Jesca Hoop returns with her third album, The House That Jack Built, on her own label June 25th and is set to support Punch Brothers at the Variety Playhouse on Saturday April 21st to show the fruits of her labour.
The House That Jack Built showcases its author’s unwavering tendency to pull focus from a widescreen feel to that of close-up. It is part siren song, part grim warning.
There is a haunting intimacy to Hoop’s delivery and a grandeur feel from the outset of all her shows. Concertgoers should expect tempestuous, moodily melodic songs such as “Born To” with later highlights from the recent Album, “When I’m Asleep,” “Peacemaker” and “Deeper Devastation.”
The sensual singer was born in Northern California to Mormon parents. She grew up singing traditional folk tunes in four-part harmony. She broke away from her background, becoming a homesteader in the wilderness area of Northern California and Wyoming. She also worked in the remote mountains of Arizona with a rehabilitation program for children. Despite this, it is clear to hear that she is deep rooted in the traditions of folk.
Jesca got her big break as an artist thanks to her job as nanny to Tom Waits’ children in the 2000s. He took a liking to her off-beat indie pop songs, linking her to artists of the so called ‘New Weird Americans’ genre, such as Devendra Banhart.
Tom Waits described Jesca thus: ”Her music is like going swimming in a lake at night.”
Expression is key for Hoop, whose adventurous songwriting and idiosyncratic vocals have earned favourable comparisons to such cutting-edge forbears as Björk, Kate Bush and Joni Mitchell. “Those women inspired a generation, and I’m of that generation,” Hoop admits. “I’m trying to get to what’s innately mine. My heroes set this example for me. My only aim is to be just like myself’’
Since self-releasing Hunting My Dress, Jesca Hoop has continued collecting fans in high places. Having been endorsed by Elbow’s Guy Garvey, she joined Eels on their US and European tour in 2011 and was invited by Peter Gabriel to sing backing vocals for his David Letterman and Jools Holland TV performances and support him on his South American tour last year. With the release of The House That Jack Built, Jesca is set to pick up a host of new fans, high profile or not. Perhaps you will be one of them?
If you can’t make this show, there is plenty of opportunity to see her in her current tour;
22nd April 2012 Chattanooga, TN, USA – Track 29 @ The Chattanooga Choo Choo (supporting The Punch Brothers)
24th April 2012 Philadelphia, PA, USA – Theatre of the Living Arts (supporting The Punch Brothers)
26th April 2012 New York, NY, USA – The Town Hall (supporting The Punch Brothers)
27th April 2012 Washington, DC, USA – 9:30 Club (supporting The Punch Brothers)
29th April 2012 Charleston, SC, USA – Music Farm (supporting The Punch Brothers)
6th May 2012 Los Angeles, CA, USA – The Hotel Cafe
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