WWNT?
Jackson Pollack would likely have appreciated JoKr. Painting on an audio canvas, JoKr likes to weave. Using multiple strands of storyline, subject matter, musical stylings and desire to let randomness/chance enter the creative recording process, the songwriting duo of David Joost and Terrin Krantz have fashioned their latest musical statement.
“PSYCHOsync,” a double CD offering serves as an off-kilter, yet strikingly synchronized alternate soundtrack to Alfred Hitchcock’s suspense masterpiece, “Psycho.” JoKr’s work provides audio response to the stark, sometimes disturbing black and white imagery conjured for the movie viewing public in 1960, with a multitude of trippy “aha!” moments similar to those forged by the legendary “Dark Side of the Moon/Wizard of Oz” mash-up. Adding further color to the musical palette, JoKr places yet another story line into the mix, inserting excerpts from William Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet,” with all the roles being performed by the Macintosh computer’s speech function.
The musical brushstrokes of “PSYCHOsync” draw from a staggering roster of influences. First and foremost are other sweeping concept albums: Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” and “The Wall,” The Beatles “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” The Who’s “Tommy” and “Quadrophenia.” The listener will also notice similarities to classic double LPs of rich variety, such as The Beatle’s “White Album,” Todd Rundgren’s “Something/Anything,” Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and Fleetwood Mac’s “Tusk.” This work also pays homage to and bears the influence of a host of other musical giants. Tom Waits. Bruce Springsteen (Nebraska and solo acoustic tours). Robin “Man of 1000 voices” Zander (Cheap Trick). Bono singing other people’s lyrics over U2 music. Cinematic scores. Jeff Beck. Carlos Santana. Lindsey Buckingham. Elton John/Bernie Taupin. Roy Bittan. Laurie Anderson. Madonna. Lynyrd Skynyrd. Warren Zevon. The tambourine playing of Ray Charles’ Raelettes. Led Zeppelin. Jesus Christ. Superstar. Bob Dylan. The Who “Sell Out.” Broadway composers like Stephen Schwartz, Alan Menken, Rodgers & Hammerstein, whose clever internal rhymes move the plot. As well as traditional American folk, gospel and country & western.
Like the film “Psycho” which inspires it, close attention to JoKr’s “PSYCHOsync” rewards the listener with surprises around every corner and new discoveries with every play.
“PSYCHOsync" is now available from CDBaby.com, Amazon.com, Apple’s iTunes store, and many other online music services.
What would Norman think? Indeed.
CREDITS:
JoKr “PSYCHOsync”
Concept, words and Music © 2008 D. Joost/T. Krantz
Written/recorded between June 2003 and February 2008 at Budget Host Motor Inn (Gilman, IL) and the Playroom (Oak Forest, IL) on Boss BR-1180 Hard Disk Digital Recording Studio and Macintosh iMac G4 computer (using SoundStudio 3 software developed by Felt Tip Software, published by Freeverse).
JoKr is:
David Joost: voices, piano, keyboards, harmonica, percussion, slide guitar, drum programming, tympani, sound effects editing.
Terrin Krantz: voices, guitar, concertina, keyboards, wild card
Sequencing, additional sound effects editing and mastering by Mark Rubel, Pogo Studio, Champaign, IL using MOTU Digital Performer.
Guest musician: Doug Zartman (conga on “Liar’s Box”).
Vocals on “Wrong Number” and interludes from William Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” performed by Macintosh.
Produced by JoKr.
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