The Lumineers Co-Founder and Multi-Instrumentalist Jeremiah Fraites Announces Solo Debut Album of Piano-Centric Instrumental Songs By T.J. Jeremiah Fraites, co-founder of The Lumineers has announced the release of Piano Piano, his upcoming solo album that is due for a January 22nd, 2021 release. Piano Piano is slated to be released through Dualtone Records (an Entertainment One Company) in the U.S. and Canada and Mercury KX for the rest of the world. Jeremiah tells us that he has been working on these songs for almost a decade. Piano Piano is a piano-dominated instrumental album that features reflective moments in Jeremiah’s life. Already Jeremiah has released two singles from the album, “Tokyo”, which is a string heavy reflection on the city of Tokyo, and “Maggie,” a song about his wife’s dog that passed away during recording of the new album. Both songs are accompanied by videos that show the same caricature walking through water in “Maggie,” to walking through a purplish background of what might be Japanese letter or drawings. “‘Tokyo’ is one of the older songs on the record,” stated Jeremiah. “I believe I wrote it about seven years ago. I went back and forth on whether to record this song on a grand piano or my custom felted piano nicknamed ‘Firewood’ - I ultimately landed on using the softer, more distinct Firewood
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The album’s title has basically three meanings to it. First of all, it describes the main instrument used throughout the process. In addition to that it, the doubling of the word Piano in the title, Piano Piano means “soft piano”, and to cap things off, in Italian that phrase loosely translated means step by step, which also describe Jonathan’s journey in recording this album. The Italian meaning has a duel meaning to Fraites as well. Besides the meaning of ‘step by step’ it is also a nod to Fraites relocation to Turin, Italy, his wife’s hometown. Since childhood, Jonathan has always been fond of classical music, so these soft piano laden songs mean a lot to him. Perhaps you remember the songs “Patience,” and “April” which he wrote for The Lumineers albums. This classical style is also reflective of the music that he composed for “The Hunger Games” movies. Now Jonathan is happy to release this great collection of musical feelings that he has been working on throughout the years during moments on the road or even backstage while he was on the road with The Lumineers. Jonathan states that he wanted to share the intimacy of the album and make it as much of a moving experience for the listener as it was to him when he recorded the songs. “I wanted listeners to feel almost as if they’re sitting on the piano bench next to me,” stated Jeremiah. “I love the idea of communicating with people through music alone, which can sometimes say more than words ever could.” Track List: 01) Departure 02) Chilly 03) Tokyo 04) Maggie 05) Nearsighted 06) Dreams 07) Possessed 08) An Air That Kills 09) Simplest of Matters 10) Pyromaniac 11) Arrival 12) Lullaby (Bonus Track - Vinyl
because I felt that captured the soul of the tune better. This was a song I was guilty of over-thinking and confessing to my wife that I ‘just don’t think it was ready’ for the album. I suppose finding that fine balance between overthinking and not thinking at all is the key when in the studio. Currently this is my absolute favorite song on the album.” He continued, “I am most proud of ‘Maggie’ because of how difficult it was to record and to get ‘right’ - I probably said out loud on five separate occasions that I was not going to use it and delete it from the record as it continually seemed to fight me. It was also titled something completely different, but while finishing the mix at my home in Denver, my wife’s beloved dog Maggie passed away far in Italy and the name just fell into my lap. Adding the drums at the 11th hour of recording (per my wife’s insistence) was the lynchpin for finishing this song. Not only could I no longer imagine the song without drums, but no longer imagine the album without this song.”
Rock and Blues International • November 2020
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