at a glance...

Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Year Formed: 1985

Members:
Gary Louris -vocals, guitar
Marc Perman -bass
Kraig Johnson -guitar
Tim O'Reagan -drums
Jen Gunderman -keyboards

Bands In The Family:
Golden Smog, Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Son Volt, Victoria Williams, Joe Henry, Soul Asylum, Blue Mountain, Run Westy Run, Big Star, The Honeydogs

Notes:
In 1985 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Stagger Lee stand-up bass player Mark Olson decided to form a Replacements meet Flying Burrito Bros.-inspired band. He enlisted guitarist Marc Perlman (convincing him to take up the bass) and Norm Rogers, the first player in a revolving line-up of drummers. Soon after local guitar hero Gary Louris signed up and they became The Jayhawks. When they opened for Alex Chilton at a Minneapolis club, wealthy stockbroker Charlie Pine took notice, became their manager and formed Bunkhouse Records. Their debut album, The Jayhawks (usually referred to as "The Bunkhouse album") was released in 1986. Minneapolis independent label Twin/Tone picked up the band in ’88 and Blue Earth appeared in 1989, bringing the group considerable attention and a national tour. Legend has it that when producer George Drakoulias heard Blue Earth playing in the background during a phone call to Twin/Tone’s offices, The Jayhawks were immediately signed to major label Def American Records and in 1991 recorded their breakthrough album, Hollywood Town Hall. The album was a critical success and generated radio airplay, especially for Louris’ "Waiting for the Sun." Next, pianist Karen Grotberg joined the group and they entered the studio again for 1995’s Tomorrow The Green Grass, featuring the single "Blue." A tour followed, but Olson announced he was quitting the band to spend more time with his MS-stricken wife, Victoria Williams. In 1997, The Jayhawks - now consisting of Louris, Perlman, Grotberg, guitarist Kraig Johnson and drummer Tim O'Reagan - released the more pop- oriented album Sound of Lies. Grotberg left the band in early 2000 and was replaced by ex-Dag keyboardist Jen Gunderman. Smile, their first for Columbia Records, was released in May 2000.

Change - damned if you do, damned if you don't. The Jayhawks' fifteen-year career has been plagued with much transition. Embracing unexpected opportunities for change by turning the bleak into a burst of energy, the most underrated band in the U.S. refresh and reinvent their sound. The reward is Smile, an album soaked in a brightness that is the antithesis of all that is bland in American modern rock.

Smile showcases the strength of the Louris/Perlman relationship. The only original line-up survivors, their intelligence, wit, and consummate professionalism rivals that of class-act duos like Becker and Fagen or Jagger and Richards. Bob Ezrin, legendary producer of blockbusters like Alice Cooper, KISS, Pink Floyd and Lou Reed, urges Smile further with his tricks and studio finesse. The album contrasts both musically and spiritually with the dark tainted intensity of 1997's Sound of Lies - if SOL begged for forgiveness, Smile has exonerated past sins and marches forward with optimism. They delightfully combine an array of sounds, from rockers, ballads, and stripped-down acoustic, to techno beats sprinkled with a touch of Britpop. Yes, I am still talking about alt.-country favorites The Jayhawks. In the irresistible "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" Louris cries "I've come to my senses...I'm your sea of devotion," confirming the band's older and wiser outlook. The music is still sensitive, emotive, uplifting, and harmonious, but not at the twangy tear-jerk level of days past.

If you are still praying for Hollywood Town Hall part II, you’re probably one of those people who attends shows of your favorite bands wishing only for "the nuggets" - the earlier songs that first hooked you, a reminder of the good old days. Some "diehard" fans fail to realize that the truly talented can improve the music as life experience adds depth to their world. The reign of The Replacements and Hüsker Dü may be over, but The Jayhawks are fitting torchbearers for the Minneapolis music scene. Their first record, known as Bunkhouse, is out-of-print and never made it past vinyl. By all means, cherish your vinyl collection, but there are benefits to crossing over to CD — listening to Smile is one of them.

If you like The Jayhawks, check out:
The Jayhawks Hollywood Town Hall
The Jayhawks Sound of Lies
The Jayhawks Tomorrow The Green Grass
Flying Burrito Brothers Hot Burritos!
The Jayhawks Blue Earth
Wilco Summerteeth
Big Star Third/Sister Lovers
Teenage Fanclub Songs From Northern Britain
Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin

-- Joanna Lux

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