and got quite a few gigs playing guitar alone,’’ Beyer said. ‘‘Then I hooked onto playing with other people in an environment I could appreciate. I got a band together, and we began playing rock clubs, and then started our own label. We recorded the first album in my house; it was just more cost-effective than going with a record company.’’ Jabe’s first recorded efforts immediately struck a chord with alt-country, or so-called cowpunk fans. It also earned the band the Boston Music Award that year for Outstanding Debut Album. The year 2002 brought ‘‘Outback Country Vampire’’ again on Beyer’s own Woodeye label. By 2004, when ‘‘Drama City’’ came out, the band had a minor deal with Blue Rose Records of Germany. Blue Rose still handles their European rights, but now the Hi-N-Dry label, based in Cambridge, has picked up their U.S. distribution. Beyer also has a knack for lyrics. His songs are deceptively simple, with images and scenes that resonate immediately. Just the title of one tune, ‘‘You Can’t See the Stars, From the Inside of a Bar,’’ demonstrates how to the point Beyer can be. In fact, the whole new album is almost a theme project, with protagonists in nearly every song looking for something better in their lives. And Jabe delivers with conviction and honesty that adds layers of poignancy to the vignettes. ‘‘I had done a lot of recording since my last CD,’’ Beyer said. ‘‘We took a long time putting this one together, and this batch of songs just seemed to come together naturally. I’d say that ‘You Can’t See the Stars’ is a bittersweet kind of love song. The song ‘Both Hands on the Wheel’ also has that simple, truckin’ down the highway image, looking for the next horizon. That’s just how I feel right now, but I always try to have some hope in there.’’ Produced by Beyer, the new CD was mixed by Paul Q. Kolderie, and features guest spots from guitarist Duke Levine, singer Jennifer Kimball, drummer Billy Beard, Hanson saxophonist Dana Colley of Morphine fame, singer Kris Delmhorst, guitarist Kevin Barry and multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Ryan. That’s practically an all-star team of Beantown’s best roots and acoustic musicians, but Beyer shrugs that they’re simply all friends he’s played with, or backed up over the years. ‘‘The more people get ‘American Idol-ized,’ more into that karaoke bull, the more amazed they are when they hear people playing instruments like baritone sax, mandolin, or even keyboards,’’ Beyer said. ‘‘Musicians have been playing these things for years, but to many Americans today, it is all confusing and new. It is harder to get people out to shows today, no doubt, with so many home entertainment options. And the whole music scene seems to embrace that mentality of cigarettes and booze and music. With smoking out of the equation, and people drinking less, live music is suffering.’’ But Beyer is still optimistic that musicians can find a way to survive, even if, like he and his cohorts, they seem unlikely to ever make MTV. ‘‘The business can be frustrating if you lose touch with who you are supposed to be,’’ Beyer explained. ‘‘I’m not really in the business side of it - that should be someone else’s job. And I’m not in competition with other Boston musicians; it should be an inspiring and supportive community of friends. It’s not that I wouldn’t take the opportunity for a major label deal if it was offered, but I love what I do. I never did it to get on MTV. And, I never play music I don’t like, or got paid to do what I didn’t want to do. And we’ve found that more and more people don’t get their music from what is delivered to them by radio - many people are independent enough to look elsewhere, for more honest, less contrived music.’’ http://www.boston.com/ae/music/blog/2007/04/parting_is_such.html" http://www.boston.com/ae/music/blog/2007/04/parting_is_such.html The Nashville skyline has lured two more Boston artists to Music City. Gifted singer-songwriter Jabe Beyer and the Ted Drozdowski-led blues freakout group /"Scissormen are both headed south. Coincidentally, both are holding their swan songs tonight in Cambridge. Beyer bids adieu at Hi-N-Dry studios. Beyer and Drozdowski, who is also an award-winning rock scribe and all around stand up guy, will be missed. Posted by Sarah "http://www.boston.com/ae/music/blog/2007/04/parting_is_such.html"01:39 PM By Joan Anderman, Globe Staff, 01/24/2003 JABE A spoonful of bad attitude helps the country music go down, as far as we're concerned, and "Drama City," the latest from local roots scene staples Jabe, makes us want to medicate all day long. It's raucous cow-punk with a twisted heart and a sloppy soul, out in April. Check www.jabe.net for Jabe's many area dates. Boston Globe: There's a storm in 'Drama City' By Jonathan Perry, Globe Correspondent, 03/27/2003 Jabe Beyer knows it's a disgusting metaphor before he even brings it up. But bear with him, he pleads. I always relate songs to puking," says the singer-songwriter who leads the acclaimed roots-rocking Boston outfit Jabe. "You think you're gonna puke, you just don't know when. But when it comes out, you can't stop it. And you can see all the stuff inside you." Beyer apologizes when the unsavory moment's over and he's finished making his very vivid point. It's one well taken, though. His band's latest album, "Drama City" (out on his own Woodeye Records label and available at www.jabe.net), can also be heard as a reflex action to the emotional upheaval that afflicted all four members of the group last year. The album, cut mostly live in a three-room cabin in Plymouth, also happens to be the best thing he has ever done. We made the record in a week and when I listened back I thought, `Wow, this is pretty melodramatic,' " says Beyer, who through word of mouth has built a strong local following (and not one but two CD-release parties, slated for April 4 and 5 at the Lizard Lounge, testify to his popularity). Every night you'd go out and people were getting into arguments, couples were breaking up, or somebody would get arrested or their car stolen. So to me, Boston was Drama City." Hapless love affairs, dashed dreams, and fractured friendships all reside inside songs such as the high octane banjo-driven opener "Those Times Are Over," the Pogues-style jig "Into A Wall", and the meditative "Pitch Black Road." But even at its most subdued, Jabe's music is a quiet storm of desire and disillusion. Buried somewhere inside all the bleakness, though, he says, is always a flicker of hope. We have a song called `Can't Be That Bad' and in writing that I was saying, `Yeah, it might be like you're growing up too fast or you're in the wrong town or you don't know what the hell you're doing and your best friend just became somebody you can't talk to anymore'," Beyer says. "But if you don't hold out for that light at the end of the tunnel, it's going to turn on you really fast, and you're just going to go deeper into yourself where it's dark." The native of upstate New York moved from Boston to New Hampshire last year, but his music has never bothered with boundaries. His songs, built from a combustible mix of electrified violin, banjo, mandolin, guitar, and propulsive percussion, is an effortless amalgam of rock, folk, and bluegrass. His band - which includes bass player Jay Aucella, drummer Dave Westner, and multi-instrumentalist Sean Staples - is top-notch, capable of Crazy Horse stomp one moment and Old 97's swing the next. Beyer's warm, earthy voice echoes Bruce Springsteen, and it's a perfect match for the rustic, hard-won lessons and truths found in Jabe's songs. On the most primal level, I'm just trying to explain myself to myself," he says before catching himself. "Not that I have the answers to anything." Jonathan Perry's Rock Scene column next runs April 24; e-mail roughgems@aol.com. Live Review: JABEThe Middle East 4/26/03 (Joseph Kader) We are Jabe and here we go." The crowd looks to the stage, ready for a roadhouse rock show. Watching Jabe on stage, you know each member just breathes music. You can smell it on them. The party starts and everyone's taking part. The girl a few feet away from me knows what's up. She accepts the invitation from the songster. She's doing the poney dance. You know the one... Phish heads adore it and your feet (even the clean ones), just can't help it. The place heats up as Jabe rips into "Kelley Maguire," Sean Staples rocks hard with the mandolin and head-bangs to the train moving through the stage. Jabe introduces the next song as a Dylan tune. All out jammy-jam at the finale. Dave Westner sets up some great fills on the drums and Jabe takes the lead. Staples kicks Jabe in the ass to start the final number. Honkey Tonks and broken beer bottles are non-existent, but the music: that's poetry, written with some spine. Gets you right here. Amazing band. Jabe On the Road to Bluer Skies Jabe Beyer combines the brilliant lyrical incisiveness of Tom Waits and Bob Dylan with the tuneful country-politan twang of Wilco and Ryan Adams, and delivers it with the blistering fuck-all intensity of Appetite for Destruction. His songs are the sound of a flickering neon light in a bar at the end of a dark, dusty highway; he knows the pain of letting the one he should’ve clung to get away, and he’ll sing the soundtrack to every rough moment in your life. He won “Outstanding Debut Album” and was nominated as “Best New Singer / Songwriter” at the 2000 Boston Music Awards for his self-released debut Twenty Point Turn, and won the 2000 Abe Olman Songwriting Award from the Songwriting Hall of Fame. Jabe’s been touring the country relentlessly for the past few years; I caught up with him a few hours after he stepped off a plane after playing a showcase for the South by Southwest music conference in Austin, TX, to discuss the release of his third full-length album, Drama City. _Do you think the strength of your material is enough to satisfy an audience, or do you think of ways to improve your stage presence and put on a more entertaining show? _The more I think about that stuff, the less I care, really. I hope the music is enough, ‘cause that’s all I can offer. I really wish I could sit around and think of how to put on a better show or how to dress cooler or whatever, but I just can't. My dork filter turns on and I just feel weird taking the music and myself so seriously that I have to wonder about stage presence or entertaining. To me, good songs and good music are enough. If I go see someone play live, I'm totally satisfied with just some good honest music. Cool clothes or cool hair just distract me. Nowadays it seems good tunes aren't enough for the “music [buying] public.” They want bells and whistles; hocus pocus, and what they see on the TV. I kind of feel like you can't live up to that – and why try anyways? I get off on real things without glitz. That's just me. I'm a pretty boring dude. _What keeps you motivated to keep struggling and touring and making music even when life gets really difficult? Would you say you're happy and content, or are you frustrated, and if so, why?_There's no question that trying to make a living playing original music is tough. When the music you love to play isn't the music that sells eight billion records, it’s tougher. And everyone thinks you’re in it to be a rock star, like you’re either a rock god or nothing, and I think that's a shame. Everyone I know plays music for next to no money and have been for a long time, and they still play out every chance they get. It's not about the big time all the time. Would I like to make a bunch of cash playing my songs? Who wouldn't? Am I willing to fly all the way to Texas to play for 35 minutes for a record label? Yeah, sure – am I willing to do anything to make money and compromise my art, which is the only thing I really have? No way. I mean, I get frustrated just like every other guitar player in town, but in the end, it's better than any job I've ever had and I just plain love to play music. I don't think I could take anything else seriously right now. Maybe tomorrow I'll wake up and say, “Screw it” and want to be a painter or janitor or a clam flappin’ biscuit maker, but right now this is what I do. Anyways, I think there's bigger things to worry about lately, like, "Can I please have an order of freedom fries?" What a fuck is that? Freedom toast?! Come on! I was on a plane yesterday and read that they're taking cigarette images out of old albums. They digitally took Paul McCartney's cigarette out of his hand on the cover of Abbey Road! Who let that happen? I'd like to erase that person! They're erasing truth when it doesn't fit the plan anymore. That's scary stuff, man. We're all in the same boat, you know? We're all just trying to get through another day without freaking out. Be good to people, and have fun. Then there's all the shit in life that comes along with that: love, relationships, wearing different hats, work, friends, family, responsibility, all that stuff. It's the human condition. We're complicated thing, us weird humans. Trying to make sense out of the human condition is the goal, for me anyways. And for me, if I write it down and sing it into a mic, I feel like I'm getting closer. _Who's a better songwriter, Tom Waits or Bob Dylan? Who would you pick if you could only choose one to ever listen to again and why? Who else do you think is just as good or better than them? __Hey, that's not fair! That’s like asking, ‘Stones or Beatles?’ ‘John or Paul?’ It's not a race. Sometimes it feels like it, but I don't really think of music or songwriters in parts or pieces. I mean, yeah, Bob and Tom are two totally different guys doing two different things, but to me, their tunes kinda aren't. I don't have a personal connection with either of 'em as people – even though I did meet Tom Waits once. It's more how their songs affect me than it is about who they are or how they're different. Not just them, but anyone, you know? If I was forced to pick who I would listen to, first I'd shoot the person who asked the question, then I'd hide bunch of records in my pants. Then I'd go eat some sushi, light some cars on fire and quack like a chicken. You've written a lot of songs about having hard luck with love; tell me about the woman who really broke your heart, and do you think you'll always write songs about her? Are you still hurt and angry, or would you take her back if you could?