The Next Round - Episode 21: Jeremy Messersmith

This week on the podcast, Jeremy Messersmith sat down with me at One Mile House before his show at Bowery Ballroom.  He revealed how different elements of his life, from his Christian upbringing to his computer science degree to his job as a college professor have all played a part (be it subliminal or obvious) in his songwriting process.  Find out why all of his albums have 11 songs, including his latest, Heart Murmurs, which has garnered praise from NPR to Time Magazine.

(This episode also features a tease of an upcoming interview with Jon Cleary.)

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Jeremy Messersmith Gives the Fans What They Want at Bowery Ballroom

It had only been four months since Jeremy Messersmith was last in New York, playing his sold-out album release show at Mercury Lounge.  While that set was heavy on Heart Murmurs, only dipping back as far as 2010's The Reluctant Graveyard, Messersmith made sure to give his fans something more than a repeat performance, playing tunes from all four of his albums, a new song, and a surprise cover.

Jeremy began with "I Don't Trust That Boy," an unreleased cautionary tale played solo on electric guitar.  As soon as he finished, the band charged into an energetic "Tourniquet."  A jolly "Lazy Bones" had Jeremy and his comrades flashing smiles at each other.  As "You'll Only Break His Heart" wrapped up with Messersmith strumming his acoustic and guitarist Peter Sieve experimenting with harmonics, the other members snuck off the stage.  The two axmen performed the soft "I Want to Be Your One Night Stand" to chuckles and "aww"s from the floor.  As he departed, Sieve put a reassuring hand on Jeremy's shoulder as if to say, "You got this, man."  Standing alone in the middle of the Bowery stage, he polled the crowd for requests.  Although it was unclear if he'd actually taken someone's suggestion, Messersmith made up his mind.  "This is one from the subgenre of subzero Minnesota songs," he announced, gently fingerpicking into the emotionally gutting "Beautiful Children."  Then he granted a concertgoer's wish with a cover of Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend."  Jeremy revealed that "Novocain" was "the first song I wrote that I actually kind of liked a little bit."  He explained that he penned the tune while contemplating life at his first job: "Is this the American Dream?  Working in a temp office and driving a Ford Festiva?"  As the song progressed, his bandmates joined in one by one to complete it as a unit.  With the band back together, Messersmith chose to rock out for the rest of the set, which included "Dillinger Eyes," "Heidi," and "Hitman."  Jeremy informed the crowd that he and the band would be hiding offstage for thirty seconds, adding, "I want you to just promise me that you'll applaud the whole time we're over there."  The smitten spectators had no problem obliging.  After two full-band numbers, "Ghost" and "Violet!" Messersmith thanked his band and closed with a "song he stole off the Internet" (actually just inspired by a Reddit post), the sweet yet profane "Someday, Someone."

I had a pre-show drink with Jeremy for The Next Round, so subscribe on iTunes so you don't miss it when it drops.

JEREMY MESSERSMITH - 06.10.14 - BOWERY BALLROOM (1 hour, 7 minutes)

SET -

I Don't Trust That Boy / Tourniquet / It's Only Dancing / Lazy Bones / Franklin Avenue / You'll Only Break His Heart / I Want to Be Your One Night Stand / Beautiful Children / Call Your Girlfriend / A Girl, a Boy, & a Graveyard / Novocain / Dillinger Eyes / Organ Donor / Heidi / Hitman

ENCORE -

Ghost / Violet! / Someday, Someone

Jeremy Messersmith Gives Heart Murmurs at Mercury Lounge

"Hi, everybody.  Thank you for coming.  I have a new record out today.  That's mildly exciting," said the humble Jeremy Messersmith.  The critically lauded Minneapolis troubadour didn't have to be so modest.  Heart Murmurs, his fourth album, and first on Glassnote Records, was released yesterday, and has already garnered buzz from NPR to Time Magazine.  Messersmith celebrated with a sold-out show at Mercury Lounge, performing 9/11 of the LP's tracks (Conspiracy, anyone?), along with a sprinkling of tunes from 2010's The Reluctant Graveyard.

Jeremy and his band hit the ground running with propulsive first single "Tourniquet," followed promptly by "Lazy Bones."  And just because the majority of musicians on the stage were wearing eyeglasses, that didn't mean they couldn't rock.  Peter Sieve's guitar helped to forge a wailing wall of sound on "Heidi," pushing it all the way into noise pop territory.  "Dillinger Eyes" had a plucky early '70s vibe to it, and "It's Only Dancing" chugged along nicely in the capable hands of drummer Andy Thompson.  "Okay, I can't rock anymore without doing a couple singery-songwriter ones," announced Jeremy, picking up an acoustic and dismissing his bandmates, save for Sieve.  The duo performed "I Want to Be Your One Night Stand," a wishful love song where JM imagines drinking boxed wine in a cheap motel room with his minivan parked outside.  By lacing the song with humor, Messersmith deftly avoided the maudlinness often found in the folk genre.  Peter left Jeremy alone to perform "Steve" and "A Girl, a Boy, & a Graveyard," the latter of which was met with knowing claps from the audience.  J-Mess was even assisted on the song's final chorus by a faint whistling from the front of the room.

The band reconvened with Jeremy for a few of the night's finest numbers, including "Ghost," where comely keyboardist Sarah Perbix and bassist Ian Allison joined forces in a Western shuffle.  It was truly powerful as everyone in the band sang the last few refrains in unison.  In lieu of faking an encore break, Messersmith chose to remain onstage to lead the band through the Beatles-meets-Beach Boys pop of "Violet!"  The band retreated to the side of the stage once more to allow for a final solo song.  "I always like to end my records with like a little after-dinner mint," Jeremy explained prior to "Someday, Someone."  Inspired by a post found during a stoned, late-night Reddit session, the tune proved JM's unique voice as a songsmith yet again, containing the line "Someday, someone will love the fuck out of you / I will if you want me to."  While you probably won't be seeing that on a Hallmark card anytime soon, you will likely be hearing a lot more of Jeremy Messersmith.

JEREMY MESSERSMITH - 02.04.14 - MERCURY LOUNGE (54 minutes)

SET - 

Tourniquet / Lazy Bones / Heidi / Bridges / Dillinger Eyes / It's Only Dancing / I Want to Be Your One Night Stand / Steve / A Girl, a Boy, & a Graveyard / Organ Donor / Hitman / Ghost / Violet! / Someday, Someone