Stephen Jacques – Prayers For An Orange Cat
This music is an interesting set of well-written & performed alt-rock love songs with generous touches of soul & folk with a post-punk vibe. Ten articulate Prayers For An Orange Cat (Drops July 26/Independent/34:56) were produced in Chicago by the late Steve Albini (Big Black) to ensure its expressive thrust.
Though Stephen is based in the Virginia area his family also hails from New Orleans & New York. I don’t like assailing the creative fact that Stephen’s prolific because many great singer-songwriters who are prolific can have bursts of beautiful material mixed with lots of filler. This is not inherent in this showcase.
One exceptionally prolific artist was the late Scottish singer Jackie Leven (former lead singer of Doll By Doll) who had so many great eccentric melodic songs (“Young Male Suicide Blessed By Invisible Woman,”) that his record company would only release them if Jackie issued some under an alternate name (Sir Vincent Lone). Mr. Leven also released fan club-only albums. Amazing. But from a promotion & marketing perspective, flooding the market is never a good idea – ask Moby Grape.
But Stephen is indeed a creative artist who’s imaginative & understands the value of being diversified while not being so drastically different he’d alienate his audience. Teamed with the late Steve Albini the project took shape with some fascinating themes, topics & stories.
Mr. Jacques doesn’t project with an aggressive tone (PIL & John Lydon) but wallows in a style similar to Russ Tolman (“Marla Jane”) or The Windbreakers’ late Bobby Sutliff (“Same Way Tomorrow”). With the opener “Sometimes Love Is Not Enough,” the haunting edge comes even stronger with co-singer Jennifer Hall adds lift to an already evocative Stephen Jacques tune.
Then he jumps back from the tender stuff with the title track & gets more alternative in texture. Almost singing with the intonation & tone of Lou Reed/Velvet Underground with gnarly lead guitars that run slap-dash through the arrangement. He continues with “Media Puppets” in an even more solidified psychedelic blend an inch from garage rock. A nice driving level of engagement with the drummer quite heavy-handed but on the mark.
This isn’t progressive rock or traditionally layered folk-rock. They’re ballads that an alt-troubadour adds tints to with vulnerable spots. “Unsaid Poetry,” has a T. Bone Burnett savviness. It’s not confrontational but has a primitive charge wired up tight. “Fisherman of Ireland” surfaces as a cross between The Waterboys, World Party & The Pogues with Lou Reed as lead singer. That’s engaging. Exceptional jangly guitars.
The instrumentation throughout is quite good on many tunes.
Highlights – “Sometimes Love Is Not Enough,” “Prayers For An Orange Cat,” “Media Puppets,” “Unsaid Poetry” & “Fisherman of Ireland.”
Musicians – Stephen Jacques (guitar/vocals), Jason Narducy (bass/guitar/percussion), Chris Siebold (lap steel guitars), Vijay Tellis-Nayak (piano/keys), Gerald Dowd (drums/percussion) & Jennifer Hall (vocals/bgv).
B&W images courtesy of Darin Back. CD @ Apple + https://boxofmoxie.bandcamp.com/album/prayers-for-an-orange-cat
