Kara Jackson Releases New Songs 'Dickhead Blues/Brain'

The Poet Laureate, singer-songwriter, Chicago-based Kara Jackson is thrilled to unveil her double-single, "dickhead blues/brain" via September Recordings today.

"dickhead blues" is an affirmation track filled with tongue-in-cheek humor warding off lovers who don't deserve her time and energy. "brain" is a sentimental companion with wisdom and unfiltered honesty. Both tracks, while contrasting in tone, continue to showcase Kara's unwavering strength in storytelling.

Kara Jackson released brilliant, blunt, and beautiful first single, "no fun/party," late last year. With elements of the macabre mingling with the domestic, the video for "no fun/party" directed by Jellystone Robinson references Angela Carter, Grimm's fairy tales, Carmen Maria Machado, and more.

Wielding her voice like a honey-coated blade, Kara Jackson crafts a blend of emotional folk music and poetic alt-country. With the radical honesty of Nina Simone, the intricate lyricism of Fiona Apple and Joanna Newsom, and the straightforward, no-frills delivery of artists like Kimya Dawson, Kara's writing blurs the line between poetry and song, demanding an attentive ear and a repeat listen.

Raised by country folk and Black feminist poets like Gwendolyn Brooks and Lucille Clifton, Kara's songs have the softness and warmth of a southern drawl, while still being sharp enough to cut deep. Born and raised in Oak Park, IL, a community 10 miles west of Chicago, Kara studied music and writing from a very young age. A Black Queer polymath, she took piano lessons from the age of 5 and later taught herself to play guitar.

She honed her poetry skills in high school, eventually becoming the National Youth Poet Laureate in 2019. That same year, Kara self-released her debut EP, A Song for Every Chamber of the Heart, a tender offering of acoustic meditations on love and desire. Since then she has toured the country in support of artists such as Julia Jacklin, Neko Case, and Kaina.

Listen to the new single here:

Photo credit: Lawrence Agyei