Jack Klatt is a singer-songwriter and fingerpicking guitar master from Minneapolis. Bridging early rock ‘n’ roll to R&B, raw soul to country folk, Klatt’s idiosyncratic output has earned him acclaim while staying true to the spirit and simplicity of americana. It Ain’t The Same reflects a reverential attitude of his musical past, but adds a depth and devotion in the songwriting and production that ensures its contemporary credence.
Watch the video for ‘Prove My Love’:
It Ain’t The Same, inspired by the disjointed and chaotic state of affairs of a world in turmoil, comes to the conclusion that love is the most important tool to fight this societal and political disorder. This is referenced in the first lines of the opening track “I’ll Never Let You Down,” with Jack declaring that ‘Wild flowers are hard to find / In a world that’s lost its mind,’ and is epitomised in “Caught in the Middle”, where he asks ‘Who is that clown speaking only in riddles / Words have a way that can hypnotize / He ain’t saying, nothing, he’s telling you lies /The world is upside down, and I’m caught in the middle.’ The record’s emotional centre comes from the tender balladry of “Ramblin’ Kind,” and “Looking for Love,” with the up-tempo moments coming from the coolly confident “World Shaker” and the powerful rock n’ roll of “Prove My Love”. It Ain’t The Same is, as its title suggests, something truly special and serves as the most definitive example of Klatt’s prowess and potential.
Recorded at Reliable Recorders in Chicago and with Klatt himself singing, playing guitar and sitting in the producer’s chair, it boasts the talents of a skilled set of session players -- John James Tourville (The Deslondes) on electric guitar and pedal steel, Casey McDonough (NRBQ) on bass skills, Alex Hall (JD McPherson, The Cactus Blossoms, Robbie Fulks) on drums, percussion, keys and engineering and Page Burkum (harmony on “I’ll Never Let You Down” and “Highway Lines”).
Watch Jack Klatt discussing record shops, vinyl and some of his favourite picks:
Jack Klatt dropped out of college, spending six years pursuing his wanderlust and hitch hiking across the country with nothing but a backpack and an acoustic guitar. He eventually made his way to the UK and Europe, where he slept under the stars, traded songs for spending money. In 2013, he recorded his first album, Love Me Lonely, a set of songs that found him mining his influences while honing a signature style. The followup, 2016’s Shadows in the Sunset, recorded with Tom Herbers (Low, Trampled by Turtles, the Jayhawks) in a 100 year-old farmhouse in Viroqua Wisconsin, garnered rave reviews. No Depression hailed it as a beautifully done album of classic American music.” It‘s little wonder that the album found its way onto several ‘best of” lists, including Saving Country Music’s list of 2016‘s most essential albums.
‘It Aint The Same’ is available now on Yep Roc Records here.
