Critically acclaimed indie musician, singer, songwriter and producer Jim Bianco announces the release of his third LP Loudmouth on April 5. Funded entirely from his fiercly loyal fan base, Loudmouth is a return to form as Jim Bianco goes at it again: speaking to the sinner and the heartbroken in all of us, sifting through the filth and wreckage in his crooked heart and putting it to music in a way that makes women want to simultaneously sleep with him and slap him in the face; and men want to pick a fight and sing along.
In addition to the LP, Jim Bianco has announced three tour dates in Rockwood, NY. (Jan 20, Jan 27, Feb 4)
The songs on Loudmouth explore the reckless depths of a touring musician, the devastation of a broken heart, the irony of being in love with someone who treats you like s and the whimsical inclinations of a temporary secretary who dreams of being an elevator operator.
"There is humor on this record, but there is a darkness that comes along with it. You'll get an occasional laugh, but it won't be free. And there is no love song. There are songs of lust, songs of loss and songs of longing, but no love song."
Bianco, who has always been a fiercely independent artist, funded the record entirely through his fans. "With the decline in funding for the arts that we've seen over the past few years, and the fact that music is so accessible that it's essentially free, I'm thankful that I can put out an album and tour independently with only the support of my fans. I'm grateful that, as an artist who has a direct relationship with his fan base, I can continue making the music that I like for the people who want it - all without a middle-man to muck up the process."
Bianco's fans are also grateful for the direct line they have to him. But it's not only about the music. There's a sensibility that Bianco radiates in all his art. "I began blogging from the road just to pass the time. There's something redemptive about having people read about my follies and laugh and cry along with me." Bianco's writing has received such a positive response from fans that he is in the process of publishing a book of short stories, which he plans to sell on tour in 2011.
As if that weren't enough, Bianco has recently taken to writing, acting, directing and editing his own silent films, which have garnered not only the attention of his fans, but of cinephiles, including Lorenzo DeStefano, the head of the Ventura Film Society. "Jim Bianco's new silent films embrace and expand on a lost era of filmmaking...they illuminate the human spirit in a way that is honest, charming and at times quite profound."
But at heart, Bianco is a performer. And he's no stranger to the stage, having toured with the likes of Squeeze, Shelby Lynn, Imogen Heap, Joshua Radin, Josh Ritter and
Loudon Wainwright III, to name a few. He's been part of the legendary Hotel Café tour since it's inception. His live show can take you on a voyage through the weightlessness of falling in love, or into the dark, dirty depths of the red light district of your imagination. With a firecracker's presence on-stage, vocal chords that crack the plaster, and an occasional burlesque dancer, it is truly a wonder to watch him command a room.
Over the years, Jim's music has been featured in a wide array of formats from key placements on in films and high profile TV shows including True Blood, performances on late night's Craig Ferguson and NPR's Mountain Stage.
With Loudmouth, Bianco feels that his live show will be catapulted to a new level. "These songs demand more of me because of their candor," says Bianco. " They require all the tricks of my past performances - the intensity, the burlesque, the gitter; but also a resounding honesty that I've realized is fundamental in all worthwhile performances."
Loudmouth captures the playful wit and spirit that has always defined Bianco, but is a marked departure from his earlier works. There's plenty of mischief on the record, but there's a certain maturity too. Not the kind of maturity that involves mortgages or afternoon naps; but the kind that is required to create something timeless.
With Loudmouth, it's as if Bianco has transformed himself from the juggling clown of the circus into to it's ringleader. But make no mistake - he's still in the circus.
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