JOHN HOSKINSON: Miscellaneous Heathen

John Hoskinson

Miscellaneous Heathen

© 2004 Hoskinsongs (634479503726)

CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.

(About MP3 downloads at CD Baby)

Features "I Belong To You" which was recently heard on ABC-TV's "Men In Trees".

notes

*** Miscellaneous Heathen named the #1 CD of 2004
by The Orange County Register ***

John honed his skills in the Orange County bounce-pop trio Ferocious Daisies. After two cds and countless sweaty gigs, it became time to break out and develop his solo material. Playing several years of various solo-acoustic gigs throughout Southern California (as well as stints in Copenhagen and Oslo) led to a deeper understanding of the direction he wanted to take and Miscellaneous Heathen is the end result of that exploration.

Most of the CD was recorded by John, all alone in his home studio but he had some help from some very good (and very talented) friends. Eugene Edwards (guitar) and Mike "Soupy" Sessa (drums) of the Eugene Edwards Band appear all over the disc and pop maestro Joe Ongie added his mixing and mastering talents to make a very well-rounded album.

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FOUR STARS!
"Gorgeous pop craftsmanship from West Coast upstart
Fans of densely melodic, melancholy pop will flip for Los Angeleno John Hoskinson's solo debut. Though he's been on the periphery of the LA scene for a decade, Miscellaneous Heathen exceeds all expectations. Obsessed with romantic themes of all stripes, his songs, built on acoustic guitar and autumnal piano, revolve around insinuating hooks and a winsome veneer. The bouncy "I Belong To You", with its falsetto chorus, is the showpiece; the more existential numbers, like "Going Nowhere", will reel you back in. The lost link between Rubber Soul and Emitt Rhodes."

- UNCUT MAGAZINE


"...'Miscellaneous Heathen' stands up to the best discs I've received this year, clearly outdistancing the majority of recent major-label releases..."

- Orange County Register


"...This alluring, satisfying and spectacular debut... is saturated with the complex embrace of warmly harmonized vocals throughout and confectionary melodies to bathe in...."

- NotLame.com

reviews

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  • Well Worth Hunting For
    author: Chris Welch / UK Fan

    If you've only just discovered Hoskinson's work via the recently released 'Pancho Fantastico' then you are in for a treat. His 2004 solo debut 'Miscellaneous Heathen' is every bit as good and well worth hunting down. From the Mr Blue sky piano intro to 'I Hope I Die Before You Do' to the Lennonesque melody and Harrison like solo of closing track 'Time Will Tell' Hoskinson wears his classic beat group influences with pride. 'I Belong To You', with its infectious chorus and smart brass flourishes, should have been a big summer hit whilst the quirky 'Waiting For Someone To Call' is Difford and Tilbrook at their most commercial. The gorgeous 'Going Nowhere' and the smart 'It's like Cigarettes' ably demonstrate that this native Californian can handle the slower numbers with as much restraint and panache as the up tempo. Lyrically accomplished, possessed of a great voice (think Macca and Neil Finn) and clearly in love with the music he makes, John Hoskinson is one of power pops best kept secrets. Fans of Wings era McCartney, Badfinger and, more recently, The Feeling should sign up now.

  • We love "Miscellaneous Heathen"!
    author: cloud nine and cloud seven

    Internet Music Radio, "Gone Fishing for Blue Skies", loves the world of John Hoskinson.

  • gorgeous pop from start to finish, not a single bad track!
    author: Anna B

    “Miscellaneous Heathen” plays like a series of short stories, rather than a standard pop album. It’s a great record for both road trips and sitting at home reading about architecture. John has one of my favorite voices in pop right now, with an effortless display of range and emotion. My favorite song on the record is “She Still Plays Around” but there really isn’t a single weak track. Recommended if you are a fan of Neil Finn, Squeeze, Jon Brion, Candy Butchers, etc.

  • BUY THIS CD!!!
    author: Kat

    John's a great LA-based singer-songwriter. The songs are this cd are catchy, beautiful and funny; my favorite one being "I Hope I Die Before You Do" Check it out; you won't be sorry!!! Also, check out his website. http://www.johnhoskinson.com He's great live and plays shows all over Southern California.

  • It's a goodie!
    author: Niki Smart

    I play it over and over in my car which is uncharacteristic, makes me feel optimistic, maybe you wanna slap me around?

  • This guy is REALLY GOOD!
    author: Zak Morgan

    I happened to catch a clip of John singing live while channel surfing in Los Angeles. The song he was singing hooked me immediately. I went to his website and checked out his music and it's awesome. The production is tasteful, the melodies are terrific, the lyrics are smart, and his voice is great. What else can I say? Buy the CD. I did.

  • A Pop Heaven for Miscellaneous Heathens
    author: Warren Allen

    John Hoskinson regularly delivers sit-up-and-take-notice live performances of these songs, solo and with his talented friends. They sound even better on this new album, which sounds very expensive indeed, but is really all about John's ability to capture his talent, with some help from the studio smarts of comrades like Joe Ongie. ||| John sings like the angels, and his voice is very much to the fore here, just where you'd want it to be. Beyond that, the album is full of lovely instrumental parts that delicately interlace his thoughtful ballads and spectacularly propel his rockin' pop knockouts. John himself plays most of these parts, but he's not above drafting in groove monsters like Eugene Edwards and Mike 'Soupy' Sessa to rock his boat. ||| This album illustrates well the many Hoskinsons that comprise John. Just when you think you understand what he sounds like, the next tracks steams off into altogether different territory. It's all of one piece, though, thanks to John's beautiful voice, the sound of the instruments, and the crystalline production. ||| One more thing. There are some outstanding songs here, that you really should not attempt to live without: :: 'I Hope I Die Before You Do' -- the brilliant up-tempo opening track, with unabashedly appreciative lyrics that will make you wish it was _you_ that John married. Eugene and Mike levitate this one to power-pop elysium. :: 'Uncharacteristic' -- a very inventive and spirited acoustic-guitar based song, which could stand proudly as an instrumental, but is graced by a compelling and intelligent vocal. The only thing better than this is to hear John perform it live. :: 'When She Speaks' -- a gorgeous and intricate song with extraordinary lyrics ("Let's watch the logic... pour through the cracks... / She likes to think her laughter... trumps all of the facts.") Irresistible. :: 'Time Will Tell' -- an evocative song, very richly arrayed in Abbey Road shadings, but with much that is uniquely JH. A strong performance by characters from John's Left Hand Band (ca. 2003), including captivating bass playing from Sarah Walsh. :: 'It's Like Cigarettes' -- an especially good song, or so I'm convinced -- certainly the one I cannot get enough of. Framed in substantial observations ("Nothing ever comes to rest until you let it go.") and rendered in an understated but powerful vocal, and laced with affecting guitar parts (played by the author) it's a very good omen for the future of Hoskinson's songwriting. ||| Very good songs, very well captured! I'm very happy to have this album, and I'll be staying tuned for whatever Hoskinson comes up with next. Pick it when you next catch him live, or snag it here and now from CD Baby. -- WA, 23 Aug 2004

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