Avant-pop outsider and no-hit wonder Sir Bobby Jukebox (Dublin, Ireland) is set to release his eclectic, ornate, hyper-melodic second album, In the Organ Loft at Midnight, on June 9th 2023 – perhaps the first ever album to be released as a set of collectable bubblegum trading cards.
As an album preview, the first single, Hire-A-Heart, sets the tone for what to expect from the LP – a bouncy pop nugget with an unorthodox structure, cryptic lyrics and a singalong chorus. Similarly, the other singles-to-be pack plenty into their three minutes – from the existential chamber pop stylings of Nudity to bluebottle diss track No Fly Zone, and the twirling dual guitar-and-clarinet riffage of Department of Defense.
Adorned with orchestral flourishes, curious percussion and decadent layers, In the Organ Loft at Midnight probably isn’t what you’d expect from a self-produced solo record. Much of the album’s space, sparkle and cohesion can be attributed to Brendan Jenkinson’s mixing and Aidan Foley’s mastering work. According to Bobby:
“Brendan is a member of Villagers and has made lush albums with Aoife Nessa Frances and Davy Kehoe. So not only did he do an amazing job, but he also surprised me by sending back the album filled with a bunch of insanely beautiful clarinet lines. And Aidan co-produced THE greatest Irish album of all time, in Horsedrawn Wishes by Rollerskate Skinny… so yeah, I really couldn’t have wished for a better pair of wizards to join me in the organ loft.
After the kaleidoscopic mission statement that was 2020’s Friendship Gift LP, In the Organ Loft at Midnight sees Sir Bobby Jukebox writing the best songs of his prolific career, surrounded by a technical dream team, and giddily experimenting with the unique sound that he’s been forging since 2007 – when his lo-fi recordings as Dublin Duck Dispensary first emerged on the Rack and Ruin Records net-label. In 2009, he rebranded as No Monster Club, a project that would evolve into a collaborative art-pop combo – resulting in the genesis of Sir Bobby Jukebox as a standalone solo act.
‘Organ Loft’ is Bobby’s 22nd work as sole/primary songwriter, much of which has been released by labels like Mirror Universe, Emotional Response and Already Dead Records. During this time, he has appeared on WFMU and The BJ Rubin Show, toured with The Polyphonic Spree, and opened for Wavves, Ariel Pink, Jeffrey Lewis, HEALTH and Juan Wauters. He has also written a comedy musical, a fantasy radio series, and a non-fiction book.