_ _Well, I never used to write songs about personal relationships and stuff just because I thought it was cheap when I heard other people do it so much. On the first two records I don’t think I said ‘love’ once. The word “love” is in 99% of the songs I grew up with and I just think it got cheapened getting used like that. Like, “Hey, it rhymes with 'dove,' cool!’” or something. And by some bad cosmic joke in space I was born with the curse of actually caring about song lyrics. They matter to me. It's a cryin' shame. I mean, when I'm writing I don't sit around and think about any of this stuff or what words to use or while I'm writing, ‘cause it's usually such a quick process for me. Most songs are written in like 15 minutes. I just try to capture a moment and zoom in and out on it 'till I can see if from all angles, you know, and have some perspective on it. Once I feel like I'm onto something, I'm good to go. It's just a song anyways – there's gonna be more, so if I don't nail it on one song, maybe I'll get it on the next one. [Laughs] What was the question again? Do you consider music to be primarily art or entertainment? __To who, me or other people? Music affects me emotionally. To me, that's art. A porn film, that's entertainment. That might be a bad example. I just pick porn ‘cause I think most people would agree that porn isn't trying to make any huge statements. If we're talking about the music industry, I think its all entertainment to the labels putting that stuff out. It’s just tits and ass, ticket sales and merchandise. Which is fine, ‘cause that's business and business is money. But just be honest about it, please. Don't try and pass it off as amazing art. It could be CDs or used cars – they don't care. Not to be mean or whatever, but everyone knows the music biz is a mess. When I see MTV and a singer on top of a digitally made mountain singing in the wind and I know he's really in front of a blue screen in some movie studio in front of a fan, I'm like, "Is this where I'm trying to be? What the hell is that? Do I want to be on a stage, 50 feet from the front row, under a million dumb lights with a shiny guitar?" Uh...not really._ - Mike Baldino The Drama City CD release is a two-night stand at the Lizard Lounge, 1667 Mass Ave, Cambridge, Friday and Saturday April 4th and 5th with special guests Todd Thibaud (Fri.) and Dennis Brennan (Sat.), 9pm, 21+, $10 advanc CUSTOM BUILT FINLAND , EUROPE JABE: Drama City (Xemu) Jabe Beyer is New England singer/songwriter, and this is his third CD so far. The music here is great punk/bluegrass/country/rock'n'roll. And this time he had release double Cd set with disc one being actual album and disc two featuring cool extras: three videos, and three MP3 tracks (two of them being live tracks). Jabe continue that great American songwriter tradition that has produced so many outstanding artists. Songs here are really strong, and the mucianship is excellent. And hey, this CD also rocks!!! You can contact Jabe via his website THE BOSTON GLOBE (Steve Morse) November 1, 2002 Jabe at the Burren: Locally based Jabe just released a new album, ''Drama City,'' and was celebrating it with this gig. Much-improved singer Jabe Beyer has been a leader of the local roots-music renaissance and proved it with an exceptional, high-energy performance. There are echoes of Tom Petty and the Eagles in his sound, as well as influences from the Old 97s and Sixteen Horsepower (who are also thanked on the album). It made for great Americana party music, tailor-made for sweeping your cares away. http://users.pandora.be/ctrlaltcountry/Pagina1ArchiefDecember2003.htm#Jabe" http://users.pandora.be/ctrlaltcountry/Pagina1ArchiefDecember2003.htm#Jabe JABE “Drama City” (Woodeye? Records) (3,5) _ _ _ _ High energy alt. country, da’s zowat de meest adequate omschrijving die wij konden bedenken voor het stoeiwerk van Jabe op de CD “Drama City”. Van bij de bijzonder gedreven opener “Those Times Are Over” overrompelen Jabe Meyer en de zijnen je daarop met een bruisende cocktail van met een duidelijke punkattitude gezegende rootsrockliedjes. Het ene moment lonken daarbij Shane MacGowan en de Pogues duidelijk even om het hoekje (zoals in “Kelly McGuire”), het andere zijn dat eerder geestesverwanten als The Gourds of The Hangdogs (in “Crazy Anne Marie” bijvoorbeeld). Al geldt in beide gevallen, dat hier toch wel enkele versnellingen hoger gemusiceerd wordt. En als het tempo toch al eens even naar beneden mag, zoals voor de beroerd aflopende love story “Cold Cold Wind”, dan laat Meyer horen een aardig potje twang uit zijn gitaar te kunnen knijpen. Fingerspitzengefühl heet dat dan… “Drama City” wordt als dubbel-CD aan de man gebracht. Het ene schijfje staat garant voor een wild feestje, het andere voor een heleboel extra lekkers. Zo kan je ondermeer ook beeldmateriaal bekijken van de liedjes “Cold Cold Wind”, “Stupid Boy” en “Those Times Are Over” en tref je in gecomprimeerd formaat ook nog de nummers “Prison Song”, “Face For Radio (Live)” en “It’s Time To Go (Live)” op dat tweede schijfje aan. Veel fijne waar voor weinig geld dus! Als dat geen verkoopsargument is… www.jabe.net http://www.platomania.nl/maniagenre.asp?cdid=14711&platomanianr=192=192 Jabe Beyer is een prettig gestoorde en licht chaotische zanger. Karaktereigenschappen die grotendeels terug te vinden zijn in de semi-akoestische muziek van zijn band Jabe. Zijn derde cd, door het Blue Rose-label naar Europa gehaalde Drama City is wederom een mix van texmexcountry en americana, in de traditie van The Gourds of Slobberbone. Opener Those Times Are Over kent de vurigheid van 16 Horsepower. Jabe rammelt, tokkelt, en schuurt nog even door. Het liefdesdrama Cold Cold Wind luidt een adempauze in. En dan ontpopt Beyer zich bij vlagen als een waar romanticus. Met zijn rafelige stem lijkt hij zo een geestverwant van Ryan Adams. Artieste Kris Delmhorst zing en speelt ook nog mee. Maar het blijft ongekend de Jabe Beyer-show. Wervelend, aangrijpend en oprecht. Recensent : Gerben Hart Genre: Roots Verschenen in Plato Mania nr: 192 Datum recensie: 11-6-2004 CD Dit artikel heeft 0 reacties gekregen 3 1/2 stars http://users.pandora.be/ctrlaltcountry/Pagina1ArchiefDecember2003.htm#Jabe" http://users.pandora.be/ctrlaltcountry/Pagina1ArchiefDecember2003.htm#Jabe JABE “Drama City” (Woodeye? Records) (3,5) _ _ _ _ High energy alt. country, da’s zowat de meest adequate omschrijving die wij konden bedenken voor het stoeiwerk van Jabe op de CD “Drama City”. Van bij de bijzonder gedreven opener “Those Times Are Over” overrompelen Jabe Meyer en de zijnen je daarop met een bruisende cocktail van met een duidelijke punkattitude gezegende rootsrockliedjes. Het ene moment lonken daarbij Shane MacGowan en de Pogues duidelijk even om het hoekje (zoals in “Kelly McGuire”), het andere zijn dat eerder geestesverwanten als The Gourds of The Hangdogs (in “Crazy Anne Marie” bijvoorbeeld). Al geldt in beide gevallen, dat hier toch wel enkele versnellingen hoger gemusiceerd wordt. En als het tempo toch al eens even naar beneden mag, zoals voor de beroerd aflopende love story “Cold Cold Wind”, dan laat Meyer horen een aardig potje twang uit zijn gitaar te kunnen knijpen. Fingerspitzengefühl heet dat dan… “Drama City” wordt als dubbel-CD aan de man gebracht. Het ene schijfje staat garant voor een wild feestje, het andere voor een heleboel extra lekkers. Zo kan je ondermeer ook beeldmateriaal bekijken van de liedjes “Cold Cold Wind”, “Stupid Boy” en “Those Times Are Over” en tref je in gecomprimeerd formaat ook nog de nummers “Prison Song”, “Face For Radio (Live)” en “It’s Time To Go (Live)” op dat tweede schijfje aan. Veel fijne waar voor weinig geld dus! Als dat geen verkoopsargument is… www.jabe.net JAM MAGAZINE – NEW HAMPSHIRE May 2003 Review by editor in chief (rated 10.5 on scale of 1-12) How on earth have I missed this in the past? I know I listened to an earlier album, but either I was a moron or it wasn't good. Judging by his latest, Drama City, I was probably a moron. In fact, I saw him live in Cambridge a couple years ago, even that really didn't do anything for me. Again, I was probably a moron. Jabe's new CD is fun, emotive, earnest and complex. It took me just one listen through to choose two particular songs for me to obsess over. For a guy that has been part of our New Hampshire music scene, he has flown under Jam's radar. He has become a well-revered and respected musician in our scene and Boston's. For those like me who have missed out, Drama City is a blend of Americana and grunge. That's about the best I can Describe Jabe's unigue rootsy style. Have Kurt Cobain sing for Bruce Springsteen's compositions, something like that. The ballad "Can't Be That Bad" is unbelievable. Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum would wish he could sound so earnest on their power ballad "Runaway Train.” Jabe conveys a sense of hope and compassion for those who feel their lives/jobs are the worst and life sucks. While his vocals and guitars are certainly wonderful, his band puts it all together. Jay Aucella on bass, Dave Westner on percussion and Sean Staples on mandolin really push this time. Major kudos on the mandolin, which I am a sucker for, but it's existence in this song alone in mind-blowing. Kelly McGuire" is at the other end of the spectrum. It's a fun, upbeat tune about a woman who the narrator once had a relationship with, and would again. "Kelly McGuire" came from New Mexico/Moved up here about 7 years ago/She's writing her dissertation on poetry/She's gonnan be a doctor/What the hell is she doin' blowin' me?" In this one, guest Eric Royer supplies a great rockin' banjo. The best powered up banjo I've heard since Sixteen Horsepower. Everything else in between is pretty damn good too. Trapsing around a rootsy world of differing tempos, stringed and other instruments (fiddle, slide, organ, harmonica, accordion, dobro, and cello), fun or serious lyrics, and tight musicianship, Drama City is a place I want to be. One additional thing: there's a second CD in this package. The extra disc is a CD-ROM containing a few MP3s, including live versions of older tunes, and videos. http://www.rootshighway.it/outsiders/jabe.htm Jabe Drama City 3 1/2 stars non è altro che il nome d'arte di Jason Aaron Beyer, cantautore di trent'anni originario dello stato di New York. Abituato, sin da bambino, a percorrere le strade d'America in lungo e in largo per le instabili vicissitudini economiche della sua famiglia, Jabe (nomignolo affibiatogli dalla sorella) scopre così la musica, il country e le sue tradizioni. Dopo aver frequentato il college nel North Carolina, Jabe si stabilisce a Boston per intraprendere la carriera musicale, battendo le strade della città con la propria chitarra. Proprio a Boston incide il suo primo album, Twenty Point Turn, che viene eletto in città miglior "debut album" del 2000. Anche il 2004 è un buon anno: il suo terzo album vede la luce (in commercio negli Usa con un bonus CD per mp3 e video) e arriva persino in Europa, grazie alla Blue Rose. Drama City, questo il titolo, suonato con i fidati Jay Aucella (basso), Dave Westner (batteria) e Sean Staples (chitarre, banjo e mandolino), è un disco dalle molteplici sfaccettature che snocciola tredici pezzi divisi fra combat-folk (Those Times Are Over), country-punk (Crazy Anne Marie, Honest As Pure Gold, Into A Wall e Kelly McGuire) e ballate a "stelle e strisce". Nonostante lo sbarco in Europa e la lodevole confezione sonora, col suo suono elettroacustico, arricchito da pianoforte, hammond e tutto quanto appartenga alla musica americana meglio imbastita, Drama City vive ancora della positiva e spontanea genuinità del suo autore: ne accentua l'aspetto arcigno, capace di cavalcare spesso impetuose onde acustiche; ne coccola i passaggi di rock romantico delle intense Can't Be That Bad, Jerk e You'd Think I'd Learn. Grazie ai riverberi chitarristici e ai feedbacks alla Neil Young di Damn Them Big Brown Eyes, così come col rock ruvido dell'energica e lanciata Wasted (armonica southern, dita veloci sui capotasti della chitarra e flashback agli anni settanta), Drama City calpesta tutti i seminati roots a noi cari e corre spedito verso Slobberbone e Uncle Tupelo. Niente di più genuino. (Carlo Lancini) HYPERLINK "http://www.barbwaters.com/ www.jabe.net BOSTON HERALD – March 28, 2003 Jabe - Drama City (Woodeye Records): Local rockers Jabe show plenty of heart and poise on their new CD "Drama City. Jabe, featuring New Hampshire resident Jabe Beyer (vocals); Jay Aucella (bass); Dave Westner (drums); and Sean Staples (mandolin), is a mix of early Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and the Pogues. The songs on Drama City" are direct, amped and boisterous. Several tracks stand out. "Those Times Are Over," "Crazy Anne Marie," and Damn Them Big Brown Eyes" are excellent. I also was partial to "Kelly McGuire," though, for a different reason. I admit the song is peppy but I liked it so much is because my cousin's wife is named Kelly Maguire. (OK, it's spelled differently but it sounds the same.) At points the jams or interplay becomes a little overwrought and tedious. Toning some of them down ("Can't Be That Bad") would have worked a little better. Jabe's lyrics are amusing and brutally honest. In "Into a Wall," he sings, I been singing songs since the day I was born/My voice is shot but my heart is torn/My fingers are busted and all I got to show for it is debt/I shoulda listened to my father I coulda been a doctor/Or one of those guys who gets paid/No matter who wins the bet. The second disc in this set consists of a CD-ROM with three videos, a trio of unreleased MP3s (two of which are live) and a link to the band's web site. Drama