What follows is a pretty candid discussion on everything from the experience of going country (and the reaction of his fanbase) to a potential reunion of The Bens and Radish re-releases. The latter is enough to whet any fan’s appetite, especially given the building hype surrounding both facets of Kweller’s evolving career.

So, please, do carry on…

How have the last six months treated you since the release of Changing Horses? Is it a completely different experience to release a folky, alt-country sort of album album then it is a more pop oriented album?

The experience has been great… It seems like lots of my fans like the acoustic songs anyway and my folky stuff so, I think it’s been a fun album for them. The coolest thing though it has opened my music to lots of new fans… to people who never heard of me before, or heard of me but didn’t like the rock stuff. So, this album has been a real door opener in a lot of ways.

It’s the first album I got to perform for NPR. It’s the first time I got reviewed by Country Weekly Magazine… and they actually gave it four stars! So, there’s been a lot of firsts for me and for my label, ATO Records as well — they have never done anything in the country scene before. The whole thing has just been really good… really great.

So, no negatives?

Well, other than the few fans that have come up to me and say, “I totally don’t know what you’re doing. Why are you playing country songs?”

I mean, it’s just one album and… and there’s nothing wrong with creating different music, whatever your medium is, and keep moving ahead and creating things. I remember when Weezer came out with Pinkerton and people were all bummed out, saying it was too raw and weird and they don’t understand… but now everyone loves it.

We put so much on the shoulders of new artists though. We think that every time someone releases a new album it has to be the best fucking thing ever… and we assume it’s supposed to be the voice and the epitome of an artist.

You got to just accept albums for what they are.

But, you don’t think some of this is just a product of the times? With audience fragmentation the way it is and so many different outlets now present, it seems like the pressure to create something great every time out is warranted?

When you make music, you can’t make it thinking about the times, because people still make music now the same way people made it in the 60s, the same way people made it in the 20s, the same way people made it 10,000 years ago, and the same way they’ll make it 10,000 years from now.

Yeah, I’m a huge believer in music as an art form… with song one being as important as song 12. But I do it in the same way I did in the 1990s when I was starting out… and no technology or trend is going to change the way I make music. It might change the way I live as a person, but when it comes to music and making music, I’m going to do it the same way now that I’ll do in 50 years if I’m so lucky.

You mentioned fans coming up to you asking why you were playing country. Did that happen a lot?

I mean at the gigs… it never was a problem. Yeah, maybe there were those who just came off the street who didn’t know, but my fans know I’m going to play all my songs even if I’m touring for a country album… or a jazz album. Well, maybe not a jazz album, but I think my fans are really open minded and I think that’s why they like me and they get that I’m not always going to be doing the same thing. Plus, I’ve always played an acoustic guitar and folky songs, so it’s not like anything I’m doing right now is all that different.

That said, my next album… you know, the one I’m working on right now, I think it’s going to please all my fans. You know, fans of Changing Horses, fans of Sha Sha, fans of the self-titled, fans of On My Way. And for that reason, I’m really looking forward to my next chapter.

So you don’t have any doubts of how you’ll be able to satisfy both your “pop” fans and your “folk” fans down the road?

Well, Ben Kweller music has always been folk and piano ballads and pop songs and quirky little fucking alternative numbers and blues and fol-uup country song. I’m always going to be a lot of different sounds and I think it’s kind of cool that my fans can expect something different.

Back to your next album… you mentioned you’re currently working on it. Care to share any details?

Yeah, I probably shouldn’t talk about it just yet because it’s going to be such a different thing now until when I finish it. I mean Changing Horses originally had 15 songs… and at one point it was going to be a covers album. Then, I wrote a bunch more of my own songs and decided to put them on it. I just have learned not to say too much because I don’t want fans to be bummed out when it turns out to be something other than what I said it was going to be.

What I can say though is that I’m really excited about it. It’s totally different from all my previous albums… and I’m really happy with a lot of the new songs.

Will you be self-producing it again, like you did with Changing Horses?

Most likely. I don’t know for sure, but I’ll probably just record with [engineer] John Dunne here in Austin. I’m actually driving around as we speak looking for a place to record.

And you’ll be recording after your remaining tour dates?

Yeah, exactly. Most of what we have left are fly in dates where we just fly in and fly out, but no more real touring for me until the new album.

