Jay Jayle cries for “Help!” on his cool Beatles cover.

Photo by Chris Jenner

Louisville, KY’s multi-instrumentalist mainstay Jaye Jayle have reappeared with an unconventional and ultimately “Jaye Jayle-esque” cover of the song “Help!” by The Beatles.  Bandleader Evan Patterson discloses the cover’s origin:

“A few months ago, I was riding in the car with my seventy-one year old father while he was listening to The Beatles’ song ‘Help!’ This is not out of the ordinary. My dad is a “Beatles Mania” guy with a ‘LENNON’ personalized license plate and stickers all about his car. Their posters and albums hang on his basement walls and he even has stuffed dolls of the Fab Four. What I’m saying is: The Beatles have been subconsciously a massive influence on my musical mind.”  

Patterson continues, “For no particular reason I zoned in on the lyrics to the song ‘Help!’ and laughed about how much of a bummer they are in juxtaposition to the cheerful, childlike melody of the music. A few nights later I had a dream about making a cover of the song with music that is loosely based on the original, yet marries more to the sad cry for companionship and loneliness of the lyrics. My longtime bass collaborator, Todd Cook, and I made a demo with an 808 drum machine and sent it over to our favorite drummer in the entire world, Britt Walford. Two weeks later we recorded the song with such ease and enjoyment. There was a lot of laughter in the making of this song. It’s not meant to be taken as dark. It’s meant to make you smile. Though, I still haven’t let my father hear the cover song. I imagine that he will not dig it.”

Listen to (+ share) “Help!” on YouTube.

Jaye Jayle’s standalone cover single surfaces with the group’s reemergence, playing midwestern shows and shaking off the dust over the course of the last few months.  The band is currently preparing a new full-length album with details to be revealed in the near future.

For now, revisit Jaye Jayle’s House Cricks and Other Excuses to Get Out, No Trail & Other Unholy Paths, and Prisyn

Keep up with Jaye Jayle on InstagramFacebook, and Bandcamp.

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[Thanks to Stephanie at Indie Publicity.]

Rewind Review: The Smithereens – Meet the Smithereens (2007)

A Smithereens cover album of a classic Beatles album?! Yes, please!

It’s no secret that The Beatles are one of the biggest influences on The Smithereens (along with The Who, The Kinks, and many others from the UK), so hearing this American rock band have fun with these tracks is a delight from beginning to end.

They’re a little subdued on their version of “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” and it’s an effective in touch – pushing the love in the song more than the riffs. They push the riffs harder on “I Saw Her Standing There,” rocking it for all it’s worth. “This Boy” soothes things down a bit before the rocking, underappreciated Beatles’ classic “It Won’t Be Long” – a song they load with Jim Babjak‘s killer guitar riffs.

“All I’ve Got to Do” has a blues touch to it that’s perfectly suited to Pat Dinizio‘s voice. Severo “The Thrilla” Jornacion‘s bass is all over “All My Loving.” They perfectly capture the 1960s garage rock sound on “Don’t Bother Me.”

“Little Child” flies right by you at fast beats laid down by Dennis Diken, and then “Till There Wsa You” comes in with almost a Tiki lounge comfort to it. They make playing “Beatles swing” sound easy on “Hold Me Tight.” They unleash “I Wanna Be Your Man” on you after you’re all cozy from the previous track, with Babjak taking on lead vocals and having a blast with it. The albums ends with a fade-out on “Not a Second Time,” leaving you with a smile and fond memories.

It’s a fun record, and one that led to other fun cover albums by then. You’ll dig it if you’re a fan of either band.

Keep your mind open.

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