Friday, 21 May 2010
It’s still hard to believe that Jay Bennett is gone. Now almost a year since his passing, his contributions both as a solo artists and as with Wilco are impossible to ignore. I feel strongly that Jay’s personal output was criminally overlooked in the aftermath of his departure from Wilco. There are plenty of gems to be found in his personal catalog. Do the digging and reap the rewards. Trust me.
To coincide with the one-year anniversary of his death, The Jay Bennett Foundation will launch on May 24. Coming later this summer (July 10), fans can support the foundation by downloading Kicking at the Perfumed Air, “the album Jay was completing at the time of his death.” This download comes at no cost, but fans are encouraged to support the release by making a monetary donation of their choosing. It will also be available for purchase on CD.
Below, download “M Plates” and “Twice A Year,” two tracks from the forthcoming Kicking at the Perfumed Air
MP3: Jay Bennett – “M Plates”
MP3: Jay Bennett – “Twice A Year”
May 25th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
I haven’t really given his solo stuff a shot, but I think his input into Wilco is overlooked now. I liked A Ghost Is Born plenty, and bits of Sky Blue Sky, but I thought Wilco the album was terrible. It has lead me to believe that Tweedy’s unquestioned leadership in that band is the reason that their songs are getting bland. But really, what do I know anyway?
May 27th, 2010 at 12:10 am
Maybe it’s because I’m some part a “sad bastard” too, maybe it’s because I read that Jay Bennett was the one who had to “convince” Jeff Tweedy to do the Mermaid Avenue sessions, maybe it’s just because his music is utterly compelling and deeply emotional, musically complex…
but we’ll never forget Jay Bennett.