City" features a batch of intriguing - and intense - tunes. It is musically comprehensive and definitely deserves a listen. Drama City" will be released on April 8 Be it audio or video, JABE is still best taken live By Jamie Perkins, Well, JABE has pretty much done it again. Their new CD, "Drama City," is full of the same type of inspired alt-country and mellower, contemplative ballads that fans of the seacoast band have come to expect. Fronted by award-winning songwriter Jabe Beyer (with Jay Aucella on bass, Dave Westner on drums, and multi-instrumentalist Sean Staples), JABE is fast becoming the band to watch in these parts. Drama City," the band's third disc, is a two-disc extravaganza; one disc of songs and one of extras, including three videos, three MP3's, and a direct link to their Web site, www.jabe.net. The sometimes grainy videos sound excellent and successfully portray the energy JABE carries out in their live shows. The extra songs in MP3 format are basically just humorous little ditties that display JABE's obvious knack for not taking themselves too seriously. The audio disc, however, displays JABE's obvious knack for hook-laden, country-tinged rock. Beyer is without question one of the best songwriters north of Boston, but the success of JABE depends as much on the rest of the band as it does on his exceptional songwriting, a notion Beyer himself seems to lampoon in the MP3 end-of-the-night track, "It's Time To Go". After all, they provide an energy and atmosphere that helps Beyer's songs remain as fluid and enjoyable as they are. While Aucella and Westner provide the low-end foundation, Staples supplies background vocals, as well as pulling out banjo, mandolin, fiddle, or a second guitar to augment the sound as needed for each song. The result is that each song has its own distinctive sound, despite the fact that Beyer's songwriting hasn't necessarily changed or branched into new territory since their last CD, the fantastic "Outback Country Vampires." And, in fairness to Beyer, it didn't really need to; his songs work just as well on "Drama City" as they did n "Outback" (though on a personal level, I do miss the fiddle melodies that were more prevalent on "Outback"). The boys seem cranked up this time around, though, as a number of these songs are uptempo, careening, and almost on the verge of being chaotic, and only get more so in the live videos on the second disc. This relative anarchy could possibly be attributed to Beyer and Staples' moonlighting in the Newgrass outfit The Benders, a project that is just as superb artistically and musically (and one could assume, as a result, just as satisfying for the artists), but is far more subdued than JABE. There is certainly no shortage of slower, introspective numbers on "Drama City," however. The truth is that the songs, fast and rollicking or slow and thoughtful, are all examples of well-wrought songcraft. Beyer's lyrics are often relationship oriented, and always strong in melody and heart. Occasionally a romantically sympathetic speaker clashes with an oversexed one, but this provides more of an emotional landscape to wander over. No one listens to an artist who isn't somewhat paradoxical anyway. Quite simply, JABE are coming up with some of the best music around, and seems like they're having an awful lot of fun doing it. One hopes they are naïve enough to keep going; my favorite track on the CD was "Into A Wall", a song which manages to reveal the frustration of every working musician out there in about two hyper minutes, and ending that frustration by various forms of cartoonish suicide. "I made twenty-four dollars tonight/ At the local watering hole/ I'm gonna leave this bar, get right in my car/ And drive right into a wall." Sadly, a sentiment that every band and singer has felt numerous times. Hopefully JABE can forego the way of Princess Grace and stay alive long enough to receive the appreciation they are so righteously playing for. Visit Jabe's website @ http://www.jabe.net MUSIC MATTERS VOL. 17 Smithtown, NY ˜Mark Gresser Jabe˜Drama City 2003, Woodeye Records Jabe makes 1990s roots rock that is played at frenetic speeds which, unfortunately, obscures some of his drama. Interesting use of a banjo replaces the jangly guitar frequently found in the genre. The songs move, some having a Western edge or an Irish lilt. Jabe‚s songwriting has very visceral imagery. Some songs just seem to be words tacked together for effect but others really grab you. „Cold Cold Wind‰ is such a tune. It is a warning to you to do more since the grave waits at the end even if you didn‚t have much fun. Visualize this story line from „Crazy Anne Marie.‰ A crazy lover with an axe and I‚m tied to a chair! Acoustic re-enactments emphasize the action and a 120 beat per minute rave fuels that cheery little tale and its Black 47ish dark and jumpy style. Other songs have a Neil Young with Crazy Horse doing „Cortez the Killer‰ feel. Good songwriting, good musicianship and a diversity of roots rock attitudes from this new Massachusetts artist. The package includes a separate CD-ROM with videos and live MP3s. ˜Mark Gresser UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MAINE FREE PRESS By Andy Pappas Published: Monday, March 10, 2003 Jabe Beyer fronts the band that bears his name, whose influences are as diverse as country, bluegrass, punk, and good old-fashioned rock and roll. The great thing about rock music is that it is possible to blend together several styles of music, mix it up, and serve it in a unique way. In order for a band to pull this off, there must be a high level of talent present. Jabe's third release, "Drama City," is a good example of making this formula work. Drama City" (Woodeye Records) which will officially be released in April, takes the listener on a melodramatic journey of Americana through Jabe's own personal experiences. The music is loaded with banjos, mandolins, and slide guitars, combining to create an acoustic feel and organic sound. Songs like the opener "Those Times are Over" and "Crazy Anne Marie" are sure to get your feet moving. "Cold Cold Wind," "Can't be That Bad," and "Pitch Black Road" are beautifully crafted mellow tunes that put the listener at ease. Jabe has been compared to Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Neil Young, but his style is closer to the "Alternative Country Scene" which includes well known bands like Wilco, The Jayhawks, and Sixteen HorsePower The group's constant gigging and touring prove to be the lifeblood of the band--selling the majority of their CD's on the road. Jabe's previous release, "Outback Country Vampire" sold in the thousands--quite an accomplishment for a self-sufficient band from New England. Last year Jabe toured every city from here to New Orleans, and is preparing to do it again. Jabe promises to be a great live show, and "Drama City" is worthy of adding to your CD collection. If you are interested in purchasing a CD or seeing the band live, you can check out www.jabe.net. *** Q&A with Jabe Q: You're compared a lot to Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and Neil Young. Have you been influenced by these artists? A: I listen to so many different kinds of music, and I feel like there probably is a difference between being influenced by somebody, and being a fan of somebody. I like a ton of bands, but I don't know how much they influence what I do. If people listen to it and say my influences are Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits, then I'm not going to complain. I don't know what the Bruce connection is to be honest. I don’t own a Springsteen album. People need something to compare you to in order to define you in some way. I would rather be compared to Bruce then you know, a John Denver or something." Q: Do you think your style is unique in today's world? A: If you're a person who pays attention to the mainstream thing, and you compare some bands to that, then we are unique. If what people are paying attention to is MTV and "Rolling Stone," then yeah we are totally unique. I don't see banjos, fiddles, or mandolins on MTV, and that stuff is all over our record. I'm so far removed from that world anyway. I don't watch that stuff, I don't have much interest in it. Its not unique in the world I live in. All my friends and all the bands I enjoy play similar music to mine in one sense or the other. It is more organic. I totally like folk music. I like rock 'n' roll. I like all that stuff. Q: Do you feel that because of your style you attract a variety of fans? A: I feel like the scene that we fit into is the " No Depression Scene" (named after an Uncle Tupelo song). People who know of this know what to expect. A lot of people come to see us, and don't know what the hell it is. They know they dig it, but say 'what do you call that kind of music,' and I'm like 'I don't know.' Q: You've achieved a nice level of success. A: Success? Really? I wouldn't say that. Q: Are you content where you're at or do you have big plans for the future? A: I'm having a good time. As long as things are moving forward and the music stays at the forefront, I'm all for it. We are at the point now where we've played almost everywhere in Boston and the Northeast, and the key is getting the band on the road again to get to the next level. Not everyone in the country is going to come to Boston to see us, we have to go to them. Q: Is the album reflective of what's going on in your life? A: Totally.. Every damn word on the record is true, except for getting murdered with an ax part. The only way I saw myself getting through last year was to have songs as an outlet. It is so over the top, it's almost funny, so why not poke fun at it and call it drama city. I was in Boston, and that was like Drama City. Everywhere I went, there were people breaking up, not talking with each other, people getting into fights, people getting arrested, people going to jail, people losing their kids, you got to turn it into something good. http://www.usmfreepress.org/news/2003/03/10/ArtsAndEntertainment/Review.And.Interview.With.Musician.Jabe.Beyer-389897.shtml EAST COAST ROMPER: MARCH 2003 JABE- Drama City Xemu Records Massachusetts based Jabe took the name of guitarist / vocalist Jabe Beyer who's press kit says has "the blood of Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits running through his veins." I'm not a doctor (nor do I play one on TV) but I think Mr. Beyer is in need of some blood work. I mean, having Neil Young's blood can't be healthy, can it ? Jabe play an assortment of styles that can best be described as rock with a country/folk/bluegrass flavor. While this is not my bag and probably not 99% of Romper readers' thing either, I've got to admit two things: 1). I like the track Those Times Are Over as it is pretty damn catchy and lyrically hits close to home and 2). Overall, Mr. Beyer is a talented lyricist. If you want to seem cooler than your snobby friends with DMB bumper stickers, look for this 2 CD set from Jabe. The 2nd disc has some MP3 files that were pretty good with the lyrically entertaining Face For Radio and It's Time To Go. Other noteworthy tracks on disc one were the upbeat Into A Wall and the dark Cold Cold Wind. Like I said, this really isn't for me or most ECR readers but I thought I'd give Jabe props for what they do because they do it well. I also detect a little Bob Dylan in Jabe Beyer's veins. Hopefully, they screen him at Red Cross blood drives. I'd rather die on the operating table than get a transfusion from this cat- he's toxic ! Review by: Samuel Adams http://www.home-of-rock.de/CD-Reviews/Jabe/Drama_City.html" http://www.home-of-rock.de/CD-Reviews/Jabe/Drama_City.html Cowboys auf Speed, fällt mir spontan ein, denn dermaßen schnell, druckvoll und alles im Weg stehende niederreißend sprudeln Those Times Are Over, sowie Kelly McGuire aus den Boxen. Fiddle, Banjo und auch die anderen Instrumente fahren anscheinend Doppelschicht. Geht es um Country, redet man ja gerne von Rhythmen die an trabende Pferde erinnern – den erschöpften Cowboy durch die Prärie tragend. Umgesetzt auf die ersten beiden JABE Songs müsste man folgendens schreiben: Cowboy war jahrelang im Knast und nun zieht es ihn unbändig nach Dodge City ins Puff. Um dem treuen Freund auf Höchstleistung zu bringen, bekommt der Vierbeiner einige aufgeschnittene Habanero Red in den Allerwertesten und schon lässt er jeden Dragster zur Weinbergschnecke mutieren. Spaß beiseite, das ist Alternative Country pur. Mit Honest As Pure Gold wird das Tempo etwas zurückgefahren – aber es ist ein nach vorne treibender Song mit gekonntem Refrain. Cold Cold Wind ist eine weitere Steigerung. Midtempo, Mandolinenkläge die mehr als begeistern, etwas düstere Gitarrenstimmung, ja stellenweise etwas psychedelisch. Kurz: eine Übernummer. Interessant, was andere Magazine über JABE schreiben: Jam Magazine, New Hampshire: "A blend of Americana and Grunge East Coast Romper (über Jabe Beyer): "the blood of Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits running through his veins In der Tat erinnert manches an Young oder Springsteen. Aber immer ist dieser Cowboypunk mit an Bord. Und dann die Lyrics: Klar, genretypisch geht es meistens um Liebe und Suff, aber erstens ist genau das das Leben und zweitens kommen die Texte nicht banal daher, sondern schneiden voll ins Fleisch und zwar quer zur Faser. Und wenn jetzt noch jemand sagt, er kennt einen Countrysong in dem es um Nekrophilie geht, dann glaub ich das nicht. Crazy Anne Marie ist trotzdem schön und wieder im Uptempobereich angesiedelt. Didn't Ever Blink lädt zum Fußwippen ein und kommt traditionellen Countryliebhabern doch mehr entgegen. Can't Be That Bad ist eine tolle Ballade, die unweigerlich zum mitsingen animiert. Düstere, CRAZY HORSE Gitarren eröffnen Damn Them Big Brown Eyes. Roots, Americana, Alternative Country – weg vom bisherigen Cowboy Punk. Jabe Beyer verlieh der Band JABE seinen Namen, aber allerspätestens jetzt wird klar, dass ihn dies nicht automatisch zum Alleinherrscher macht – die Band ist eine Einheit und