Steven Jackson & the Leavers
Boxfan
© 2001 Steven Jackson (786851021929)
CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.
Roots-rock that has been described as "Springsteen meets the Counting Crows"
tracks
- 1 Leavers & the Left Behinds
- 2 Down Sycamore
- 3 Used to Know
- 4 If This Was a Western
- 5 Boxfan
- 6 Moline
- 7 Changes
- 8 No Quitter
- 9 Say I Have a Lifetime
- 10 Carnival
- 11 El Dorado
- 12 At the Other End
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notes
Paste Magazine says "There's nothing more seductive than discovering someone who gives form to your thoughts with words more beautiful, evocative and true than you could ever find yourself." Jackson's music is Americana in the vein of Springsteen, Counting Crows, Tom Waits and Greg Brown.
"Boxfan" finds the Nashville-based singer-songwriter recapturing his roots in folk, punk, and late 80's-era alternative rock to produce an electrifying group of songs that showcases his penchant for narrative lyrics - along with the unbridled energy of guitar-driven roots-rock. He joined with producer/guitarist Rob Seals,drummer Eddie Walker (Ben Folds, Evan Olson), keyboardist Chad Barger (Cravin' Melon) and engineer/bassist Steve Graham (Evan Olson) to form The Leavers.
EXTENDED BIO & Beginnings:
It has been said that he sounds like a young Springsteen and writes like he's 100 years old. And although 24-year-old Steven Jackson claims no early influence from "The Boss," he certainly has the background to support that kind of intense sound.
"I was playing punk music in biker bars before I had even thought about driving a car," says the Alabama native. And while his punk roots may explain his gritty live performances, they don't account for his folky sound and a writing style that is deeply entrenched in the past - and more worldly than one would expect from a young writer.
"I guess I just absorbed the sounds of traditionally-influenced writers," says Jackson. "I used to sit in the back seat of my parents Buick and sing real deep and twangy - making fun of the country music they listened to. I was into the Sex Pistols and Ramones then, but I remember really connecting with some of the songs I heard riding around in that car. You could still hear people like Willie Nelson, Don Williams and Patsy Cline on commercial radio."
Then in true rebellious nature Jackson spent college years playing power-pop and psychedelic soul music before reconciling his roots. (FYI: In the bands Jack's Brat, Mister Shankly and Passing Through)
What results from the journalism major's musical ramblings is an intimate writing style that tips its hat to the past while bringing it up-to-date. And with a powerful, voice and a tendency to jump from observationist ballads to high-energy rock- and bluegrass-influenced songs, he is often compared to Tom Waits, Steve Earle and Lyle Lovett.
Jackson calls his music "Acoustic Americana." "The songs are stories," he says. "They're stories about people and places. Some of them I know, some are inventions of things I know to be true. It's about hometowns and leaving. It's about religion and whatever the opposite of that is. It's American music. And it's inspired by the music of this country like blues, bluegrass, folk and rock."
reviews
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Man and a Guitar at its Finest!
author: RhiannonI am in love with this CD, no one could ask for anything more than the heart and soul put into this album. Steven Jackson can make the word "ain't" sound like pillow talk! The lyrics in the songs are so personal its like he's sitting right next to you while he tells his musical tales. If you can't catch him live, Boxfan is the best way to get a fix of some truly insightful and amazing music.
Vivid Perfectly Timed Delivery of Solid Songwriting
author: MikewillisSteven comes through in true colors with Boxfan showing incredible production, outstanding songwriting (both musically and lyrically), and a perfect delivery of each solidly written line. No stone is left unturned and the listener is bound to be touched by the images Jackson has lived and sung. just buy the CD...and you'll be writing here just like me.
My favorite of 2001! What a voice!
author: Kylie O.His voice...!!! Steven Jackson could sing me his "to-do" list and I'd be hanging on every word. These are smart songs delivered with energy and punch. My stereo just digs in when I put 'Boxfan' on--like it knows it gets to show its stuff. This guy is destined to be big. This is one of those, tell-a-friend CD's BEFORE you hear him on radio or on a soundtrack.
Gritty, gutsy, and wise beyond its years. Wish we'd released it!
author: One Good Tern RecordsThis is by far the best CD we DIDN'T release in 2001. Exactly the kind of record the nation needs right now: sincere but not sentimental, brave but not boastful. These dozen songs demand to be heard on a large scale. 'Boxfan' is like a marvelous piece of glass you find during a morning's walk along a beach. It is polished smooth by the surf, but it still has a jagged edge. And looking through it reveals a whole new world. Jackson has come into his own as writer and performer, blending the polish of his songcraft with the jagged edges of his electrifying stage sets . This record captures the kinetic energy of real musicians making important music together in a room while leaving the lyrics space to breathe. Stunning. Produced by our own Rob Seals, we wish we had released this record, but we're just glad it's out there. Steven Jackson will prove important. You need to own this record.
Beautiful!
author: Carter Cornthe song "changes" is my favorite, "if this was a western" is a fucking bronco of a literary piece. a pulsating knot of tension with teeth grinding rodeo funk with a bit of old school appilachian front porch stomp to it.. his music is gathering energy......spinning out metaphors faster than beats per minute, which dumbfounds the average poetry digestive tract into a backup...