With the crazy digital animation we’re seeing in videos, this Clyde Peterson-directed clip for the first from Jeff Hanson’s new Kill Rock Stars record is charmingly old school. Old school as in elementary school: “If Only I Knew” is nothing but stop-motion construction-paper cutouts of the birds and the bees and Jeff coming to grips with a shitty Dear John letter. Fortunately for him, birds happen to be great at weaving uplifting banjo-flecked ditties out of torn up Dear John letters. Later the words of his ex become food for hatchlings, which is possibly a deep statement on the circle of life and love, or probably just a tidy way to end the video.
Jeff’s new record’s called Madam Owl and it’s out via Kill Rock Stars. He’s on tour:
08/23 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Triple Rock
09/15 -Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey*
09/16 -Towne Lounge @ Portland, OR*
09/17 – Davis, CA @ The Old Firehouse (UC Davis)*
09/18 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill*+
09/24 -Denver, CO @ Hi Dive*
09/26 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux*
* w/ Krist Krueger (of Southerly)
+ w/ Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head
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This track is right at the top of my favorites for the year. I haven’t heard the album yet, but I’m expecting great things.
not sure why this dude doesnt sell more records or have the profile he deserves. he’s great.
I was scrolling down and I read “construction-paper cutouts of the birds and the bees and Jeff coming.” The video was a little disappointing after that introduction.
I onced made a construction paper little vid for a college class, I thought it sucked but my professor loved it…
=)
It wasnt as good as this one, though
Unfortunately, Jeff is no longer with us. He died from an unyet unknown fall or something in his home in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Jeff had the voice of an angel, and comparedly to Elliott Smith, will now join him in the heavens. I have a few of his cd’s, and was always waiting for him to “break out”, but that didn’t seem to be his style. All I know is that God is putting together an indie supergroup and he took BOTH of the best falsettos in the business to do it. Pairing them up with a Jeff Buckley and maybe a Jim Morrison for the lower sections sounds like heaven to me!