Jackrabbit
Seattle, Washington, United States
Music
Press
Spun into an intricate web of bluegrass, americana, country and rock, A Better Place is as transparent as it is honest.
The Seattle band's debut album, which was recorded in between professional and home studios, is the result of three very different people coming together to make one fun and upbeat album rooted in stories of love, loss and not taking people's shit. Can't argue with that.
My favorite, "Fathers and Sons," strays away from the angrier rock 'n' roll vibe of "Big Kids" and instead opts for more of a West Texas, bumpin' and rollin' southern feel. Tony Fulgham's twangy voice and crying guitar are perfectly complimented by the female harmonies of bassist Moe Provencher and drummer Aimee Zoe Tubbs, who also happen to be dating and longtime music partners.
"I'm so sorry 'bout when I drag you down in the mud just so you get dirty too," sings Fulgham on "I'm Sorry," a song that starts slow and builds with a genuine intensity. A Better Place plays like a diary entry from beginning to end, with three people telling stories and spilling their guts. Sometimes it's fun. Sometimes it's sad. But more importantly, it's real.
- Seattle Weekly
Discography
E.P. http://jackrabbit.bandcamp.com/
A Better Place http://jackrabbit.bandcamp.com/
Photos
Bio
Jackrabbit began in the winter of 2011 as Seattle singer/songwriter Tony Fulgham was musically stumbling about like a ninth-round punch-drunk-amateur following the demise of his previous band, North Twin. Through countless combinations, he struggled to find the right people with whom to get locked into a dark basement. It doesnt matter how good a bunch of players are, if they dont fit with each other its just no damn good. The search ended when Tony saw drummer Aimee Zoe in The Starlings. There was the premeditated ambush at the front door of Ballards Tractor Tavern and conversations that followed, which eventually lead to Tony and Aimee working on what is now Jackrabbit. After that, finding the right bass player was easy: Aimees girlfriend and long time music partner, Moe Provencher.
The band proved to create a lot of firsts. All three of them have been playing music in Seattle for, well a long time, but this band brought them all to a new place. Moe is a singer/songwriter and she found herself in a rock 'n' roll band playing bass. Aimee had to go way back to her rock 'n' roll roots. Doing a Keith Moon while singing three part harmonies is no picnic. Tony had never been a lead guitarist before this band and had sworn he would NEVER play in a band with anyone that was romantically involved. Now he has a pedal board and a couple in the band and they are girls to boot. This collective pushing out of their comfort zones has resulted in something amazing on A Better Place.
Jackrabbits first full length LP, A Better Place, is available for digital download on
September 25th, with the vinyl to follow on October 25th.
Produced by Jackrabbit, A Better Place began at Jupiter Studios, where they recorded with the legendary Martin Feveyear (Jesse Sykes, Mark Lanegan, Mudhoney). With those tracks in hand, they hopped between professional and home studios with Moe using her engineering skills at each stop. It was, at times, a comically frustrating process. The group navigated a series of obstacles including chickens in one control booth, a large (but friendly) dog who didnt want to share his sofa in another, and a cat with issues at yet another. But mostly it was an amazing six months of jumping into the studio whenever they could nail down a few hours of available time. They love playing with each other. They love the songs. Chickens can't mess that up.
A Better Place is a rock n roll record at its core. From the opening guitar riff of Big Kids, an angry tune about leaving reminiscent of some of T-Rexs best, to the Johnny Cash meets Elvis Costello apology, Im Sorry, A Better Place is a record that tells stories of love, loss and regret but never loses its sense of joy. Not for very long anyway. The songs are honest and straightforward. Theres no hiding behind cryptic metaphor on this record. You always know what Tony is saying. How much of its true? Youll have to ask him.
Tony, Aimee and Moe have built something special. Being in a band is only a piece of it. Writing songs is only a piece of it. Playing shows is only a piece of it. Sometimes its just having someone to lean on or someone to call you on your shit. Most of the time its having someone to laugh at you when everyone else is being polite. It may not always be healthy but so far its damn good. A Better Place captures that special thing, that thing that turns good into great. That turns great into Jackrabbit.
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