spielt auf sehr hohem Niveau. Düster auch Pitch Black Road. Eher 'ne Folk Nummer, denn Country. Vielseitig sind sie also auch, die Jungs. Wasted rockt mit Swampanleihen, ja man fühlt sich als Passagier in einem Schnellboot durch die Sümpfe von Louisiana düsend. Jerk nimmt das Tempo wieder zurück und zeigt, was ein Springsteen so nie konnte. Into A Wall knüpft da an, wo die beiden ersten Tracks endeten, erinnert außerdem etwas an die POGUES. Also wieder Gaul mit Chilli im Hintern. Brutale Bremse dann zum Abschluß der CD. Es wird wieder langsam und ein tolles, abwechslungsreiches Album geht zu Ende. Alternative-Cowboy-Punk-Countryrock würde ich sagen. Kommt gut, macht Spaß und ist eine Empfehlung wert. Ulli Heiser, (HYPERLINK "http://www.home-of-rock.de/Impressum/Ulli_Heiser.html"Impressum, HYPERLINK "http://www.home-of-rock.de/Impressum/AutorArtikel/Artikel_Ulli.html"Artikelliste), 11.07.2004 JABE BEYER’ S DRAMA CITY By Kier Byrnes Whether Jabe Beyer is performing a solo acoustic set at Club Passim or he’s backed by his supergroup of musician friends like Jay Aucella on bass, Dave Westner on drums and Sean Staples on mandolin, one thing’s for certain; there’s gonna be some kick-ass good ole’ American rock and roll. Sure, some may call it country, some may call it redneck. But I’ll tell you one thing, with a new cd in the works called “Drama City,” you’ll be bound to hearing more of this very talented songwriter. Noise: Your past albums have gained all sorts of rave reviews including a Boston Music Award. Was there a lot of pressure when making “Drama City”? Jabe: Pressure from who? The record label? The agent? The A&R guy? I don’t have any of those things to worry about. The only pressure I have is from me and I’m way too critical. I’m just trying to write and record them as best as I can. That's it. It’s what I like to do. I never concern myself with what other people might think of it. Not while I’m writing it anyway, "Like is this too mushy?" or "What will capitol records think of this?” That way lies madness. The music business is a mess. I know what I think is good and what isn’t. I’ve been playing in bars for years. You get a different mentality. It’s about music or it’s not worth it. Lord knows it’s not good for your pockets or your health. And when you have no rent money and can’t buy gas for your car, you damn well better like the music you’re playing. If you think in terms of the music business, you’re going to end up crawling back to your hometown crying in the end. Noise: Do you think "Oh Brother Where art Thou?" winning a Grammy for best new album been a factor to the comeback of the whole roots rock/alt country scene? Jabe: I have no idea what affects other people. The idea of “the masses” is something I can’t comprehend really. I don’t get it, like when everyone in the country is talking about the same event, or the same movie; one big, media sponsored perspective. That scares me. As far as music goes, who wins a Grammy and who doesn’t has absolutely no effect on my life whatsoever. I live so far away from that world it would make about as much difference as who wins a bowling match. I don’t even know what alt country is anymore. As if I ever did right? I used to think that was my ‘genre’. I'm not even writing those types of songs anymore. I wish I had some great philosophy on the state of the alt. country scene, but truth is I just don’t. I tend to like more organic, roots oriented music. But that’s just me and if someone turns on Stereo Lab, or something like that, I’m not going to tell them to turn it off you know? Noise: Do you base most songs off of real people and events? To what extent is your songwriting biographical? Jabe: Drama City….definitely the real deal as far as my life. Every single word of that record is true; except the getting killed part. I wasn’t murdered by an axe wielding psycho. The year I wrote those songs was an emotional rollercoaster for me, as well as for a lot of my friends. Everyone’s world just kind of turned upside down all at once. Boston, to me, was drama city. Every night out, there was some couple in an argument or people avoiding other people and just all this really heavy stuff going on everywhere. I got my heart knocked around some and that was just the way it went down. When I listened to the finished record it was just so melodramatic. Sean said so too. I had to poke fun at that. Noise: What was the inspiration behind the new album, “Drama City”? Jabe: Inspiration? Not to sound all heavy and creepy, but inspiration is a word that just gets thrown around and thrown away too much. People use it like a napkin. They need it then and only then and when they’re done they just throw it away. Inspiration’s not a surface type of thing to me. To me it’s something that actually stops you in your tracks and makes you turn a different direction. It makes your face go white. It lets you hear or see something or think of something in a way you’ve never done before. So many things don’t affect people. They just walk right through things, you know? Walk through ideas and art like they’re clouds. It’s hard to know who people are. Noise: How did you manage to hook up with the backing musicians in your band? Jabe: People have come and gone over the last few years. Drummers, fiddlers, guitar players, but not bass players. Jay Aucella has been playing with me for 8 years now. He's not a "backing musician." I never really think of people that way anyway. They’re in the band when they’re in the band. Right now it’s me and Jay and Dave and Sean. And when we play it’s an "us" mentality, not "me". I play solo a lot too and when I do, it’s Jabe too. Because that's me. It’s a tough line for me to walk sometimes, booking gigs as JABE. Makes me sound like an egomaniac or something. For the guys too I’m sure. Maybe we should be “Jabe and the Flying Chicken Biscuit Monkeys” when we play as a band. Sometimes people wonder if they’re getting Jabe solo, or a band, or a duo or whatever. As long as I’m at the gig, writing the music and singing the tunes it’s going to be JABE. If things change, then they change. If someone has to leave, I find someone else. I try not to dictate what people play, so when friends have left the band, it’s never been a personal thing. Everyone’s got their road, and roads fork. That’s just life. I’m just glad there are even people who enjoy playing the songs enough to do it. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate those guys. Noise: Sean Staples has got to be one of the top mandolin players around. How is it working with him? Jabe: It sucks. Sean is impossible. He demands his own dressing room. No I’m just kidding. Sean is a great guy. And definitely about as good a mandolin player as it gets. He’s become what he is out of his pure love for music. He lives and breathes it. All kinds. He loves Gillian Welch, he loves KISS. He’s plays them at the same time in his room on two different stereos and waits for people outside to explode. Noise: Both you and Sean are also in a bluegrass/roots rock band called The Benders, another band that’s getting pretty big around New England. So my question is: Benders vs. Jabe. Who wins in a wrestling match? Jabe: It depends what team I’m on. Noise: One of my favorite Jabe songs is "Kelly McGuire." I was at one of your shows and ran in to her. I was surprised that she was a real person. What does a girl have to do to get full props in a Jabe song? Jabe: Next question. Noise: Is "Kelly" on the album? Jabe: The song is, but the woman herself isn’t. She was going to do a cowbell cameo but her work in the Andes didn’t allow for it. Noise: Who are some of your influences/bands you dig? Jabe: There are all kinds of people. I moved to New Hampshire, the “classic rock” state, in January. I don’t think that’s what they call it, but that’s what it should be. I spent 7 years in Boston, and was blown away by the musicians there. I still am. I’ll drive 80 miles each way to see Dennis Brennan. In NH, there are great things going on too. Say Zuzu was great band. It was weird. One day I walked into this bar in Somerville that I’d been going to all the time for years. I walked in, looked around and walked out. By the time I hit the door I knew I was leaving Boston. It wasn’t because of any certain thing. It just hit me. A few months later I fell in love with this girl from NH, and that was that. Bye-bye Boston. Funny thing is I’m still in Boston all the time anyways. I just get to leave when I’m done. Noise: Has getting out of the city and moving to New Hampshire affected you musically? Jabe: Maybe a little bit. I have less to compare myself too maybe. Which is good because the “self-critical, way-too-filtered” me got a much needed break. I don’t have the constant din of band names and musicians and signs and posters in my face like I did in Boston. I took myself out of context. It’s kind of nice. Noise: Where are your favorite places to play? Jabe: Wherever we get paid and the sound is halfway decent. Just kidding. Or am I? We went on tour in March of this year and were pretty much gone till the end of May. That gave me a great deal of perspective on Boston as a musical spot. Boston is an entity, bubble to cut your teeth in you know? It also made me realize that Boston is a crazy soup bucket of talent. I’m sure you could say that about any city but Boston’s got great music dripping out of its ears 7 nights a week. It just needs more people to realize it. Especially booking agents. Noise: You are no stranger to the club scene. I've seen you at TTs or the Lizard Lounge where it's like a 45 minute set and you're off but I’ve also seen you at places like the Burren where a show can be an all night affair. How do you gear up for those types of shows? Jabe: One thing I definitely don’t do is ‘gear up’ for anything. I’ll just end up disappointed if I do because it never translates into a better show or better experience. The band never practices unless we’re going into the studio, which is hardly ever. I’ll dump 10 new songs the guys have never heard, we’ll have an hour rehearsal and they’re off. As far as the club scene goes, I’ve never really been into it or accepted by it. I’d rather play for 3 hours, get a free meal and drinks, and have the people that want to see us pay only $3, than play for 35 minutes on a Monday night at 11pm, in a club, for 2 free warm beers, no money and fans have to pay $8. It’s not even an option. I made a conscious decision not to play rooms like that. Sometimes you have to, but if I have a choice, I stay away from that equation. Now that we’re filling places, with a line of people down the road, its time to rethink how I can find a bigger room that still works out for the band, the club and the people who come out to the shows. Jabe will be playing at The Burren in Davis Square in Sommerville, MA on January 10 and January 31st. Cover for each night is a mere three dollars. For more information about Jabe and samples from his new album, “Drama City,” check out his website at www.jabe.net. What are some of your most requested songs? Depends on if I’m playing a bar or an old folks home. What was the inspiration behind the new album? -inspiration? Not to sound all heavy and creepy, but inspiration is a word that just gets thrown around and thrown away too much. People use it like a napkin. They need it then and only then and when they’re done they just throw it away. With no “thanks,” just “bye bye,” ya know? Inspiration’s not a surface type of thing to me. To me its something that actually stops you in your tracks and makes you turn a different direction. Makes your face go white. lets you hear or see something or think of something in a way you’ve never done before. whats inspiring about that to me, is that it affects me and I love that.. that’s where I am thankful for it. so many things don’t affect people. They just walk right through things, ya know? walk through ideas and art like they’re clouds. Its hard to know who people are. Who is Charlie "The Bubble"? He’s an old guy from Brooklyn. Stays inside a lot. Used to kill people for money. He’s retired now. Sits around and thinks. Mostly about candy, boats, and twizzlers. JABE Xemu Records Drama City 13 Song CD The finest work to date by one of my all-time favorite musicians, ***Drama City*** sounds like the souls of Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Tom Waits channeled through early Whiskeytown, 16 Horsepower and The Old '97s and the middle ground between ***O Brother, Where Art Thou*** and ***Appetite for Destruction***. Heartbreaking, honest, witty, bitter, joyous, cutting and sarcastic, singer/guitarist Jabe Beyer's songs, lyrics and gift for melody are on par with any of the greatest songwriters you can name. He writes at least one song every day, and you're guaranteed to be humming (and singing at least half the lyrics to) any of them after the first listen. ***Drama City*** includes a bonus CD-Rom of videos and MP3s and was recorded in a mere eight days by the band in their home studio for next to nothing, and it turned out sounding better than albums that are the result of months and tens of thousands of dollars spent in the studio. If a better, more affecting album is released this year, I'll eat my keyboard. Mike Baldino http://www.facemag.com/columns/index.php?article=287" http://www.facemag.com/columns/index.php?article=287 What a breath of musical fresh air JABE is! Coming at you with a plethora of instruments and the sense that this band just has fun playing together, JABE shines in their first impressions…to me, of course. I became an instant fan from the first tune “Those Times are Over,” to the last “You Think I’d Learn.” Lead singer and band namesake, Jabe Beyer, lends his raw vocals, songwriting and guitar-playing talents with his fellow bandmates (Jay Aucella, Dave Westner and Sean Staples) offering truly unique music which I can only categorize as rock/folk/bluegrass/country. JABE would call it “Locomotive-Cow-Punk-Alterna-Roots-Songster Music.” Whatever it is, it’s quite a wide