You do get to play at George Wein’s Folk Festival in Rhode Island though. I’m sure you got offered a bunch of festival spots this year, why did you go with that one?

That was Newport Folk. That’s a bad ass fucking festival. Legendary… Dylan shit. I’m super stoked I get to do that.

So, you decided to do that based on the history and your current sound?

Yeah, the history and that it would really work well with Changing Horses and the vibe our current sound.

I mean I like festivals but sometimes they feel like a buffet like where there is a lot of food there and it’s all you can eat, but nothing is that great there. Every band you like is there, but no one gets to sound check and the sets are kind of short, except for the headliner. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather see Pearl Jam… or Bright Eyes in a venue where the quality is better.

And finally, I have to ask, because it gets brought up every so often. Any chance, ever, for a reunion of The Bens?

Well, yeah, there is a chance for it. We all want to do it… it’s just a matter of timing and getting everyone together because we’re always on different schedules… but we’re going to do something together again. Definitely.

So… there’s a much better chance for that than there is for a Radish reunion?

[Laughs]. That’s a little different. The thing with that is me and John David Kent were really the only founding members that remained in the band through its whole existence, and so many other people played with us through the year that it’s hard to say how we’d even do it. Although, I am working on re-releasing some old Radish stuff, including the original album. So, there is something coming.

Between slaying the crowds during last year’s inaugural Mayhem Festival and developing a new fan base through Guitar Hero III, it is no wonder that the metal act’s 2008 release Ultra Beatdown was a success. As both a throwback to old school hair bands and as a modern take on metal in both live charisma and studio perfection, Dragonforce has brought its own brand of bridges to the generation gap. Now it seems this multi-cultural powerhouse will further promote Ultra Beatdown with a 2009 North American fall tour that includes the likes of Roadrunner’s freshman label mate Taking Dawn and Finland’s prog-metal outfit Sonata Arctica.

While Dragonforce rides the coattails of flourishing western world popularity, their live performances a la Mayhem Festival are nothing to sneer at. An acquired taste for those who are not metal-oriented, the band still seems to have wide appeal in the gaming market with the ever-popular track “Through The Fire And Flame”. Ultra Beatdown upped the ante, and with acts like Powerglove becoming better known for Nintendo scores with metal infusions the world may be headed in one hell of a heavy new wave.

Next thing you know, the Konami Code will unlock bonus tracks on CDs, so grab a copy of Ultra Beatdown, The Wizard on VHS and a lot of Mountain Dew.

Dragonforce 2009 Tour Dates:
09/18 - West Hollywood, CA @ House of Blues
09/19 - San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Center’s Grand Ballroom
09/20 - Portland, OR @ Roseland
09/21 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
09/23 - Edmonton, AB @ Edmonton Events Centre
09/24 - Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall
09/25 - Saskatoon, SK @ The Odeon
09/26 - Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre
09/28 - Kansas City, MO @ The Beaumont
09/29 - Minneapolis, MN @ Cabooze On The West Bank
09/30 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
10/02 - Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
10/03 - Montreal, QC @ Le Medley
10/04 - Quebec City, QC @ Theatre Imperial
10/06 - New York, NY @ The Fillmore
10/07 - Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live
10/09 - Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
10/10 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ Chance
10/11 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theater of Living Arts

Big things beckoned. Personal backing from Carson Daly and respected taste-makers including Rolling Stone and NME set the stage for their debut, stellastarr*. They found fans through their brave interpretation of new wave, even breaking barriers by finding their way (and many new fans) onto video game soundtracks. They fired across the bow with three original music videos, riffing on puppetry, karaoke and Polaroids.

However, their second album, Harmonies For The Haunted, was far too introverted to work as a commercial proposition. Whilst arguably superior to their debut, the reception was muted, especially when coupled with a bizarre copy-protection threat that reduced sales (fans weren’t satisfied as they may not be able to share the music).

Civilized, the band’s third full-length, is released on personal imprint Bloated Wife Records, following a hiatus of four years. The official story says that the band left RCA Records, but bizarrely this is its most media frenzied release to date. I expected the parting of ways to be over creative differences but still, despite the pre-packaging, this is not an ‘easy’ album. Crossover hits are unlikely, but I always felt as if stellastarr* were happy being cult figures anyway.

