This song was sort of a last minute edition, but a lot of folks have told me they like it. Joshua Abrams played upright bass on it which was super cool. Dan Smart came in and played keys, which was a great connection because I'll be recording new material at his studio soon.

I like the idea of searching a wilderness and being lead out by someone who cares about you.
lyrics
Wilderness calls me out, back into the jungle, in a tangle of vine 
Draw me a line, straight and true, I follow it out, back to you 
As long as it leads me, back to you 
Now meet me in the valley, where the water is still 
Meet me in the valley, when I'm called by wilderness 
Wilderness 

Takes all kinds, to make this world 
You got to be kind, kind in your mind 
So gather strength, where I can, I find it in the cracks, the crevices 
The warmth of your hand 
As long as it leads me back to you 

Can you meet me in the valley, where our thoughts'll be still 
And I can walk with you 
Keep on walking through 
I'll see you in that valley, free of the nights in wilderness 
Wilderness.
credits
from Lamplighter, released 14 January 2014 
Justin Jahnke: guitars, vocals, songwriting 
Joshua Abrams: upright bass 
Dan Smart: piano, synth 
Doug Corcoran: piano 
Ryan Juravich: drums 
Jake Westermann: percussion, knobs

Midnite On Pearl Beach - "Wilderness"

On the advice of Jake Westermann (engineer/producer) I borrowed an e-bow (electronic bow) from North Avenue guitars and managed to get what Jake called "that Brian Eno sort of sustain" which is that fat synth sound in the chorus and third verse. I thought it was a great bit of producing and worked out really well. 

The song is definitely about walking around Chicago, walking dogs and meeting the folks on the street. I've met an amazing array of characters during my four plus years walking dogs in Chicago.
lyrics
To all you ne'er-do-wells and hopeful dreamers too 
Standing in the shadows, with your owl tattoos 
Cigarettes dangling like they're a part of you 
I really think you're sexy, but I'm still judging you 

I'm walking dogs for money and picking up all their shit 
I used to think it was funny, but it's not over yet 
And all you wild eyed hustlers and you street wise mothers 
I'm apart of you too, because I've seen you suffer 

That's the Name of the Game 
The Name of the Game 

I walk around all day, looking at trash and stuff 
Thinking to myself, oh, I've had enough 
So I bought a poem for a dollar from some black dude on the street 
He said read it aloud, I feel so proud, can you buy me something to eat

That's the Name of the Game 
The Name of the Game 

I don't want to lay down no more 
I don't want to lay down no more 
Lay down no more, lay down no more, lay down no more.
credits
from Lamplighter, released 14 January 2014 
Justin Jahnke: guitars, vocals, songwriter 
Mike Meske: bass, backing vocals 
Rusty LaRue: piano, organ 
Doug Gay: drums 
Jake Westermann: soundcraft, etc.

Midnite On Pearl Beach - "Name of the Game"

An old tune first recorded back in 2005. We played it live so much it would've been a shame not to record it for posterity so here it is.
lyrics
Oh there's a mother and daughter who'll take you town 
You place an ad in the paper when you want to get down 
And it's a cold, dark night in Shreveport and 
we've got no other place to go 
But now's the time to change your mind, 
you cannot leave once you get through the door 
Oh I'll keep that a secret just promise me you'll do the same 

There's shell of a building on Common and Line 
You knock twice on the doorjam and ask the man for the time 
You see this man he's a salesman, he's got the trick up his sleeve 
and for a hundred an hour he gonna make you believe 
That you're the king of your castle, the ruler of all, 
but what he won't tell you 
You've got a long, long way to fall 

It's a cold, dark night in Shreveport and we've got no other place to go 
But now's the time to change your mind, 
you cannot leave once you get the through the door 
Oh I'll keep that a secret just promise me you'll do the same.
credits
from Lamplighter, released 14 January 2014 
Justin Jahnke: guitars, vocals, harmonica, songwriter 
Mike Meske: bass 
Rusty LaRue: Fender Rhodes 
Doug Gay: drums

Midnite On Pearl Beach - "Common and Line"

Ryan (drums) was messing around on his hi-hat and I started doing the little palm muted guitar from the intro. The lyrics were written in the studio, with Jake (engineer/producer) editing with me as I sang. 

In the first verse I sing, "I'm sick about leaving Ivy, but I gotta get paid." Ivy is a dog I walk downtown who I love very much and is a good friend. Her parents thought I was leaving for good and they gave me a wooden guitar pick engraved with those lyrics.
lyrics
Oh I can't complain, when the grass is greener I feel no pain 
But oh, on the other hand, I can't let go, it's all I know 

Feed me, feed me motion, gimme fortune, a solid payday 
This sidewalk, feeling like a stray dog, I'm sick about leaving Ivy, 
But I gotta get paid 

Graffiti on the back of a matchbook, we found it in the alley 
Oh One Foot Left 
Look into the eyes of a long long friend, written on the wall of a bathroom stall 
Oh, let me go 

Old shadow I said no more follow me, sneaking you around, feeding you with sound, keeping you stashed away 
Spending my nights hiding from the light, sing a few songs, have a couple beers, make a little money, see a bit of country, revel in my youth and do it all again 

Graffiti on the back of a matchbook, we found it in the alley 
Oh One Foot Left 
Look into the eyes of a long long friend, written on the wall of a bathroom stall 
Oh, let me go
credits
from Lamplighter, released 14 January 2014 
Justin Jahnke: guitar, vocals, songwriter 
Mike Meske: bass 
Ryan Juravich: drums 
Doug Corcoran: trumpet 
Marqueal Jordan: sax 
Jake Westermann: bass backing vocals

Midnite On Pearl Beach - "One Foot Left"

This tune is about trying to find your place among the ridiculousness of the modern world and the shallowness of the mainstream aspects of our culture. 

