Alt-J frontman Joe Newman will release his debut solo album as JJerome87, The Canyon, this Friday. The record grew out of a big life change: the birth of his daughter. Writing about fatherhood led Newman back to the music of his youth — especially soul and blues — and that shaped the album’s sound.
Newman says The Canyon sounds different from Alt-J. Still, he wanted one familiar element: layered vocals. On the record he uses backup singers to create a co-narrator effect, echoing the vocal harmonies he and bandmate Gus Unger-Hamilton are known for. “I wanted to walk through the album holding hands with someone else,” he says.
Alt-J isn’t finished. Newman says there’s no new band music right now, but he expects Alt-J to make another album in the future. In the meantime, The Canyon offers a personal, soulful side of Newman for fans to hear.