I am still captivated by Shawn Christensen’s wholly original voice. The versatility is incredible, often jumping between screams, a powerful bellow and falsetto, although he has always been most comfortable in the lower ranges. On Civilized, he had to switch things up:

“I had to alter the intonation of my voice. I will be singing in a higher register for the most part, where I would normally go to a lower one.”

This is certainly true on “Robot”, the frenetic opener. After an opening barrage of thrashing guitars and incessant drumming, Christensen’s coos in: “Oooh, by design”, a perfectly pitched alto vocal. “Freak Out” veers back towards familiar territory with a steady drawl and backing vocals from bassist Amanda Tannen, who is, it has to be said, super cool, doling out thumping basslines and vocals with ease. She is underused here.

Lead single “Graffiti Eyes” is weak. This is a very gimmicky number, full of “heys” “no!” and rhyming couplets. The delivery is scatty without any real punch. Christensen decides to ‘rap’, which is a decision that I simply cannot love.

Thankfully, the rest of the album is well executed, notably “Tokyo Sky”, a song that could easily have been on the soundtrack to Garden State. “Prom Zombie” is just fun because it serves as a notable change. For much of the album, they seem tied between cutting loose and being serious. On the occasions when they decide where they stand, the material is excellent. The album closer “Sonja Cries” is surprisingly moving by heavily relying on the delay pedal and uplifting harmonies.

The record is produced by Tim O’Heir, who plays a completely different role than he did on their debut. This has been packaged for sales, as Christensen put it: “faster, less mid-tempo. More energy, more rock, slightly more aggressive.” The sound is less forced, although in doing so the risks have been taken out of the equation. You’d be mean to hold that against the band though, having seen their career trajectory. There are already signs of sorriness that show on the day of its release, as it’s currently retailing for $3.99 on Amazon… and that really says it all. The price does not fit the quality or the ambition of what stellastarr* is trying to achieve.

Civilized is competent, and surprisingly well produced. stellastarr* is living in its own shadows, however, and nothing here comes very close to the genius of their debut. It’s just safe. The glossy sheen of “commercial viability” permeates through this whole record, affecting its quality, but thankfully having no influence on the fun factor. Roll down the windows, forget the new-wave influences, and just have some fun.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Check Out:

Civilized

Buy:
Civilized

But, wait, what’s this? A new collaborative album from members of Ra Ra Riot and Vampire Weekend? Neat! No breaks for these guys, apparently! No, they just go from project to project. Now, if you’re thinking, Hey, I like Vampire Weekend and I heard a Ra Ra Riot song and thought it was good, this new album will probably be full of songs similar to the ones each respective band put together for their debuts, well… Sorry, folks! You’re in for a rude, rude awakening.

Enter Discovery, the creation of Vampire Weekend keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij and Ra Ra Riot frontman Wes Miles. It looks neat. It even has artistically minimal cover art. In other words, the fittings for an awesome release. But as the old saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover. These things become sayings for a reason.

Despite its hype and appearance, LP is pretty much the break that the guys needed all along. It’s far more of a vacation than a genuine release. To call it an “effort” would be giving it too much credit, though it may have taken some. Put simply, it’s an inside joke, a product of fucking around in a basement with a keyboard, a drum machine, some recording software, a couple of microphones, and credible connections, that sadly, way too many people are going to scrutinize and review as more than the sum of its parts, even if those parts come from two pretty extraordinary bands. So I guess it’s even more disturbing to know that the project began in 2005, before either members’ main outfit took off. Essentially, this was always just two dudes screwing around, only now it’s being officially released.

But the problem isn’t that it’s a joke. It’s not even that it isn’t all that great. That’s perfectly fine. People are allowed to have fun and make silly music. The problem is how it’s being marketed and its subsequent reception. A group simply can’t release something like this to the public without explicitly pitching it as a gag. It’s just not fair to the eager fans. I place the blame on the group’s publicity and the media outlets that are undoubtedly going to treat the record as, well . . . a record. This includes myself. But really, should we have expected anything less than “great” from members of bands who released the albums they did last year? No. But, nevertheless, what we’ve been given is the stuff that should fill hard-to-find bootlegs, b-side collections, and throwaway EPs… not hyped releases. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun. It’s a lot of fun. It was probably hilarious to make and mix. But, that’s about the extent of it.