range of musical styles but put it all together and it sounds good…damn good. Recorded in eight days in three different cities in Massachusetts, JABE has become a staple of Boston, making quite the niche for himself over the years. It’s more than worth mentioning that Beyer is the 2000 Abe Olman Songwriting Award winner from the National Academy of Popular Music, SESAC, and Songwriting Hall of Fame. Take a listen. by Shelby Morris WBUR.org Review- Danielle Dreilinger No one ever accused the four-piece band Jabe of being subtle. The band's third album, "Drama City," busts out of the gate with revved-up string horsepower and speed banjo. Frontman/ songwriter Jabe Beyer has a rock-and-roll heart and bluegrass hands, and his band pulls off the rare feat of fusing rock energy with authentic folk spirit. Unlike some bands that use acoustic instruments as stage props, the mandolin and banjo are full players in Jabe's music. Drum sets are never used in bluegrass and rarely in live folk performances, but the snare/banjo combination makes for a distinctively rickety, frenetic quality that expertly sets the album's mood. Dave Westner plays drums and co-produced the album; omnipresent Boston musician Sean Staples takes banjo, fiddle, and mandolin. Beyer howls about mistakes and frustrations. His album, is dark. "Dirty old rags or a silk white shirt, either way they're just gonna cover you in dirt," he growls cynically in "Cold Cold Wind." But Beyer's directness can be funny. One uncensored lyric draws a line from the id to the gut: he comments about a lover that "she's writing her dissertation on poetry, she's gonna be a doctor-- what the hell's she doing blowing me." "Into a Wall" is the plaint of a Boston bar band gigging for $24 a night in smoky rooms, while "Crazy Anne Marie" paints, with broad strokes, a "Misery"-like tale of an axe-wielding girlfriend. Beyer presents himself as a beer-drinking outlaw, but under the raucous rough-thatch, there's poetry in his music as well. He has a gift for capturing "sensitive" moments. In one song, he recalls, wistfully: "all the times you said you loved me and I didn't even blink." Beyer sings about failure, hopelessness, and ennui, but he views losers (including himself) and ex-lovers with compassion. "Pitch Black Road" expresses sympathy for societal underdogs in a raspy whisper. Yet another breakup song, "Honest as Pure Gold," encourages the future while it mourns the past: "And all the dreams that you had, it don't mean they won't come true/And all the nights, beautiful when the shadows fell on you. Drama City" expresses a unified vision. Most of the songs boast a rushing wall of sound and a cinematic sweep -- "Damn Them Big Brown Eyes," "Jerk," "You'd Think I'd Learn." Although the album circles around familiar themes, the songs don't get stale. Beyer may be drinking from the dregs of the last beer in the bar, but as the depression-fueled drums and mandolin barrel forward, you can't help but tap your foot. He is a great songwriter, and this is a great, great album. Drama City" reflects two recent folk album trends: (1) a track where the band messes up and starts over but leaves the mistake on the recording and (2) video-enhanced CD tracks to play on your computer. The do-over shtick is an obvious ploy to make the album seem more "casual" and informal, but hey -- it works. The videos, however, which record live performances, are less successful. "Cold Cold Wind" is arty, "Those Times Are Over" is okay, "Stupid Boy" is jumpy and unsteady. There's something embarrassing about watching a local band on the video screen -- it's like looking at your fellow bleary barflies when the lights go up at 1:55 in the morning. It's nice to have a few extra songs, but if you live in New England, don't bother with the video footage. Go see Jabe live. Danielle Dreilinger reviews folk, bluegrass and country music for WBUR, Boston's NPR News station. http://www.jabe.net http://www.rootshighway.it/outsiders/outsiders.htm" http://www.rootshighway.it/outsiders/outsiders.htm Jabe - Drama City Blue Rose 2004 3 1/2 STARS Jabe non è altro che il nome d'arte di Jason Aaron Beyer, cantautore di trent'anni originario dello stato di New York. Abituato, sin da bambino, a percorrere le strade d'America in lungo e in largo per le instabili vicissitudini economiche della sua famiglia, Jabe (nomignolo affibiatogli dalla sorella) scopre così la musica, il country e le sue tradizioni. Dopo aver frequentato il college nel North Carolina, Jabe si stabilisce a Boston per intraprendere la carriera musicale, battendo le strade della città con la propria chitarra. Proprio a Boston incide il suo primo album, Twenty Point Turn, che viene eletto in città miglior "debut album" del 2000. Anche il 2004 è un buon anno: il suo terzo album vede la luce (in commercio negli Usa con un bonus CD per mp3 e video) e arriva persino in Europa, grazie alla Blue Rose. Drama City, questo il titolo, suonato con i fidati Jay Aucella (basso), Dave Westner (batteria) e Sean Staples (chitarre, banjo e mandolino), è un disco dalle molteplici sfaccettature che snocciola tredici pezzi divisi fra combat-folk (Those Times Are Over), country-punk (Crazy Anne Marie, Honest As Pure Gold, Into A Wall e Kelly McGuire) e ballate a "stelle e strisce". Nonostante lo sbarco in Europa e la lodevole confezione sonora, col suo suono elettroacustico, arricchito da pianoforte, hammond e tutto quanto appartenga alla musica americana meglio imbastita, Drama City vive ancora della positiva e spontanea genuinità del suo autore: ne accentua l'aspetto arcigno, capace di cavalcare spesso impetuose onde acustiche; ne coccola i passaggi di rock romantico delle intense Can't Be That Bad, Jerk e You'd Think I'd Learn. Grazie ai riverberi chitarristici e ai feedbacks alla Neil Young di Damn Them Big Brown Eyes, così come col rock ruvido dell'energica e lanciata Wasted (armonica southern, dita veloci sui capotasti della chitarra e flashback agli anni settanta), Drama City calpesta tutti i seminati roots a noi cari e corre spedito verso Slobberbone e Uncle Tupelo. Niente di più genuino. (Carlo Lancini) HYPERLINK "http://www.barbwaters.com/ www.jabe.net PORTLAND PHOENIX: PORTLAND MAINE EDITOR’S PICK Jabe Beyer’s new double disc, Drama City, runs the alt-country gamut from the shuddering cow-punk of "Those Times Are Over" and the slow-burn Neil Young–guitar threaded through "Damn Them Big Brown Eyes" to the more laid-back Americana of "Pitch Black Road." Jabe’s gift for songcraft and vocal delivery is in evidence at every point on the record; check out his gruff Shane MacGowan delivery on "Kelly Maguire": "I met this girl named Kelly Maguire/With hair like straw and a tongue like fire./She had whiskey, and we had fun." Makes you wish for a girl cut from the same cloth. Jabe holds a CD-release party at the Barley Pub in Dover, New Hampshire, at 10 p.m. on Friday, call (603) 742-4226, and at Gritty McDuff’s, 396 Fore Street, Portland, Saturday at 9 p.m. Call (207) 772-2739 for cover. Jabe Drama City Blue Rose Format: CD PC: Y76 Best.-Nr.: BLU 0329 Einer alten Tradition aus den 60ern und 70ern folgend wurde die Newcomergruppe Jabe aus Boston, Massachusetts ganz einfach nach dem Vornamen ihres Bandleaders, Jabe Beyer, benannt. Um die enorm breite stilistische Palette von Jabe zu erfassen, sollte man unbedingt das gesamte Album durchhören. Ein frühes Urteil würde wich tige Details auslassen, könnte sich zu sehr auf die allerdings dominierenden schnellen bis sehr schnellen Nummern konzentrieren. Tatsächlich beginnen Jabe mit einer furiosen Variante des Bluegrass, genauer eine Mischung aus elektrischem Bluegrass und Highspeed Country Rock, etwa „Bluepunk Countrygrass“ oder so. Die Kombination von einschlägigen Instrumenten des Genres wie Gitarre, Banjo, Mandoline, Dobro, Standbass und Fiddle mit dem Handwerkszeug einer kräftig und hartanpackenden Rockband gelingt großartig und wirkt zu jeder Zeit voll überBest. zeugend. Doch diese formal extrem originelle Soundhülle wäre auf Dauer nicht viel wert, würde sie Jabe Beyer nicht mit diesen kernigen, kraftvollen Songs füllen und mit seiner markigen, wettergegerbten Reibeisenstimme veredeln. JABE Drama City (2 Discs) jabe.net This is all about texture – layers of earthy rhythms and inspiring grooves all drawn from the spirit of roots music. A medley of instruments like mandolin, banjo, fiddle, accordion, and harmonica, along with electric, acoustic, and slide guitars, bass (acoustic, electric, double), and drums and percussion are responsible for the wonderfully smoky flavor of Jabe’s music. Team this blend with the first-rate playing of Jabe’s band – Jay Aucella (bass), Dave Westner (drums), and Sean Staples (mandolin), and Jabe’s edgy, folksy songwriting and vocal style, and you’ve got what I consider an outstanding album. I can’t say enough about “Drama City” – I am captivated; completely tingling from the vibes this emanated. Along with this stimulating 13-song CD, “Drama City” features a second CD with three videos and three MP3s. This was an excellent idea as it gives people a chance to get a glimpse of the band’s live presence (and I was happy to see one of my favorite tracks “Cold Cold Wind” on video), which is a lot more vibrant and energetic than one may expect for the genre. The MP3s are two live and one studio track – three more opportunities to showcase Jabe’s songwriting talent (and sense of humor) and music for newly ardent fans like me. Too many good songs to pinpoint all together here – just for a smattering of hard folk, rock, bluegrass, blues, and roots, I urge you to check Jabe out. Debbie Catalano http://www.soundcheckmag.net/pages/cd2.html#Anchor-6296 TIRAMILLAS http://www.tiramillas.net/musica/novedades/15_06_04/jabe.html" http://www.tiramillas.net/musica/novedades/15_06_04/jabe.html “Drama city” (BLUEROSE) En un universo musical donde no existe la MTV es donde vive Jabe Beyer. Original y agresiva, su banda -llamada simplemente JABE- ha ganado el Premio de la Música de Boston, varios premios a la composición, ha aparecido en el Billboard Magazine y ha tocado en festivales con Bob Dylan, Rusted Root, 16 Horsepower, Old 97s y otros. Ha grabado tres discos él mismo, los ha autoeditado y ha girado sin descanso por los EEUU creando una reputación como uno de los mejores y más trabajadores grupos en directo. Para la prensa local este es su mejor disco, y reciben comparaciones con artistas de la talla de Ryan Adams y Neil Young. Skratch Magazine September 2003 JABE DRAMA CITY SELF-RELEASED The third full-length release from Boston's brilliant Irish folk tunesmith Jabe Beyer is a two-CD set that bridges Dylan, Tom Waits, and Springsteen to the acoustic energy of the Emerald Isle. With 13 original songs on one disc and three live videos and three MP3 tunes on the other, Beyer has create. The music on this disc is a fast-paced cross of alternative country and bluegrass on speed. Beyer is simply one of the best songwriters in America. His lyrics are a heart-wrenching cry from the far end of a smoky bar. Choruses like "I made 24 dollars tonight at the local watering hole / I'm gonna leave this bar, get right in my car, and drive right into a wall" are the type of hard-nosed poetry that dominates this album. There are some excellent slow ballads on this release, on which Beyer's voice sounds eerily like Springsteen. We can only hope that Jabe never makes more than $24 a night and that the band stays mean and hungry, never plays for a major label, and continues to make art like this for years to come. www.jabe.net -DUG http://www.skratchmagazine.com/cdReview/CDreviewsSEP03.php SOUNDCHECK MAG http://www.soundcheckmag.net/pages/cover6.html JABE By Eric Holland_Photo by David Mclain The company one keeps says a lot about a musician. Jabe has got a friend who plugged a banjo into a Marshall stack and another who is a fiddle player that joined the circus. I hooked up with Jabe at about 9:30 on a Wednesday night in Allston Rock City. “I don’t see why you can’t rock with a banjo. It sounds bad ass. We’re loud as fuck. As the bar we were in was threatening Karaoke, we skedaddled to my apartment where I asked him if he wanted a beer or something.” Got any booze? I poured him about five shots worth of Jack and gave him the last ice cube in the tray. He made no comment and left no moisture in the glass. Jabe dug on the fact that I had been listening to the first Izzy Stradlin and the Juju Hounds disc and we agreed Sabbath is the shit. Gillian Welsh, Reverse, Black Crowes, Old 97s (especially Too Far to Care), Tom Waits, Wilco, The Benders (who he is a member of), Dennis Brennan, and Sixteen Horsepower were also mentioned. Jabe is up in Northampton, NH these days after spending eight years in Somerville and is solo again after living with a girl for a while. „You can‚t just avoid each other for three days.‰ Jabe plays guitars, organ, melodica, and accordion plus blows harp and fools around on drums. He also is a mean songwriter. (My faves: ‰Damn Them Big Brown Eyes‰ and „Jerk.‰) He missed every Thursday and Friday of school while growing up to travel to craft shows in a camper, and characterizes W „as a rich cowboy not smart enough to digest the consequences of what we‚re doing to the world.