New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Singer, songwriter, and guitarist
Benjamin Jaffe will release his solo debut album Oh, Wild Ocean of Love this
Spring via Diamond Family Records. Best known as one-half of the acclaimed Americana duo HONEYHONEY, Jaffe steps into the spotlight with his debut and reveals his impressive chops as a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger. Today, he released the video for lead single "Dominator," co-directed by Jaffe and Sage Atwood.
"In the minimalistic visual, we see Jaffe sing against a white backdrop as graphics of drum kits flash, synchronized with the glitchy beat," described Baeble who debuted the video. "Jaffe's vocal is smooth as butter and serves up spine-tingling harmonies reminiscent of Father John Misty. This gorgeous arrangement just goes to show that, while we will forever love HONEYHONEY, Jaffe stepping into the spotlight and showing off his musical chops might just be a really great move."
Trading the rootsy stomp of HONEYHONEY's three albums for an indie-alternative sound, Jaffe widens his approach with Oh, Wild Ocean of Love. These songs make room for a broad range of influences, from the polyphonic rhythms and improvisational freedom of jazz music to the soul and swagger of Motown. There are R&B ballads like "Everlasting Peace," where Jaffe layers his voice into gorgeous stacks of multi-part harmony, and dissonant rockers like "Blooming," where he shines a light on his skills as an inventive electric guitarist. Throughout the tracklist, Jaffe plays nearly every instrument himself, bouncing between drums, keyboard, bass, and guitar.
Inspired by a wide range of sounds and texts - including Paul Simon, Beck, Randy Newman, and The Essential Chuang Tzu - Oh, Wild Ocean of Love explores the wreckage left by a relationship that's poorly-defined and headed south. It's an album about the full spectrum of love: love for yourself, for others, and even your maker. An album about lessons learned. An album about the realization that even in these chaotic times, it's okay to relax.
"Dominator" was first released late last year followed by the second track "Blooming." Each song released will be accompanied by a new edition of "The Rearranger Series" in which Jaffe records the song in a completely different way than the album version.
In addition to his solo debut, Jaffe continues to broaden his career beyond the confines of the recording studio and the stage. He composed, recorded, and produced the film score for Joy Joy Nails, a short film that screened at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, building on a resume in TV and film that includes work on the cartoon
Spongebob Squarepants and various other shows and films. He also appears in the new TBS series The Guest Book, alongside HONEYHONEY bandmate Suzanne Santo, in which the two play recurring characters in each episode. They also wrote the series' theme song and several other songs for the soundcheck.
Track List:
01) Conversation Piece
02) Everlasting Peace
03) Mas Conversacion
04) Blooming
05) Lazy Music
06) SPACECAT
07) Susan the Cat
08) Alright Now
09) Pity
10) Dominator
