Novelty ideas often die slowly, but rather than fading out, the Drunk Dial series appears to pick up momentum with each subsequent release. Installment #11 featured Steve Adamyk, and its follow up #12 which is out now, sees another major character from the scene risking his health to the benefit of music fans worldwide. It’s Gentleman Jesse, who has to be a dream candidate for Drunk Dial Records – or any label for that matter. Jesse Smith is best known for his work in Gentleman Jesse (& His Men), but also brought his talent to acts like Carbonas, The Gaye Blades, Cops and Hyena.
Jesse’s participation suggests either a reluctance to decline or a willingness to embrace the challenge of spending 12 hours in a studio fueled by alcohol, tasked with spontaneously creating and recording a new song along with a cover. Not sure whether we should analyze the recordings for insights into the effects of Smith’s drinking habits on his songwriting, but Where Time Stands Still evokes a melancholic power pop vibe that would work well as a soundtrack for a spaghetti western. Either the song or the band breaks down at the 1:30 minute mark but regains composure before ending the song in a classic fade out.
For his cover song choice, Gentleman Jesse surprises with Mark Morrison’s Return of the Mack, a 1996 hit that has amassed over 385 million (!) streams on Spotify and 222 million (!) views on YouTube. Despite its popularity, I didn’t immediately recognize it, which says something about the kind of music I listened to in the ’90s but also about the different spin Gentleman Jesse gave the song. I had to look up the original and then went: ah, that one!
Another strong addition to the series, and I can’t wait to find out what Drunk Dial Records will put out next!
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