‰ Drama City features Dave Westner on drums, Jay Aucella on bass, and Sean Staples on mandolin, banjo, and fiddle. „It came out well. It‚s a good snapshot that was recorded in eight days. After 9/11, some gigs got cancelled so we took advantage of the time. Everything‚s live with two vocal takes. No punching in except for a few mandolin parts and some B3 added later. I did the folk scene for a long time. I like organic, acoustic songwriter based stuff pumped up to rock. I‚m resting from! roots rock now. I‚m doing an atmospheric, ethereal thing with analog synths. I go in at ten, write a song, record it all day and try not to sound like me. Catch Jabe sounding like himself at the record release party at Lizard Lounge on April 4th and 5th and pick up Drama City with a bonus CD-Rom disc containing three vids and three MP3s. For more info, go to Jabe.net, pigpilemusic.com, and folkweb.com. January 10, 2003- Boston, MA By Richie Hoss It’s 10:30 on a bitter cold Friday night in Davis Square and there’s a line extending down Elm Street outside The Burren. The reward for bearing the 19˚ January cold is to pay three dollars for three hours of one of the best alt-country/rock performers you’re ever going to see—Jabe. It is hot and packed in the back room where Jabe and his band--consisting of bass, drums, and mandolin, with Jabe on guitar—are already at full throttle slinging Jabe’s Tom Petty/Bob Dylan meets The Charlie Daniels Band brand of music. This is not one of your typical scenester shows wre the audience is too cool to get up close during the first set and dance. No, the room is really swinging, everywhere. As drinks are spilled and coats are shed, Jabe brings it on, playing their homemade instruments, which really seems to suit this band’s homemade feel. The songs seem unstructured or unpracticed: Jabe continually nods to his band when a song ends or a solo begins, but that somehow adds to the theatrics. There are lots of bands that play with feeling but few that make you feel. Jabe does both. Jabe begins the last set with a couple of rockers to let everyone know that this show isn’t going to slow down yet. One of the songs starts out like Hendrix’s “Foxy Lady” and Jabe continually switches musical hats in the last hour; going through rock, rockabilly, and alt-country. All the girls up front are hanging on his every word through his ballad “Maybe Next Time,” and then, just like that, the show ends, making a three-hour set seem like a half hour. http://www.skratchmagazine.com/cdReview/CDreviewsSEP03.php http://www.slugmag.com/oldslug/173/SLUG_MAG.html Jabe Drama City Woodeye Records Upon hearing the new album from Jabe, one could be forgiven for thinking Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy were the last great alt-country rockers. Drama City exceeds anything done by the great Uncle Tupelo, from the raging ferocity of "Kelly McGuire" to the near Johnny Cash-like "Pitch Black Road". The album changes tones and moods, yet always keeps a sense of self-deprecating humor throughout, whether intoning about love, drink or even necrophilia (surely a first for country). Jabe Beyer‚s lyrics stay razor-sharp and a sense of knowing wit stays throughout the record, with the exception of the beautiful, honest "Jerk." Country music has never sounded so fresh. ˆMartin Hollis http://www.rocktimes.de/gesamt/j/jabe/drama_city.html" http://www.rocktimes.de/gesamt/j/jabe/drama_city.html Cowboys auf Speed, fällt mir spontan ein, denn dermaßen schnell, druckvoll und alles im Weg stehende niederreißend sprudeln “Those Times Are Over”, sowie “Kelly McGuire” aus den Boxen. Fiddle, Banjo und auch die anderen Instrumente fahren anscheinend Doppelschicht. Geht es um Country, redet man ja gerne von Rhythmen, die an trabende Pferde erinnern – den erschöpften Cowboy durch die Prärie tragend. Umgesetzt auf die ersten beiden Jabe Songs müsste man folgendens schreiben: Cowboy war jahrelang im Knast und nun zieht es ihn unbändig nach Dodge City ins Puff. Um dem treuen Freund auf Höchstleistung zu bringen, bekommt der Vierbeiner einige aufgeschnittene Habanero Red in den Allerwertesten und schon lässt er jeden Dragster zur Weinbergschnecke mutieren. Spaß beiseite, das ist Alternative Country pur. Mit “Honest As Pure Gold” wird das Tempo etwas zurückgefahren – aber es ist ein nach vorne treibender Song mit gekonntem Refrain. “Cold Cold Wind” ist eine weitere Steigerung. Midtempo, Mandolinenkläge die mehr als begeistern, etwas düstere Gitarrenstimmung, ja stellenweise etwas psychedelisch. Kurz: eine Übernummer. Interessant, was andere Magazine über Jabe schreiben: “Jam Magazine, New Hampshire”: ,"A blend of Americana and Grunge “East Coast Romper” (über Jabe Beyer): "the blood of Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits running through his veins" In der Tat erinnert manches an Young oder Springsteen. Aber immer ist dieser Cowboypunk mit an Bord. Und dann die Lyrics: Klar, genretypisch geht es meistens um Liebe und Suff, aber erstens ist genau das das Leben und zweitens kommen die Texte nicht banal daher, sondern schneiden voll ins Fleisch und zwar quer zur Faser. Und wenn jetzt noch jemand sagt, er kennt einen Countrysong in dem es um Nekrophilie geht, dann glaub ich das nicht. “Crazy Anne Marie” ist trotzdem schön und wieder im Uptempobereich angesiedelt. “Didn't Ever Blink” lädt zum Fußwippen ein und kommt traditionellen Countryliebhabern doch mehr entgegen. “Can't Be That Bad” ist eine tolle Ballade, die unweigerlich zum mitsingen animiert. Düstere Crazy Horse Gitarren eröffnen “Damn Them Big Brown Eyes”. Roots, Americana, Alternative Country – weg vom bisherigen Cowboy Punk. Jabe Beyer verlieh der Band Jabe seinen Namen, aber allerspätestens jetzt wird klar, dass ihn dies nicht automatisch zum Alleinherrscher macht – die Band ist eine Einheit und spielt auf sehr hohem Niveau. Düster auch “Pitch Black Road”. Eher 'ne Folk Nummer, denn Country. Vielseitig sind sie also auch, die Jungs. “Wasted” rockt mit Swampanleihen, ja man fühlt sich als Passagier in einem Schnellboot durch die Sümpfe von Louisiana düsend. “Jerk” nimmt das Tempo wieder zurück und zeigt, was ein Springsteen so nie konnte. “Into A Wall” knüpft da an, wo die beiden ersten Tracks endeten, erinnert außerdem etwas an die Pogues. Also wieder Gaul mit Chilli im Hintern. Brutale Bremse dann zum Abschluß der CD. Es wird wieder langsam und ein tolles, abwechslungsreiches Album geht zu Ende. Alternative-Cowboy-Punk-Countryrock würde ich sagen. Kommt gut, macht Spaß und ist eine Empfehlung wert. THE NOISE (Boston) Live Review: JABE at The Burren 9/27/02 Trying to meet your friends at The Burren is a very daunting task when Jabe is performing. The place is so packed when I arrive, I can't spot my cohorts, let alone find a place to stand anywhere, so I edge my way towards the bar. This here music is some of the best drinking music you'll find anywhere; rooted in folk, bluegrass and country but still about as rock 'n' roll as it comes. Tonight Sean Staples amazes me yet again with his virtuosity on the mandolin. Jabe, the frontman for whom the band is named, has the crowd in the palm of his hand as usual, with people singing and dancing several rows deep. One wouldn't normally expect Asians to play redneck music, but Jabe had this new guy on fiddle that was top notch. To steal a line from Charlie Daniels, the devil was in the house of the rising sun tonight. Yes siree, tonight Jabe and his boys put on one hell of a show. Yee Haw! (Kier Byrnes) whats up magazine. feb/march 2002; issue 1, vol. 4 JABE: Outback Country Vampire Crossing the bridge between traditional bluegrass and modern rock and roll is Somerville's own, Jabe. His latest effort, "Outback Country Vampire," has helped earn him a Boston Music Award nomination for "Best Roots Rock Band." The songs you'll find on "Outback" aren't as over the top as Jabe's live show, where he's been known to rock out with the fervor of a mad man, yet its definitely not as toned-down as Jabe's other band, The Benders; a more traditional Appalachian ensemble that also performs some of the material from this album. "Outback" is able to capture a magical hybrid of good ole Americana, folk and country with songs like "Old Masons Bridge" and "Let in the Blue" But if I had to sum it up, I'd say this CD just plain out rocks. CONTACT: www.jabe.net Earpollution.com - review As Jabe took the stage in the backroom of The Burren, I immediately realized that I had seen them before and my satisfaction on making it out to see some live music on a Friday night intensified. I hazily recalled a cold Winter's night at Tir Na Nog, another Somerville breeding ground for rustic tunes and relentless hangovers, when I saw this same stocky frayed-haired singer/guitarist and his counterpart on mandolin--who's as close to a near spitting image of most artists' conception of Christ as I've ever seen or imagined--lead their band through a foot-stomping set laced with the essence of American music's most traditional forms. Tonight was no different, as Jabe leveled a crowd packed like sardines in the neighborhood Irish music hall with a country rock/bluegrass hybrid, played with the velocity and high fever pitch of good punk. Manic, yet faultless drumming provided the combustion and infectious mandolin playing and fervent vocals supplied the color. Songwriter and frontman Jabe Beyer directed the barnstorming quartet through a collection of roots-driven, runaway train-like workouts, building chords into songs on his electric guitar and bursting forth with vocalized emotion, although Sean Staples' mandolin playing and on-stage theatrics stole the spotlight from the barroom bard more than once. Jabe Beyer, relocated to Boston from upstate New York in the mid-'90s, began playing solo acoustic shows around town at cafes and small bars, developing a style all his own along the way. Eventually he formed his own band, named it after himself and has been touring like a madman ever since. Earlier in the year, Jabe released their second album, Outback Country Vampire, a fertile collection of songs worthy of the widespread local praise it received, but not totally representative of the live sound heard at The Burren. The album features ten different musicians alongside Beyer and showcases a fast and furious fiddle and a resonant banjo on many of the tracks. Staples' mandolin is suspiciously absent from all tracks but one. After seeing what this man can do with that little cousin of the guitar, I'd have to say that it's not only suspicious but quite unfortunate as well. If Jabe can pack this much energy into a live performance with four instruments, I must wonder excitedly at the possibility of seeing them with Staples plus a fiddle player and banjo picker in tow--Pure rockin' bluegrass action! -Dan Cullity [ top of page ] [Image] I wandered into the back room of The Burren in Somerville one night a few months ago to find a country-rock band onstage. Now normally, I enjoy country-rock bands, so I was fairly content. I ordered my Guinness and settled into a booth in the back. But gradually, the music started winnowing deep into my brain. There was a crack piano player, some great fiddle, and a lead singer who showed a bit more soul than the average back-of-the-Burren white funk crooner. Then I noticed myself singing along. The songs were catchy enough that you could learn the hook in two minutes, and every few songs the band would play a cover - some you would expect from a country-rock band (Bob Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee") and some you wouldn't (Radiohead's "Lucky"). I found myself singing harmonies on a song I knew, Gillian Welch's "Tear My Stillhouse Down," and the piano player heard me in the corner and actually motioned for me to come sing into his microphone. That's my half-hearted attempt at placing myself in my article in a New Journalism style, and it's my introduction to the story of Jabe Beyer, the best folk-rock-country-blues singer in Boston, and his band Jabe. His first record, Twenty Point Turn, won Best Debut Folk/Acoustic album at the Boston Music Awards, a second album is due out shortly, and the rip-roaring live show is on display often at local Boston pubs like Tir Na Nog and The Burren. How did you start playing music? I was a craft show kid. My mother made this crazy beautiful jewelry out of horseshoe nails and my family would be in a different town like every weekend, living in one of those crank open trailers. There would always be live music at these shows and I would just sit there for hours and listen. One band gave me a copy of their record and signed it. I was five years old. That was that, hooked for life. Tell me about the folks who play with Jabe. I swear I've had at least 20 different people in the band, mostly drummers who come and go. About 3 years ago I just couldn't take the folk thing anymore. The people are so great but it just isn't me. I like bars, booze, and loud music too much. What amazes me the most is that people actually want to play on my songs. I've had some of the best players in town play gigs with me for no money just because they dig the music. First there's Jay Aucella, whose been playing bass with me since day one. He's got this vibe. You see him play and you just say to yourself "that guy's a bad-ass." On drums now is Dave Westner who recorded almost all of Twenty Point Turn, the first record. He filled in one gig on bass when Jay was sick. Then he played piano for a few months, then he filled in on drums, now he's the drummer. The guy's a walking musical note who smokes more cigarettes than anybody I know. Keeping the forth member is always the kicker. We've had Casey Driesson who plays with Steve Earle now, we play with Bow Thayer from Elbow, Sean Staples (who plays with Kris Delmhorst and Catie Curtis), K. Ishibashi who joined the circus, Joe Kessler (from Wooden Leg), and some other fanstastic weirdos. All I know is its always different and it's always fun. Different songs sound different ways depending on who is playing. What other bands do you play in? I play in old-time kind of thing called The Benders. It's another situation where I look around and see who I'm playin with and just have to laugh. Nolan McKelvey on bass, Bow on banjo, Tim Kelly on dobro and Steve Mayone on mandolin. I heard there's another Benders in town. We're gonna have to fight it out I think. We started out just fucking around and then we played a gig and boom, we were a band. The records coming out at the end of September. We couldn't have made it any cheaper. We recorded it in one afternoon standing in a circle around two mics in my living room with a bottle of Jameson, a lot of grass and a bunch of tunes. We did the printing at Kinko's. God bless the cutting machine. I've also been playing with Elbow now for two years with Bow Thayer, Mike Press, and Jeremy Curtis. They