The real kicker, however, is, Do I want to listen to the auditory equivalent of a few dudes doing kegstands and playing beer pong? No, I want to hear some music that I could never make, because it’s too damn good. That’s the type of stuff guys with talent should be putting out. Instead, they are releasing their sketches, their warm-up exercises as full flegded records, and without any warning. And unfortunately, a warning probably would have made this a somewhat positive review.

But without one, here’s what happens: When “Orange Shirt” begins, and I can’t tell if it’s T-Pain or the new soulja boi tell ‘em, I get a little upset. After my initial shock, I start getting into the fuzzy electro pop, bobbing my head and such. It’s catchy as hell and perfectly enjoyable. But, then I realize that what I’m listening to is some white indie kids imitating trash pop. I won’t lie, they do a good job at it.  The music is shallow, a pretty one-dimensional beat with skitting synth and drum claps. The lyrics are sexual, but not overly. It’s fine. But, I just can’t get over the fact that this was supposed to be good in the good sense of the word good. It wasn’t supposed to be a novelty.

You can argue all you want that the thing was created in earnest, but none of these arguments will be able to defend “Can You Discover?”, a “re-imagined” version of Ra Ra Riot’s “Can You Tell?”, which filters Wes Miles’s previously passionate, beautifully sung lyrics through the notorious auto-tuner. Sorry, but if that isn’t a joke then I don’t really know what is. The song’s island reggae meets trash-pop is interesting, but also completely silly.

There are some songs that are hard to classify as jokes, but in the context of what cushions them, it doesn’t really make a difference. “Osaka Loop Line” is an amusing, crunchy raver about staying up all night riding Japanese trains. Here Miles’s vocals retain a sense of dignity, which makes the song one of the harder to pin down. But that’s just it, we shouldn’t have to be the ones deciding. The band should, and it’s aggravating that they haven’t done their jobs.

With the ingredients for a really cool diversion of a side project, the outcome is nothing short of a disappointment. Dirty Projectors’ Angel Deradoorian can’t even turn a song as stupid as “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” into something valid. Ezra Koening lends his vocals to “Carby”, yet the effect placed on them makes it difficult to even notice the Vampire Weekend frontman amidst the rest of the tracks.

I will say that the guys were quite timely with their decision to cover the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” adding (In Discovery) to the track’s title. I don’t know if they are psychics, or if they pinned it on to the tracklist last minute, but the timing is more than a bit scary. Then again, I wouldn’t be surprised if they recorded that track the night before the “release,” because none of these songs could have taken much real thought. Sometimes fun is okay, but when it’s at the expense of your fans, you need to let them know what’s going on. Luckily, neither of the members’ respected bands have reached a stature that yields die-hard fanatics. Nobody is going to be seriously offended by the release, but these dudes really should have been clearer with their intentions, if they even know what they are.

Wes Miles via Pitchfork: “Well, we definitely had a sense of humor when we were creating the music. But it’s serious, too. It’s not, like, serious serious, but, um….”

As something to be proud of:

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

As a joke:

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Check Out:
“Osaka Loop Line”

Buy:
LP

While the band already has a few August dates in the bag, which include appearances overseas and at, um, Outside Lands, they’ve decided to extend the tour some, and with Ben Harper, no less! So, on September 21st, a day after they release Backspacer, Pearl Jam will hit the road again, starting in Seattle and continuing down the West coast, where they’ll have a four night residency in Los Angeles (though a day’s break at Austin City Limits, too) and night’s stay in sunny San Diego. For some odd reason, call it East coast jitters, they’ve managed to squeeze Philadelphia into the itinerary, too. Could there be more dates on the way? An educated guess would say, “Duh!”

Tickets for the new dates go on-sale July 17th and July 18th, so check your local ticketing agents. Also, be sure to mark your calendars for Backspacer, due out September 20th via Target and online.

Pearl Jam 2009 Tour Dates:
08/08 - Calgary, AB @ Virgin Mobile Festival
08/13 - Rotterdam, NL @ Sportspaleis Ahoy
08/15 - Berlin, DE @ Wuhlheide
08/17 - Manchester, UK @ MEN Arena
08/18 - London, UK @ O2 Arena
08/21 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheatre
08/23 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
08/24 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
08/28 - San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands Festival
09/21 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena *
09/22 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena *
09/30 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre *
10/01 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre *
10/04 - Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/06 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre *
10/07 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre *
10/09 - San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena *
10/28 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Spectrum
10/30 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Spectrum

* w/ Ben Harper & the Relentless7

Hit Wikipedia for the complete list of confirmed songs.

