Maybe? A jangle-pop Roger Waters?


New Penn Set Ruminates on Scars of War

By Jonathan Cohen

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Singer-songwriter Michael Penn utilized the post-World War II state of 1947 Los Angeles as the context for his new studio album, "Mr. Hollywood, Jr. -- 1947."

The set is due June 28 via Penn's own Mimeograph Records, released through spinART. It marks his first foray out of the major-label system that issued his first four albums.

"I'm hesitant to call it a concept record," Penn told Billboard of the 13-track set.

"I was thinking about my father and people who fought in World War II, and the trauma that a war brings to a person's psychology. I always write about the day-to-day traumas of life and relationships. But I was thinking about someone who was going through those things, and then coming home and having the extra baggage of experiencing a war as well."

Penn experimented with the fledgling tracks via his monthly gig at Los Angeles club Largo, and drafted familiar collaborators such as his wife, Aimee Mann, and vocalist Buddy Judge to assist in the recording process. Former Jayhawks principal Gary Louris lends a hand on the songs "Pretending" and "A Bad Sign."

"Gary was in L.A. and we had a mutual friend who said I should call him up," Penn said. "So I did, and he was up for it. He came by, and I put him to work."

Penn will preview the set with a three-week acoustic tour, which he says will feature just himself and possibly a keyboard player. "I hope we get to a point where I can afford to go out with a band, because that would be a lot of fun," he said with a laugh.

Beforehand, the artist says he's scrambling to finish the music for the documentary "The Comedians of Comedy," which chronicles Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis and Brian Posehn's recent tour of rock clubs. The film is due to premiere next week at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.

Here are Michael Penn's tour dates:

April 9: Seattle (Tractor Tavern)
April 10: Portland, Ore. (Mississippi Studious)
April 11: San Francisco (Cafe Du Nord)
April 12: Los Angeles (Largo)
April 14: Minneapolis (Varsity)
April 15: Chicago (Schuba's)
April 16: Madison, Wis. (Cafe Monmartre)
April 18: New York (Joe's Pub)
April 20: Boston (Lizard Lounge)
April 22: Brywn Mawr, Pa. (the Point)
April 23: Alexandria, Va. (Iota)
April 25: Charlotte, N.C. (Evening Muse)
April 26: Atlanta (Redlight Cafe)

Reuters/Billboard

My dad served in the Pacific in WW II. When he got back in late '45 he found that his wife had been sleeping around on him. They got divorced. He met my mom in '46 soon after her fiance was killed in a motorcycle accident on the way home after being discharged from the army.
Mom & Dad got married in '47, had their first kid in '48. I'm pretty interested in hearing this album.

Thanks for the heads-up, P'Shaw!!!

Yeah, I knew there must be a couple of people who like Mike. I do.

I might holler at the show in Charlotte on the 25th. Thanks.

<---tries to picture Penn doing holla back

I am intrigued by this idea and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

(Jangle Pop Roger Waters -- nice touch;) )

I really need to get off my butt and go see him at Largo sometime soon...

I've been taking the fact that he plays here every week for granted...

I can't be counted on. Maybe if there were free Bailey's in the press room 24/7.

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np: Public Image Limited "Go Back"