"Modern Johnny is a feeling," says acclaimed
singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Theo Katzman in regards to his
forthcoming self-release Modern Johnny Sings: Songs in the Age of
Vibe, due out in early 2020. “It’s closer to Vonnegut's Kilgore
Trout than Bowie's Ziggy Stardust—Modern Johnny represents the
journey, the quest, the plight of the singer-songwriter trying to make
it in today's music world.” Known for his rock-and-roll inspired
solo albums, as well as his contributions to internet funk sensation
Vulfpeck, Katzman has had this feeling bubbling in the recesses of his
mind for some time now, weaving its way through his songwriting
process and onto his recordings. The feeling itself is
multi-dimensional: it's a subtle sarcasm, but not at the expense of
sincerity; criticism, but not at the expense of joy; character, but
not at the expense of vulnerability. Modern Johnny is not an alter-ego
per se, but he and Katzman do have some striking similarities. Both
were born in the mid-‘80s, forming their musical identities from the
rubble of ‘90s rock radio, the remains of their parents' record
collections, a handful of ‘Greatest Hits’ compilations on Compact
Disc, and several hard drives’ worth of miscredited MP3s from
Napster. Both arrived in Los Angeles in the mid 2010’s with a
“songs-can-change-the-world” attitude, fully expecting to join the
Eagles. Both find themselves stumbling through the free market in the
age of social, the age of streaming…the Age of Vibe. The year is
2020. Billy Joel hasn't released an album in over two and a half
decades, Stevie Wonder is ranked 230th on Spotify, and Paul
McCartney's most popular song is "FourFiveSeconds.” It's hard to
know what to make of all of this… and Modern Johnny isn’t
necessarily what the kids are asking for. He’s too heart to be hip,
too hip to be pop, too pop to be rock, and too rock to be art. TOUGH
SITCH. But no matter the zeitgeist, both Theo Katzman and Modern
Johnny forge ahead the only way they know how: in pursuit of messy,
honest, exuberant human emotion through popular song. The result is
Modern Johnny Sings: Songs in the Age of Vibe.
music
1740
Views
02/02/2020 Last update