Jay Crocker

Below The Ocean Over is the new full-length recording from Jay Crocker of Calgary, AB. The album was recorded over a bustling, creative, two-week period at Wavelab Studios in Tucson, AZ. The album was painstakingly written and arranged by Jay Crocker, and engineered and co-produced by Craig Schumacher (the man behind the sounds of countless classic sides, including Calexico, Neko Case, Iron & Wine, The Sadies, etc). The album will be released on CD  vinyl LP, and digital download on October 14, 2008, by Artunit Recording Kompany.

The material on Below performs the enviable feat of both picking up where the last album left off, yet also trumping it in every way. Since the release of Melodies from the Outskirts, his debut solo record (Saved By Radio/Artunit, 2006), Jay has expanded his scope considerably; not only has he made giant leaps in his abilities as a writer/arranger/singer/producer, but he’s also managed to widen the margins of his ever-expanding soundworld.

The songs leap from the chamber-esque pop stylings of ‘July’, to horn-laden sort-of-country-rock of the title track. The waltz ‘Falling Out of Windows’ gets the full treatment, as Crocker lathers the tune in lush string arrangements and turns in one of his most accomplished lyrical feats to date. The sleek ‘Keep Calm’ reveals Jay’s interest in the kraut-rock/post-rock continuum and also allows the listener a taste of his band’s live moves. The instrumental interludes are mini epics in their own right; Reichian guitar symphonies, surreal collage pieces, and Brazilian pop nuggets pepper the album. The overall effect conjures daydreams of Burt Bacharach arranging for Neil Young, Van Dyke Parks producing The Band.

The whole thing sounds fantastic. Nuanced production touches, a fine array of vintage guitars, keyboards, drums, and boxes, and a horn section and a string quartet. Whether recording live off the floor with one microphone or conducting ensemble improv, Crocker made use of his full band. The eight piece ensemble are some of the finest of Canada’s widening pool of engaging, frequently thrilling musicians.

Since The Recording of Below The Ocean Over, Crocker has not let up. He’s been producing albums for various artists, including Ghostkeeper (a band which he also plays), Lorrie Matheson (Saved By Radio), Ryan Bourne (Artunit), Gunther (Lakeside Press), and more. No More Shapes (DripAudio), a superlative unjazz trio co led by Crocker, recently recorded their debut sides, coming out this winter. Jay’s work has recently begun popping up in short films, TV shows, and animations. All this, while completing Artunit studios and getting tucked right into the next full-length. One has to wonder, as the steps from each project are so huge, what comes next?