Unlike Farina, Black’s wife, Violet Clark, is a marginal singer at best. It sounds like she really liked what she heard when the Yeah Yeah Yeahs first burst onto the scene, and after acquiring the arguable ‘Godfather of Alt Rock’ (in Black) it seemed she wanted to try her hand at delivering feminist-driven shriek.

Only, her pipes aren’t nearly as polished as Karen O’s. Her thin vocal tonality limits the range of the album’s reach. It’s too bad because many of these songs would have sounded more robust with a more truculent female vocalist. Black’s orchestration often calls for a bearer of both goodwill and devilish tendencies, and it seems that producer Eric Feldman likely migrated to the effects pedal to extract what he could from Clark’s mild-mannered bark.

On “The Long Song”, we are greeted with a bassline reminiscent of the days before grunge that gets your head popping. The brief belief that it’s Pixies’ bassist Kim Deal’s masterful work proves false when we hear the lyrics lazily uttered over a song that stylistically demands more from its front person. It’s as fantastically bombastic a musical number as Black’s ever produced, but some songs only carry as much weight as that of he (or, in this case, “she”) who sings it.

Maybe it’s just me. Maybe there’s something I missed in my multiple listens. Petits Fours delivers a number of quality songs, but I couldn’t get it out of my head that Clark’s waif-ish voice couldn’t shoulder the load. Remember how amazing Karen O sounded when her voice first shred throughout Nick Zinner’s gut-you-from-the-inside guitar licks? She almost made you forget you were hearing a proper rock song. When Clark opens her mouth, it’s almost as if you want to turn her monitor down, and reel at the prospect of how amazing the songs are in a structural sense.

I tried. I did. I gave it three or four entire listens. It didn’t matter. I found my mind wandering whenever Black’s wife insisted upon mentioning anything. The lyrics were lost on me. The only thing that mattered were the punch-you-in-the-face-for-no-reason intros, and then I’d zone out.

On the album’s best song, “Black Suit”, Black fittingly takes the vocal reigns, drives us mad with his signature snarl and all is right in the world again. He sounds like his pipes have aged well and his voice packs as much punch as his ever-growing paunch. Clark adds the right amount of vocal spice as the background vocalist, and this is where we learn that this is how her efforts could have been best utilized.

This is not a record I’d recommend for casual fans of The Pixies, or Frank Black and the Catholics. Though it occasionally instigates a bop-our-head intuition, it’s lack of a true vocal leader renders the album a collective shortcoming.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Check Out:

Buy:
Petits Fours

As a result, what you’re about to see leads to some serious re-evaluation — why sit in front of a computer all day when you can bungee jump? Ok, so that’s probably not all too realistic/a good idea, but at the very least, the video’s collage of extreme sports, Tour de France clips, surfing, and free-running gets your blood pumping. Plus, what other music video these days features the Dalai Llama. Even if you’re not a fan of Mr. Harper, “Fly One Time” will probably prove to be entertaining.

If you are a fan, you’ll also probably be happy to know that in addition to their upcoming festival appearances (see below), Harper & Relentess7 will be playing Conan O’Brien on Friday, July 31st. So, set your TiVos!

Ben Harper 2009 Tour Dates:
07/09  Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Bluesfest
07/11  Masontown, WV @ All Good Festival
07/12  Montreal, QC @ Montreal Jazz Festival
07/18  Commerce City, CO @ Mile High Music Festival
07/25  Niigata, JP @ Fuji Rock Festival
07/26  Burnaby, BC @ Virgin Festival BC
08/08  Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
09/20  Tempe, AZ @ Fall Frenzy
10/04  Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival

The story goes something like this: Dessener convinced Stevens to hand over his 2001 album, Enjoy Your Rabbit, to composers Michael Atkinson, Olivier Manchon, Maxim Moston, Nico Muhly, Rob Moose, and Gabriel Kahane, who then re-arranged the album for strings. Osso, the New York based quartet that provided musical accompaniment on Steven’s Illinois, as well as My Brightest Diamond’s Bring Me The Workhorse, then performed and recorded the arrangement.