were a band way before I stumbled in. That was another great accident in my world. Those guys are the epitome of what it should mean to play music. They live in Vermont, so I've done a lot of driving but the music is worth it. I sure as hell ain't doing it for my health. I've learned so much from those guys. Your music definitely seems to fall into that No Depression insurgent-country genre. Do you agree? Yeah, I guess we fit in there more than anywhere else. I could give a shit what people call it to be honest. But yeah, I think that whole scene is great. I listen to those bands more than what's going on nowadays on the radio. I'm into words. If the words are good, I'll listen to anything. I've spoken to Bloodshot many times. They're a great label. I dig the Old 97's and other bands like 16 Horsepower. Local music is where my head is though. Somerville, baby, the new alterna-super-mega hell-country capitol of the universe. The music here is amazing. If the whole insurgent county thing is where people want to group us with, I'll take it. Where do you get your ideas for cover tunes? If we cover something it's gotta be something not many people do, or know very well. Like Radiohead's "Lucky." That OK Computer album is so good, but nobody I know was playing any songs off it. It was a joke that started in my kitchen. I thought "Lucky" would sound cool all fast and bluegrassed out, so we did it. We're no cover band, but it's nice to play songs you wish you wrote, every so often. We do (Tom Waits') "Chocolate Jesus" sometimes, just to change things up a bit. I swear I was gonna write that song. Tom just beat me to it. Tell me what you were trying to do with the first record. On Twenty Point Turn I guess was just trying to make a good record without all the bells and whistles. I made the whole thing for $2100. Recording, mastering, everything. We did the basics in one day. 20 tunes, added some tracks to most of them, recorded a lot in my bedroom with a shitty mic, no headphones, plugged it into my stereo and had the idea that that was all OK. I was like, "Who needs all that other stuff. Fuck that. I can do this cause I know what I want and no buttons or knobs or local guitar hero guy or whatever is gonna do it for me." Just songs and words. I think an acoustic record can sound heavy and dark if you do it right. Dave Westner was a blast to work with too. He put on tape what I heard in my head without me even telling him. Then the record won a Boston Music Award. That was nice. How does the new record differ from the first? I think its gonna be called "Outback Country Vampire". There's so much stuff recorded over the last year that it's hard to know what to put out. If I had the dough I'd have put out another record last year too. I got all caught up in a manager deal that never went down which wasted about 8 months or so. They said they were gonna pay for the album, put us on the road, blah blah blah. So I waited and waited and they turned out to be jokers. The timing could have been better but I learned how much a lawyer costs and read enough books about the music biz to know I just need to write and play and whatever happens, happens. The new stuff is a lot darker as far as production goes, and I been trying to take my writing and dumb it down a bit. Less chords, less words, more feeling. I've been lost in a world of vampire books, murder ballads, bars, and life after dark for the past two years, so I can't help but write about it. One last question. What's the deal with chicken? (Jabe's website at www.jabe.net has a special section on chicken) Don't even go that direction. It's a contagious disease. An underground conspiracy. A monkey on your back. Look out. Just be on your way. [Insights Archive] INSTANT - (c) 2000 Interview With The Outback Country Vampire By April Boyle [Image] "Now I've got my head on straight, and I'm in my prime, standing at the corner of opportunity and time," sings front man Jabe Beyer (lead vocals, guitars, accordion, Wurlitzer, b-3 organ, tenor banjo, harmonica, trumpet) in the recently released song, "Keep On (OutBack Country Vampire). Jabe is the embodiment of this lyric. If you haven't at least heard of Jabe, it's not for lack of trying on the band's part. Jabe has been tearing up the club and bar scene several times a month with a madcap paced bluegrass/alt-country that's racking up connections and pushing open doors. The band was chosen to open up for 16 Horsepower in February at Lillis. Then, in June, the quartet got the privilege of opening up for one of their favorite bands, the Old 97s, at the Paradise. "Opening for the Old 97s was fuckin' great," says Beyer. "They were one of the nicest, most welcoming bands we've played with in a long time. No attitudes or anything like that. Just plain old good guys. Funny as hell, actually. They had a lot of good advice as far as business stuff goes, and it was just nice to play with a band we really like and see that they're doing the same shit we do, on a bigger scale, and still have their heads together. They just love music. We might do some more shows in the fall. Opportunity and time are certainly in Jabe's favor now, but that wasn't always the case. The band has undergone its share of growing pains since Beyer first joined forces with bassist Jay Aucello six years ago. Like many bands, Jabe just couldn't seem to find the right lineup. A perpetually revolving cast of players drifted in and out of the band, making it hard for Jabe to solidify its sound. "Jay and I were the only two that would stay," says Beyer. "I was trying to write all the songs, book all the gigs and rehearse with four different people in a week, at four different times. It was driving me fucking crazy. Other than Aucello, the only constant seemed to be the band name , much to Beyer's chagrin. Beyer began playing under his name as a solo act. After forming the band, he tried on several occasions to change the name--coming up with such outlandish names as The Twirling Dildo Beacons, Used Erotica, Broken Gold, Hot Rod Chicken Party and Your Mamma's House--but none of the names seemed to take. Says Beyer, "No one liked them, and the band was changing all the time. So, I was like, 'If I'm the only one in this band, I'm just going to call it Jabe.' Now, it drives me nuts, day after day, and I still don't know what I want to do. It's almost too late to change it because we've been playing with this name for so long, but at the same time, it's not just me. It's a bitch of a situation. Beyer may have misgivings about using his name, but his band mates are happy to let it be. "It's short, and it's to the point," says Sean Staples (mandolin, mandoblaster, guitar). "Who cares about the name? Names really don't matter when you come right down to it anyway. So long as people know where to find you, and they come, that's all that's important. Despite lineup changes, Jabe kept on. Then, in 2000 things began to click into place. Staples joined the band in January 2000, firming up the current lineup that began falling into place in 1999 when Dave Westner (drums, Wurlitzer) switched to drums, after a half-year stint as Jabe's keyboard player. The media attention and accolades began pouring in. Beyer was awarded the Abe Olman Songwriting Scholarship from the National Academy of Popular Music, SESAC and Songwriting Hall of Fame in February. Later, in April, Jabe took home the Boston Music Award for "Outstanding Debut Album" for the band's first release, Twenty Point Turn, originally released in November 1998. Jabe followed up the success of Twenty Point Turn with the release of a second album in March of this year. The album is titled Outback Country Vampire, a reference to the band's nocturnal lifestyle. Says Staples, "The nature of playing in this kind of band is that we're out pretty much all night. We generally don't get home until pretty late, more or less vampire hours. Like Twenty Point Turn, Outback Country Vampire was a do-it-yourself, self-released project. The album utilizes the recording, mixing and producing talents of Beyer and Westner, with the help of D. Dubya at Alphabase, Boston, and the mastering talents of Aucello at Sixpenny Brace Mastering, New Hampshire. With the exception of "Rocky Times Come N' Go" (Beyer/Monge) and "Put Away your Water" (Beyer/Aucello) all songs are written by Beyer. "I'm a selfish bastard, and it's my band, so I write all the songs," jokes Beyer. "I write pretty consistently, and have for a few years now, so there's no shortage of material to pick from. I tend not to write for a month or so, then 10 songs will just skirt out in like two days, and whatever I'm doing at the time has to wait. If I have a job, I just blow it off. If I have other things to do, they all get sidelined till the songs are done. It tends to piss people off, but I can't help it. I play in other bands where I'm not the songwriting guy, but this band is my baby, and I guess that's just how it is. Over the two years since releasing Twenty Point Turn, Beyer's songwriting style has evolved, influenced by the various band members and guest musicians who passed through the ranks of Jabe. "My goal for the first album was just to get a bunch of good songs out with the drums, the bass, the guitar and the words and not worry about all the hocus pocus, bells and whistles and fancy guitar playing," explains Beyer. "Since I made that one, I started hanging out in Somerville and the scene that's going on in that area. I've been influenced by that and people that give me music that they're into. Three out of the four Jabe members play in other bands in and around Somerville. Beyer and Staples both play with The Benders. Staples also plays with his band, the Resophonics. Westner has a band called Fred’s Bowling Ball. Over the past few years, Somerville has been growing into an extended family of musicians. Many of these musicians make guest appearances on Outback Country Vampire. "In Somerville, there's so many bands that are around and so many different people that play together," says Beyer. "It's not really planned out that there's guest people playing on the record. I live with a guy who sings really well. If he's sitting in the kitchen, and we're not doing anything, he's going to sing on it. I've got a friend that plays fiddle. We record everything, and we usually do all the drums and bass at Dave's place. Then we do a lot of the tracking at my house or Dave's place later. It's so low-key that Bow Thayer (The Benders, Bow Thayer and the Euphorians, Elbow) comes in and plays banjo on things. It's very much a community. It's crazy cool. Outback Country Vampire captures the vitality and enthusiasm of Jabe. This is a band that's not afraid to have fun. It's roots rock, thrown into high gear, with wonderfully told tales of murder, mayhem and love threaded through the music. "It's a real high-energy sort of roots rock," says Beyer. "We jump around and have a good time, but Sean plays the mandolin, and there's a fiddle player all over the record who's going to start playing with us again. I play acoustic guitar about half the time. Jay plays acoustic bass. But, there's no way in hell that it's folk or country. It's like rock with organic instruments. "It's music that draws heavily from traditional country music, bluegrass and real authentic forms of folk music, but sort of smashes them together," adds Staples. "All of us are in our 20s and early 30s, so growing up with Black Sabbath and Aerosmith was unavoidable. All of us played in garage bands when we were kids, and that's the kind of stuff that we were playing. That's definitely an influence, but as you explore more, you realize that there's a whole world of stuff out there. There's a whole bunch of people that are taking different elements of really raw, soulful traditional music, and they're smashing them together with Husker Du, the Sex Pistols and the Clash. I don't think that necessarily compromises either form of the music." "You can't invent anything completely new these days anyway," agrees Aucello. "Everything is a compilation of something. The members of Jabe are just trying to have fun and put out some good music in the process. "I'm just a guy who likes to write songs, hang out in bars with my friends, smoke cigarettes, laugh and goof around," says Beyer. "I just try and write songs that say something in a way that brings you through. If it's a sad song, I want to feel better by the end of it. If it's a happy song, I want to feel happy when it's over. Good songs to me make sense today, tomorrow, in 20 years, even 20 years ago. Good songs last. Seems like songs on the radio these days are just so self-pitying, 'I'm a loser and a martyr, and I'll be dead and fuck the world.' Whatever, man. Good luck singing that song when you're 50. Over the two-year period that Outback Country Vampire was recorded, Jabe's lineup was still in flux. The result is a cast of 11 musicians, including guest musicians and previous Jabe members. Although Jabe is pleased with the end product, the members feel that the band's sound has developed over the last year, with one solid lineup in place. "If you've got just a whole group of people there playing, it can make for great moments, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be the tightest thing in the world" explains Staples. "This has been a pretty steady lineup for a while, and I think the songs definitely get a good treatment as a result of it. I think we're definitely at the point where we're kind of reading each other's minds a little bit. That's when you know a band's been playing together for a while, when you start doing that kind of stuff. Outback Country Vampire may only be a few months old, but Jabe is already recording another album. The band says that the album is nearing completion, but its release date is contingent on available cash flow. Jabe's big goal now is to get out on the road and tour. "We can play in Boston four times a month for three years, but it's not going to get us anywhere," insists Beyer. "Now that I feel like