Album Notes

Sweet, Sassy and Soulful

"Relaxed and shuffling, sugared and spirited, the Johnny Starlings have a vintage music sound that would be equally at home in an upscale urban venue, a vaudeville stage, a gazebo on a lazy humid day in Georgia, or a barn on the verge of collapse in Any-Old-Farm-Town, USA. While so many clamor to top the bandwagon of boutique chamber pop, these players take longer, slower strides and cross the street toward early jazz and popular music from the beginning of the 20th century, avoiding use of words and turns of phrase that haven't been worn through from years of overuse. A distinctly American sound, there's at least one song on this record for residents of every corner of the country: slow bebop for folks from the glittering streets of New York, sunny pop for sun bathed Californians, cup of hot chocolate and blankets by the fire for snow-bound Minnesotans, and a teeny bit of twang for Texas."
--CD Baby


After haunting Long Beach and Los Angeles for five years, the Johnny Starlings sought out the seclusion of their ancestral roost on Californias Central Coast to woodshed some new songs and finish their first full-length record. You see before you that new record, featuring Jody Mulgrew on vocals and guitars, Travis Harms on bass, Yohei Shikano on guitar and vocals, and Jennings Jacobsen on drums as well as a full complement of some of the best performers and session players around.

Like their live performances, the new record highlights the Johnny Starlings Jazz, Roots and Folk hooks, clever lyrics and crafted vocals, with a few surprises for old and new fans alike. Under the influence of the likes of Lucinda Williams, Sam Cooke, and Bob Dylan, the Starlings sound is both familiar, comforting and a welcome breath of fresh air.