Tall Juan at the Raccoon Motel -- October 7.
Tuesday, October 7, 6 p.m.
Raccoon Motel, 315 East Second Street, Davenport IA
Lauded by Pitchfork as an artist that "cleverly illuminates Latin America's rich musical heritage," Tall Juan, the indie project of Buenos Aires-born singer/songwriter Juan Zaballa, headlines an October 7 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, Heatwave magazine adding that "Juan's laid-back sound is really easy to get into."
The description of Raccoon Nights at TallJuan.com begins: "Down the hole we dive into a world of psychedelic-pop enveloped in buzzy synthesizers, burning backbeats, and new wave overtones. Throughout these nine songs, Juan grapples with isolation and uncertainty, bringing along an impressive troupe of collaborators to share in the healing party.
"Recorded at Outlier Inn in New York’s Catskill Mountains and at his home in Rockaway Beach, Juan aimed for a high-fidelity sound that reflected the difficult times he was living through. Taking on the roles of both engineer and producer, he wanted to work with as many musicians as possible, which resulted in contributions from over 30 different players. When tracking was finished, the album was mixed by Grammy award winner Hector Castillo, whose glittering resume includes projects with David Bowie and Phillip Glass. This synergetic process culminated in an uplifting sound inspired by artists like Syd Barrett, Talking Heads, and Lizzy Mercier Descloux.
"From the opening track 'Dark Hole,' co-produced by Andrew VanWyngarden of MGMT, there is a feeling of anxiety and spiraling into bleak thoughts. Juan sings of depression and being cut off from the people who bring comfort. A similar mood of loneliness echoes through the jingle jangle of 'Talking To Myself,' a duet with Mac DeMarco in which the two old friends comfort each other. 'The System' featuring Juan Wauters and 'Fantasy' featuring Cola Boyy are both protest songs incognito–lyrically, they call out the powers working against us, but sonically lighten the load with their beautiful melodies and flourishing arrangements. Despite the inner turmoil at play, Juan’s optimism shines through–proclamations that 'the good times are coming' and 'I don’t wanna lose another day' suggest that there is hope ahead, a light at the end of the tunnel, a paradise on the other side of the mountain.
"There is an urgency to seize the day and deal with any obstacle that is in the way of this undertaking. The album’s closing track evokes a shedding of skin–'Say goodbye to him, you won’t see him back again ... bring him back, back into your heart.' Through the making of this record and sharing of his pain, Juan was able to transcend the suffering into joy, and in turn, give us some powerful new music."
Tall Juan performs his headlining engagement in Davenport on October 7 with an additional set by Dillon Warnek, admission to the 6 p.m. concert is $15.88, and more information and tickets are available by visiting TheRaccoonMotel.com.
