To Be Continued is the latest album by Chicago based ER Jurken this time recorded at The Loft with Mark Greenberg producing ED (ER Jurken) and his compatriots who include a trio from Junegrass of Ben Brazil, Grant Engstrom and Jack Schemenauer, along with Paul Von Mertens, Rian Murphy and Johnathan Kult.
The album opens with In Monterey orchestral pop for someone running away, trying not to be seen by the faces in the crowd. I Do repeats the title so many times, it feels like he is begging and pleading to be the good boy saying yes, on this bucolic twanging countrypolitan tune.
Morning Paper has a plaintive Neil Young feel, with cool harmony vocals and a very gentle piano part, dedicated to reading the Morning Paper rather than rolling up breakfast. So, Surprise has a freak folk feel, like it comes from the very early 70's, for a dark tale concerning people of ill repute who like gentle violins.
Main Man isn't about Tony Deep Freeze and his scheming ways, it is sort of Incredible String band goes odd country pop, backing vocals harmonize while your drawn into the story of what kind of Main Man they are waiting till tomorrow for.
Lady Of Renown is back in town tearing up Wicker Park like in the old days, wanting to go back to the glory days of the Flat Iron Building, or some more Crazy Horse harmonics and the greetings for a long lost friend, ready to turn there world upside down once more.
Mighty And Concealed is the reality we all crave to be returned too, what incantations and silent calls are needed to achieve this goal, with the stuttering brass and yelps feeding into the malaise they are seeking a way out of.
Uncle Denny deals with his predilections for the fare on offer at Denny's, his uncle is coming home today, it's unclear if he has been banged up or out on tour, not totally clear if they are happy about his return or not.
All The Way To Georgia is clearly about the American one, he is driving there, seeking his love once more, sounding like Dr Strangely Strange on a mission to meet his wife and love her till death. A Good Place To Fall to deal with the loss you feel, after it all came crashing down, this is sad reminiscence of once golden days.
The album closes with To Be Continued with a lush chamber pop arrangement, for an outro claiming it won't be long till you can get more records by ER Jurken if you should want them, of course you do.
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