The result, an album entitled Run Rabbit Run, will be released on October 6th via Asthmatic Kitty. Included will be original artwork from Jessica Dessner.

The name may not strike your music drenched hearts right off the bat, but don’t let that fool you. Far beyond the greater reaches of time and space — the year 1993 in Chicago, Illinois — a certain element of musical ambivalence found its way into the waters of Lake Michigan. From those spawned waters of the lovely Midwest, Chicago native and cult singer/songwriter Jan Terri bore her musical fruits for all the world to see. Combining a penchant for electronic drums and guitar works set against a backdrop of clashing musical timelines, Terri’s cult smash “Losing You” has all that but so much more.

While Terri released two solo records in the early 90’s, 1991’s High Risk and 1993’s Baby Blues respectively, the attention she garnered solely belonged to her music videos. MTV wasn’t necessarily calling or banging her door down and Spielberg was working on that one movie about Nazis, so needless to say, she turned to her own personal video camera. Yeah, you heard that right. Terri and her musical cohorts shot their own videos around the city of Chicago and the results are downright amazing. Who thought a love song regarding the fears and tremblings of losing love could include such epic shots of limousines, highways and motorcycles…all against the backdrop of the Windy City? You tell me.

To thoroughly break down Terri’s “Losing You” in musical terms is somewhat of a moot point. The verses are whatever, but the chorus is catchy, period, no matter how cheesy it is. “I don’t wanna lose you tonight/You’re the only thing that matters…”, all behind those clanging electronic drums and Casio 1988 keyboards. The primary focus belongs to the video in question, however.

In the first thirty seconds, we are treated with a neon-filled replica of the Chicago skyline, complete with a stunning view of the infamous lake and the city’s rare sunny skies. Then we descend down a building, to which there’s a quick cut of a limousine and a motorcycle. Could this symbolize two ideal forms of love that Ms. Terri eventually describes?

Apparently getting into a limo is the first step to not losing a lover, and the highway shots represent Terri’s ingenious visions of not wanting to lose that love. Afterward, we are treated to to Terri lip-syncing in rhythm to the song’s lyrics. What makes this shot special is her uncanny head bobbing, windblown hair and choice of location to express the song’s theme of love. Standing in front of a pillar of stones surrounding a man-made lake, Terri humorously goes off sync with the lyrics and shows off her excellent belt in the process. Then, not to be outdone, we are shown the same exact shot from the opening of the video. Eat your heart out Hitchcock, this one’s on Terri.

Next up, as mentioned before, we seem to have already established two different forms of “love” in both the limousine and the motorcycle. The next shot is of the motorcycle, complete with Man+Mullet action parked in a “No Parking” zone. What a rebel! Does this symbolize another metaphor for love? Does the fact that Mullet Man intentionally doing something he isn’t supposed to do (parking in a “No Parking” zone) signify this man will overcome anything in the name of love? Stanley Kubrick who?

Ah, ah…looks like Terri chose the bike over the car and the motorcycle gets the win, and to add to his “edge,” he blows through a stop sign. I gotta tell ya at this point, “Losing You” is pure genius of not just musical composition, but original thought as well.We’re not even at the final act yet! But wait, the highway is alive again with Mullet Man cruising down without Ms. Terri behind him. Oh no, is their love in trouble? Why is she not with him this time? Genius strikes again!

Mullet Man then decides to make a call at an abandoned pay phone (yeah, remember those?) and tries to reach what seems to be the girl who was just on the back of his motorcycle. There’s no explanation at all, and frankly, at this point, it’s just too cool. If that’s not enough, things shift to an airport at the finale, where Terri and her luggage board a plane with no correlation whatsoever. It doesn’t make any sense and any more brainpower poured into it will only take away from the fun of it. You gotta keep some of that chewy caramel center intact and flavorful before it all goes raw.

While far from being a masterpiece, Jan Terri’s “Losing You” is what it is: one woman’s vision of love her way. While there are elements far beyond repair to pinpoint out, Terri does provide a good amount of entertainment and there’s nothing but respect from this office. Hey, even her appearance on The Daily Show says it all, as well. So to conclude this first ever broadcast of “Break Yo’ TV”, Jan Terri, we salute you. For how cheesy and utterly confusing your song and video are, at least you’ve got spirit. Saddle up that old Palomino and ride off into that Chicago skyline, you’ve earned it.

Jan Terri - Losing You