Jason Falkner and R. Stevie Moore Team Up for ‘Make It Be’ LP
Prolific lo-fi legend R. Stevie Moore has released hundreds of albums over the years, but his latest, Make It Be, adds a new wrinkle to his sizable discography: the involvement of Jason Falkner.
Falkner, a highly regarded producer and session player as well as a veteran of several cult bands (Jellyfish, the Three O'Clock, the Grays) and an acclaimed solo artist in his own right, contributed heavily to Make It Be. The album's 18-song track listing includes one solo Falkner composition as well as seven co-writes with Moore, and he added a variety of instruments and singing, including lead vocals on a number of cuts. As Falkner explains in the album's press release, the duo's partnership extended to him sifting through Moore's substantial archives to help pick the songs.
"He was only able to be here for two weeks," said Falkner. "So I just kind of concentrated on getting as much of him on tape as possible, and then I’m adding my Jason half to it. But it is a duo, it’s not just a record that I’m producing. So that’s very exciting."
"Recording with him was a dream, totally incredible," added Moore. "We showed a similar sense of both crazed adventure and textbook pop discipline. The sessions moved fast, just gleefully piling on overdubs. I am grateful he allowed me to just dive into any left-field idea I felt. JF's a marvelous producer and killer drummer, but I don't think he usually gets quite as much creative leeway to tinker with things as he did with me."
The end result is an unlikely-seeming but unforgettable mashup of Moore's DIY aesthetic and Falkner's pure pop touch. "Moore and Falkner are legends on their own," proclaims the duo's label, Bar None. "But as Make It Be loudly announces, their voices, performances, and arrangements have always been a match made in heaven waiting to be realized here on earth."
Make It Be is out now. Check out leadoff track "I H8 Ppl" above, take a look at the complete track listing below, and order your copy here.
R. Stevie Moore and Jason Falkner, Make It Be
"I H8 Ppl"
"Another Day Slips Away"
"I Love Us, We Love Me"
"Gower (Theme from a Scene)"
"Prohibited Permissions"
"Stamps"
"Horror Show"
"Guitar Interplé"
"Sincero Amore"
"Don't You Just Know It"
"If You See Kay / Run for Your Lives!"
"Guitar Interplay Dos"
"That's Fine, What Time?"
"Play Myself Some Music"
"Passed Away Today"
"Album Drop"
"I Am The Best for You"
"Falkner Walk"
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