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New Penn Set Ruminates on Scars of War
03/08/2005 6:43 PM, Reuters
Jonathan Cohen
Singer-songwriter Michael Penn
utilized the post-World War II state of 1947 Los Angeles as the
context for his new studio album, "Mr. Hollywood, Jr. -- 1947."
The set is due June 28 via Penn's own Mimeograph Records,
released through spinART. It marks his first foray out of the
major-label system that issued his first four albums.
"I'm hesitant to call it a concept record," Penn told
Billboard of the 13-track set.
"I was thinking about my father and people who fought in
World War II, and the trauma that a war brings to a person's
psychology. I always write about the day-to-day traumas of life
and relationships. But I was thinking about someone who was
going through those things, and then coming home and having the
extra baggage of experiencing a war as well."
Penn experimented with the fledgling tracks via his monthly
gig at Los Angeles club Largo, and drafted familiar
collaborators such as his wife, Aimee Mann , and vocalist Buddy
Judge to assist in the recording process. Former Jayhawks
principal Gary Louris lends a hand on the songs "Pretending"
and "A Bad Sign."
"Gary was in L.A. and we had a mutual friend who said I
should call him up," Penn said. "So I did, and he was up for
it. He came by, and I put him to work."
Penn will preview the set with a three-week acoustic tour,
which he says will feature just himself and possibly a keyboard
player. "I hope we get to a point where I can afford to go out
with a band, because that would be a lot of fun," he said with
a laugh.
Beforehand, the artist says he's scrambling to finish the
music for the documentary "The Comedians of Comedy," which
chronicles Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis and Brian Posehn's
recent tour of rock clubs. The film is due to premiere next
week at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.
Here are Michael Penn's tour dates:
April 9: Seattle (Tractor Tavern)
April 10: Portland, Ore. (Mississippi Studious)
April 11: San Francisco (Cafe Du Nord)
April 12: Los Angeles (Largo)
April 14: Minneapolis (Varsity)
April 15: Chicago (Schuba's)
April 16: Madison, Wis. (Cafe Monmartre)
April 18: New York (Joe's Pub)
April 20: Boston (Lizard Lounge)
April 22: Brywn Mawr, Pa. (the Point)
April 23: Alexandria, Va. (Iota)
April 25: Charlotte, N.C. (Evening Muse)
April 26: Atlanta (Redlight Cafe)
Reuters/Billboard
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