Idyl Time: Jesse Lortz' CASE STUDIES

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Jesse Lortz' CASE STUDIES

Last winter I was fortunate enough to catch The Dutchess and The Duke's last show at The Tractor in Ballard with a few good friends. I'd only listened to their music briefly so I wasn't entirely familiar with their folk-fame. The bar was packed shoulder to shoulder and we'd arrived too late to get close to the stage. To my extremely pleasant surprise, just as the show began, the Duke and the Dutchess unplugged their guitars and hopped off stage and jumped up on the bar for an impromptu acoustic set. As you can see, I instantly had front row seats to what would be one of my favorite shows yet. The entire bar sang, swayed, and stomped their feet in unison.

Before the show started we bumped into the Duke smoking a cigarette outside and had to ask the inevitable, "why are you guys breaking up?" His response was humorous and snarky (surprise) and eluded to the fact that the two had grown apart and he was just more excited about getting to do his own stuff. He did remark, "I'm glad I don't have to be The Dutchess and "The Duke" anymore. How $#%$%@# lame is that?"

Once inside I met him at the merch booth and asked him to sign a few records for me and this picture expresses his enthusiasm when I handed him a sharpie and asked him to scribe "Heyra..." on his album art.

To say the least, I was disappointed to see the duo dissolve but even more excited to see that Lortz has been hard at work producing new music and am pretty impressed with what he's done. The album "The World is Just a Shape to Fill the Night" (released August 16th) thankfully still resounds with his recognizably dark and brooding alternative-country vocals. Some of the tracks elicit the country-alternative-pop-rock sound he's known for but this project appears to have given him the freedom to delve deeper lyrically than in the past. Below is the first video "Lies" released by Case Studies and a live recording of "Daggers". The more you listen the more you will love this album.

Case Studies: Lies from Case Studies on Vimeo.

Case Studies: Daggers from Case Studies on Vimeo.

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Remember to Remember...

This blog is just a personal exploration of music and represents my preference and perspective (for whatever, if anything, that's worth). The site is dubbed "Idyl Time" because I soon realized that a large majority of my "idle" time is spent on music and who doesn't love a good play on words? I stumbled on the definition of "idyl" in a book I was reading and thought it worked as a title for this endeavor because each piece of music I'm examining here is a composition (be it not necessarily pastoral). But, when you discover a connection with a song, an album, an artist or a show it can truly border on an inconsequential affair; in that... it tugs on the very strings of your heart and can pinch you ever so lightly (or painfully) in the most secret of places. Music can transport you in an instant to a person, place or memory that still holds a dear (or dark) place in your heart. It's something so private and so personal and so inherently unique to each listener. It's a relationship that obviously has no tangible relevance on your day to day existence but at the same time can represent a "romantic affair" or attachment of some sort. I've personally always attempted to operate with a hap-hazard, caution-to-the-wind, attitude towards life and all it's offerings for experience. Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all (which beyond relationships, can refer to all the windows and doors that life affords you). I guess my point is, you may have tried, you may have failed, you may have loved, you may have lost, but you took a chance. And you still have your memories and the music they're dressed in. For whatever that's worth.