I thought Doug's (drums) performance on this tune was incredible and Rusty (keys) plays a fine, fine synth solo in the middle section.
lyrics
If I look into your crystal ball can I break the glass and see it all? 
And sing modern songs, so different from the rest 
If I chew the fat until its soft could I meet the gods on the mountain top?
And sing modern songs, the ones that sing themselves 
Yeah, I'd sing modern songs, so different from the rest 

Modern Gods and modern names, modern talk and modern games 
Don't think much, just stand in line, much too brash for life in modern times 

If I wore a suit lined with gold and jewels could I be the man who makes all the rules? 
And sings modern songs, so different from the rest 
Yeah I'd sing modern songs, the ones that sings themselves 

Modern talk and modern minds, modern fools in modern times 
Don't think much just stand in line, much too brash for life in modern times
credits
from Lamplighter, released 14 January 2014 
Justin Jahnke: guitars, vocals, songwriter 
Jake Westermann: organ, percussion 
Mike Meske: bass, backing vocals 
Rusty LaRue: organ, synth 
Doug Gay: drums, percussion

Midnite On Pearl Beach - "Modern Gods"

One of my favorites. I was playing drums (the only beat I know) and we started singing the chorus "freedom is a state of mind" for some reason and the song was born from that. Mike (bass) played a delicious exposed fuzz bass break and the whaling sort of banshee sound is an instrument Rusty (keys) built from scratch. We dubbed that instrument the "LaRue Box"...the only one in existence. 

The lyrics were inspired by what I see walking around Chicago, specifically the folks drinking at the two bars on Division St. and Paulina Ave. at 10am. Them's are some rough folks.
lyrics
As I walk I realize that freedom is a state of mind 
I'm trying to stay wet, I'm trying to keep dry, trying to find God 
Trying to stay high, high, high 

Freedom is a state of mind 

Oh do you ever stop to watch the lines? 
You see all them scrowlers go scrowling by, they got their chins tucked tight into a bottle of beer 
And their faces all melted into a permanent sneer 

Freedom is a state of mind
credits
from Lamplighter, released 14 January 2014 
Justin Jahnke: guitars, vocals, LaRue box, songwriting 
Mike Meske: bass, backing vocals 
Rusty LaRue: Fender Rhodes, organ 
Doug Gay: drums, percussion 
Jake Westermann: percussion, knobs

Midnite On Pearl Beach - "Freedom (is a State of Mind)"

Rusty (keys) started messing around playing this big, sweeping, sort of "Jurassic Park" kind of string sound on his keyboards. I was really digging it and the next thing I know we were playing this song. We recorded a demo in rehearsals and tracked the song at Engine Studios. 

The watery, ripple sort of sound in the intro is a recording of the phone in studio A at Engine.
lyrics
I didn't want to fall in love, but I did, what more can I do? 
But sit around til I get old enough and I admit I can be with you 

You see the truth is harder than a lie sometimes, cause its weight, it'll crush you like a stone 
So you keep your head buried underground, let it simmer, deep in your bones 

Deep in Your Bones.

Midnite On Pearl Beach - "Deep in Your Bones"

This is probably one of my most interesting songs as far as creation and construction. The engineer I was working with, Caleb Willitz (who shares the EP with me, his songs are 6-10), helped craft this one. Through sort of an exercise, we decided to write and complete a new song in 3 hours. So the lyrics and performance are all very spontaneous, no rehearsal, no editing, no thinking about it. I’m very happy with the results and I think this is a spooky, good song. 

Buzzards

This song is about my trip to the Dominican Republic, which is where the picture from the front cover came from. That picture is the central north coast of the DR. We were staying in a town called Luperon and we had lots of jokes about “Luperon Nites” and what not. We had some adventures and this song is a humorous take on that.

Luperon Nites

There was a black and white dog tied up to a dog house in Baton Rouge across the street from the studio I recorded my first solo album at. I always walked over and pet him and talked with him and he told me with his eyes to rescue him from that yard. I should have. That song is about that dog.

Dogs

Ha! This song is about the time I tried to hitchhike in Shreveport, LA after a wedding party. This monstrous looking guy picked me up on the interstate, telling me he “was so lonely” and “just driving around looking for something to do”. It was scary, he was scary, it was a horrible decision to get in his car (an old beater car) and I was drunk. He asked me if I was drunk, I said no. He got about a mile from my house and when he stopped, I took off running.

Standing On A Hiway Ramp

This is a very personal song, about sex and my relationships. It’s saying “I make decisions and my instinct guides me, but I don’t think about why. I don’t think about the future of those decisions.”

Midnite on Pearl Beach - No Mystery In That

This is a cover of a song called "Noah". The song was originally performed by a group called The Foggy River Boys. I listened to this song on a record at my grandmother's house when I was a kid. We loved it and would sing and dance to it and play it over and over. I know this song by heart and I love it. It will be on an upcoming album.
Watch a video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7pVjq-sLu8

"Noah" - Performed by Midnite On Pearl Beach

This is from the album "Scrowlers." It had some hits on it. Mainly popular in Koala Lampur where it was known as "Hangover Rock." We suggest listening to it as you consume meat and glass after glass of thick red wine. 

08 Sunshiner Blues

07 Bowl Of Percussion

06 Soft Bones

05 I Is Free

03 Japanese Wife

02 Say Hello

01 Desire

A 1981 El Camino rumbles down the side street, speakers busted, but still full of magic and life. Pearl Beach has been spray painted on the side. The bed is full of cages of rabbits. Destination unknown, but the driver better unload these rabbits because the sun is getting hotter and the Camino is low on fuel. 

Midnite On Pearl Beach

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