we've got a band where people are going to stick around, it's definitely time to go on the road. We can play for hours, three hours at least without stopping, without worrying about it. We've got tons of songs. We're consistent. I think we sound good 99% of the time. I don't want to be the biggest thing in Somerville. I'd like to play all over the county, like every other band, but I think we that we're playing the kind of music that you can play for a long time. Of course, there's always the issue of money, or the lack of. "It's kind of a sad situation," quips Westner. "We've got no van. We've got no bread to support ourselves on the road. We don't know how to go on the road. So, we're trying to figure that out next. We make records for nothing. So, next we're going to figure out how to go on the road for nothing. Jabe is always on the move, and the best way to keep track of the band is through the band web site, www.jabe.net. The web site has tour dates, a bio, press, pictures and downloadable mp3 samples. There's also a link to send Beyer e-mail and questions. When tooling around the web site, don't forget to check out the band's quirky "chicken of the month. According to Beyer, there's a chicken conspiracy all over the universe... Interview With The Outback Country Vampire By April Boyle Now I've got my head on straight, and I'm in my prime, standing at the corner of opportunity and time," sings front man Jabe Beyer (lead vocals, guitars, accordion, Wurlitzer, b-3 organ, tenor banjo, harmonica, trumpet) in the recently released song, "Keep On (OutBack Country Vampire). Jabe is the embodiment of this lyric. If you haven't at least heard of Jabe, it's not for lack of trying on the band's part. Jabe has been tearing up the club and bar scene several times a month with a madcap paced bluegrass/alt-country that's racking up connections and pushing open doors. The band was chosen to open up for 16 Horsepower in February at Lillis. Then, in June, the quartet got the privilege of opening up for one of their favorite bands, the Old 97s, at the Paradise. Opening for the Old 97s was fuckin' great," says Beyer. "They were one of the nicest, most welcoming bands we've played with in a long time. No attitudes or anything like that. Just plain old good guys. Funny as hell, actually. They had a lot of good advice as far as business stuff goes, and it was just nice to play with a band we really like and see that they're doing the same shit we do, on a bigger scale, and still have their heads together. They just love music. We might do some more shows in the fall. Opportunity and time are certainly in Jabe's favor now, but that wasn't always the case. The band has undergone its share of growing pains since Beyer first joined forces with bassist Jay Aucello six years ago. Like many bands, Jabe just couldn't seem to find the right lineup. A perpetually revolving cast of players drifted in and out of the band, making it hard for Jabe to solidify its sound. "Jay and I were the only two that would stay," says Beyer. "I was trying to write all the songs, book all the gigs and rehearse with four different people in a week, at four different times. It was driving me fucking crazy. Other than Aucello, the only constant seemed to be the band name , much to Beyer's chagrin. Beyer began playing under his name as a solo act. After forming the band, he tried on several occasions to change the name--coming up with such outlandish names as The Twirling Dildo Beacons, Used Erotica, Broken Gold, Hot Rod Chicken Party and Your Mamma's House--but none of the names seemed to take. Says Beyer, "No one liked them, and the band was changing all the time. So, I was like, 'If I'm the only one in this band, I'm just going to call it Jabe.' Now, it drives me nuts, day after day, and I still don't know what I want to do. It's almost too late to change it because we've been playing with this name for so long, but at the same time, it's not just me. It's a bitch of a situation. Beyer may have misgivings about using his name, but his band mates are happy to let it be. "It's short, and it's to the point," says Sean Staples (mandolin, mandoblaster, guitar). "Who cares about the name? Names really don't matter when you come right down to it anyway. So long as people know where to find you, and they come, that's all that's important. Despite lineup changes, Jabe kept on. Then, in 2000 things began to click into place. Staples joined the band in January 2000, firming up the current lineup that began falling into place in 1999 when Dave Westner (drums, Wurlitzer) switched to drums, after a half-year stint as Jabe's keyboard player. The media attention and accolades began pouring in. Beyer was awarded the Abe Olman Songwriting Scholarship from the National Academy of Popular Music, SESAC and Songwriting Hall of Fame in February. Later, in April, Jabe took home the Boston Music Award for Outstanding Debut Album" for the band's first release, Twenty Point Turn, originally released in November 1998. Jabe followed up the success of Twenty Point Turn with the release of a second album in March of this year. The album is titled Outback Country Vampire, a reference to the band's nocturnal lifestyle. Says Staples, "The nature of playing in this kind of band is that we're out pretty much all night. We generally don't get home until pretty late, more or less vampire hours. Like Twenty Point Turn, Outback Country Vampire was a do-it-yourself, self-released project. The album utilizes the recording, mixing and producing talents of Beyer and Westner, with the help of D. Dubya at Alphabase, Boston, and the mastering talents of Aucello at Sixpenny Brace Mastering, New Hampshire. With the exception of "Rocky Times Come N' Go" (Beyer/Monge) and "Put Away your Water" (Beyer/Aucello) all songs are written by Beyer. I'm a selfish bastard, and it's my band, so I write all the songs," jokes Beyer. "I write pretty consistently, and have for a few years now, so there's no shortage of material to pick from. I tend not to write for a month or so, then 10 songs will just skirt out in like two days, and whatever I'm doing at the time has to wait. If I have a job, I just blow it off. If I have other things to do, they all get sidelined till the songs are done. It tends to piss people off, but I can't help it. I play in other bands where I'm not the songwriting guy, but this band is my baby, and I guess that's just how it is. Over the two years since releasing Twenty Point Turn, Beyer's songwriting style has evolved, influenced by the various band members and guest musicians who passed through the ranks of Jabe. My goal for the first album was just to get a bunch of good songs out with the drums, the bass, the guitar and the words and not worry about all the hocus pocus, bells and whistles and fancy guitar playing," explains Beyer. "Since I made that one, I started hanging out in Somerville and the scene that's going on in that area. I've been influenced by that and people that give me music that they're into. Three out of the four Jabe members play in other bands in and around Somerville. Beyer and Staples both play with The Benders. Staples also plays with his band, the Resophonics. Westner has a band called Fred’s Bowling Ball. Over the past few years, Somerville has been growing into an extended family of musicians. Many of these musicians make guest appearances on Outback Country Vampire. In Somerville, there's so many bands that are around and so many different people that play together," says Beyer. It's not really planned out that there's guest people playing on the record. I live with a guy who sings really well. If he's sitting in the kitchen, and we're not doing anything, he's going to sing on it. I've got a friend that plays fiddle. We record everything, and we usually do all the drums and bass at Dave's place. Then we do a lot of the tracking at my house or Dave's place later. It's so low-key that Bow Thayer (The Benders, Bow Thayer and the Euphorians, Elbow) comes in and plays banjo on things. It's very much a community. It's crazy cool. Outback Country Vampire captures the vitality and enthusiasm of Jabe. This is a band that's not afraid to have fun. It's roots rock, thrown into high gear, with wonderfully told tales of murder, mayhem and love threaded through the music. "It's a real high-energy sort of roots rock," says Beyer. "We jump around and have a good time, but Sean plays the mandolin, and there's a fiddle player all over the record who's going to start playing with us again. I play acoustic guitar about half the time. Jay plays acoustic bass. But, there's no way in hell that it's folk or country. It's like rock with organic instruments. It's music that draws heavily from traditional country music, bluegrass and real authentic forms of folk music, but sort of smashes them together," adds Staples. "All of us are in our 20s and early 30s, so growing up with Black Sabbath and Aerosmith was unavoidable. All of us played in garage bands when we were kids, and that's the kind of stuff that we were playing. That's definitely an influence, but as you explore more, you realize that there's a whole world of stuff out there. There's a whole bunch of people that are taking different elements of really raw, soulful traditional music, and they're smashing them together with Husker Du, the Sex Pistols and the Clash. I don't think that necessarily compromises either form of the music." "You can't invent anything completely new these days anyway," agrees Aucello. Everything is a compilation of something. The members of Jabe are just trying to have fun and put out some good music in the process. "I'm just a guy who likes to write songs, hang out in bars with my friends, smoke cigarettes, laugh and goof around," says Beyer. "I just try and write songs that say something in a way that brings you through. If it's a sad song, I want to feel better by the end of it. If it's a happy song, I want to feel happy when it's over. Good songs to me make sense today, tomorrow, in 20 years, even 20 years ago. Good songs last. Seems like songs on the radio these days are just so self-pitying, 'I'm a loser and a martyr, and I'll be dead and fuck the world.' Whatever, man. Good luck singing that song when you're 50. Over the two-year period that Outback Country Vampire was recorded, Jabe's lineup was still in flux. The result is a cast of 11 musicians, including guest musicians and previous Jabe members. Although Jabe is pleased with the end product, the members feel that the band's sound has developed over the last year, with one solid lineup in place. If you've got just a whole group of people there playing, it can make for great moments, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be the tightest thing in the world" explains Staples. "This has been a pretty steady lineup for a while, and I think the songs definitely get a good treatment as a result of it. I think we're definitely at the point where we're kind of reading each other's minds a little bit. That's when you know a band's been playing together for a while, when you start doing that kind of stuff. Outback Country Vampire may only be a few months old, but Jabe is already recording another album. The band says that the album is nearing completion, but its release date is contingent on available cash flow. Jabe's big goal now is to get out on the road and tour. We can play in Boston four times a month for three years, but it's not going to get us anywhere," insists Beyer. "Now that I feel like we've got a band where people are going to stick around, it's definitely time to go on the road. We can play for hours, three hours at least without stopping, without worrying about it. We've got tons of songs. We're consistent. I think we sound good 99% of the time. I don't want to be the biggest thing in Somerville. I'd like to play all over the county, like every other band, but I think we that we're playing the kind of music that you can play for a long time. Of course, there's always the issue of money, or the lack of. "It's kind of a sad situation," quips Westner. "We've got no van. We've got no bread to support ourselves on the road. We don't know how to go on the road. So, we're trying to figure that out next. We make records for nothing. So, next we're going to figure out how to go on the road for nothing. Jabe is always on the move, and the best way to keep track of the band is through the band web site, www.jabe.net. The web site has tour dates, a bio, press, pictures and downloadable mp3 samples. There's also a link to send Beyer e-mail and questions. When tooling around the web site, don't forget to check out the band's quirky "chicken of the month. According to Beyer, there's a chicken conspiracy all over the universe... COUNTRY STANDARD TIME REVIEW OF OUTBACK COUNTRY VAMPIRE November 2001- by Andy Turner Jabe Beyer’s songs on his band’s second effort are silly, dark, sad, funny, spooky, hell-raising, fascinating and always interesting._ Beyer and his Boston buddies play a sort of raucous bluegrass cowpunk that is powered by a train beat along the lines of the Old 97’s. In fact, the liner notes deem Stupid Boy, a “total Old 97’s rip-off” which it is sort of, but there is a lot worse things a band could do. “Checkout Girl” is a sweet ode to salvation in a supermarket that has lines like “There’s a frenzy in the marketplace/Someone ran off with the scale” and concludes with a triumphant “But I’ll meet her at the bar tonight, I will/I’ll just sit on my stool and twirl/Just me and the Checkout Girl.” “Danglin’ From a Broken Star” is a terrific ballad that would be the perfect “Coulpes Only”song at your favorite alt-country skating rink. Other highlights include the bluesy hillbilly boogie of “Forever is a Long Time” and the spastic bluegrass of “Let in the Blue” and “Rocky Times Come N’ Go.” Terrific songwriting and playing, full of fun and feeling. -Andy Turner

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Jabe & The All Night Circus

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