Tobias Jesso Jr. Announces Debut Album 'Goon'

BY Josiah HughesPublished Dec 9, 2014

Vancouver-bred singer-songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr. recently shared "Hollywood," the first track from his then-untitled, forthcoming debut. Now, he's unveiled the full details of the project.

The album is called Goon and features production from the Black Keys' Patrick Carney, Ariel Rechtshaid and Girls' Chet White.

In a press release, Jesso Jr. explained that the album was the product of moving back and forth between Vancouver and Los Angeles. In 2008, he moved to L.A. to play bass for a pop singer. That didn't pan out, and he moved back to North Vancouver four years later when his mom was diagnosed with cancer (she's since recovered).

"I wrote most of the songs on my album Goon about my time spent in L.A.," he said. "It was a reflection that included, like the most popular of love clichés, a tough breakup."

After recording a rough demo of "Just a Dream," he reached out to White of Girls, who recorded the bulk of the album with Jesso Jr. in San Francisco. Additional work was done with Carney in Nashville and Rechtshaid in Los Angeles.

"I owe the sound of the record to the great effort of everyone involved, the producers and musicians doing and playing things I couldn't and treating the production with the same reverence I treat my songwriting," Jesso Jr. said, adding, "The writing will always be the most important to me; the production, playing and singing I am still figuring out. I still play a bit of guitar, but I'm mostly sticking to the piano these days."

True Panther Sounds will release Goon on March 17. Listen to "Hollywood" below, where you'll also find a chunk of upcoming tour dates from Jesso Jr.

UPDATE: The album will arrive in Canada via Arts & Crafts.

Goon:

1. Can't Stop Thinking About You

2. How Could You Babe?

3. Without You

4. Can We Still Be Friends?

5. The Wait

6. Hollywood

7. For You

8. Crocodile Tears

9. Bad Words

10. Just A Dream

11. Leaving LA

12. Tell The Truth

Tour dates:

01/02-03 Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy *


03/22 Toronto, ON - The Drake 

03/24 Washington, DC - Sixth & I

03/25 Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle
03/26 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge 

03/27 Brooklyn, NY - Baby's All Right

03/28 Boston, MA - Middle East Upstairs

03/30 Vancouver, BC - Electric Owl

03/31 Seattle, WA - Barboza

04/01 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge

04/03 San Francisco, CA - Brick + Mortar

04/04 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo

* with Foxygen

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