There are so many times when I look forward to a post featuring one of my favorite artists. Then there are times like this week, where I feature someone who is not known on the international stage,, but very good just the same. It’s those moments, when I can introduce artists on the same platform and help music fans find music that might be otherwise unknown to them. This week I introduce the Indie Rock duo of Jackie McLean and Shawn Strack known as Roan Yellowthorn.
Now before you utter those very familiar words, “I never heard of them”, please allow Weekly Music Commentary to highlight the music of Roan Yellowthorn. As always it’s good to start with who they are.
Jackie McLean grew up in Camden, Maine where she was known for her musical ability, starring in musicals, winning talent shows, and performing in the chorus. She continued her musical endeavors at Bard College with a leading role in the play The Wild Party. Though she didnât venture into songwriting in college, Jackie was a student of literature and Latin and a prolific writer, crafting a senior thesis, and penning a novel and a book of poetry after graduating. Eventually, the call to perform returned, and Shawn gave Jackie her first keyboard. She taught herself to play almost overnight, and wrote her first song within a week of touching the piano.
Shawn developed a love for music at a young age â at nine-years old, his favorite bands were Nirvana and the Smashing Pumpkins. As soon as he was able to save enough money at age 11, he bought a cheap electric guitar and began a lifelong practice of playing in rock bands and making music. After college, Shawn worked in media MTV2, The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, and others, but his passion remained rooted in music. In fact, It was his love of lyrics and language that led him to Bard College, where he met Jackie.
After Jackie played Shawn the songs she had written, he was blown away and encouraged her to share them with a wider audience. Although they stood alone as solo piano compositions, he yearned to flesh out their sound. They found Nada Recording studio and recorded a five-track, self-titled EP, which they released independently in spring 2015. After a summer tour, Jackie had notebooks full of new songs and, soon, it was time to hit the studio again.
The Roan Yellowthorn story is interesting, but how they make the music is the real story. When I first heard about the duo, I wanted to know about the style of music produced. With their literary background, my expectations were heightened about their song lyrics. I was not disappointed. The pair provided lyrics that brilliantly spoke from the heart. I’ve always believed that the best songs tell a story. Songs are another way of speaking to an audience. Of course, poetry and prose are similar ways of expressing feelings. That’s the appeal of Roan Yellowthorn. The duo brings songs from their hearts.
What about their choice of Roan Yellowthorn as a stage name? Roan Yellowthorn was the alternative name Jackie created for herself in college, with the intention of making it a permanent moniker. âI am drawn to Native American imagery and I wanted to create something whimsical, nature-based, and reflective of my true soul.â It was intended to differentiate her from her given name. You see, I learned an interesting fact about Jackie while preparing this post. Jackie McLean is the daughter of iconic folk and rock & roll artist Don McLean.
“I felt I needed to have my own space, a safe space that I could create and explore inside of. Coming up with my own name was a way to give myself that space.” The name didnât stick in college, but when Jackie started writing songs and wanted a pseudonym to create and perform under, Shawn suggested using Roan Yellowthorn, the name sheâd crafted in college. Thus a new name identified the artists.
They recorded âIndigo,â their first full-length album in Summer of 2017. The following spring, they caught the attention of Kirk Pasich, President of Blue Elan Records. Kirk flew them to LA and signed them on the spot. Their dĂ©but album Indigo was released September 2018.
Even though I don’t like to compare artists, most of the press information provides comparisons. Read one of the lines from the press release:
“With influences ranging from Angel Olsen to ABBA to The National, Indigo is an album that intermingles pop, rock, indie, and folk – with a singer/songwriter’s heart – making the music simultaneously familiar and equally fresh.”
After listening to Indigo I guess I could accept the above-mentioned description of the music from the album. However, I think if you are looking for folk music only, you might be a little disappointed. Roan Yellowthorn leans more toward the rock and indie sound while delivering great, lyrical music.
“Our album, ‘Indigo,’ is a compendium of my own deep feelings about experiences that changed me. Experiences and feelings that are so personal they become universal. Shawn and I worked on this record together for over a year and the whole process has been such a leap of faith. Such a labor of love. We are both so proud of this album and so grateful to our label, Blue Ălan Records, and its president, our champion, Kirk Pasich, for believing in us and helping us to bring it into the light.”
Therefore I had my title for this post. Indigo is a very personal labor of love. The best example can be found in the song “Talk About It”, about feelings surrounding a very intense relationship ending. “For years I was bothered by the silence that loomed between me and my former partner,” explains McLean. “I feel I have some peace of mind now, and writing this song, putting my painful feelings into words played a large part in that.”
What’s next for Roan Yellowthorn? Well, certainly more music is in the works. At their home in upstate NY, Shawn and Jackie live in something of an artist enclave. Shawn is an English teacher and produces music and videos in their home studio, Jackie writes songs on the porch, and they practice in an open-air screen room. Making music together was not the thing that brought them together, but it has become their shared passion.
Look out for Roan Yellowthorn as they tour and perform at festivals during the months to come. Of course, look forward to the music the two are working on right now. Perhaps they will deliver another labor of love.