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 When Pete Yorn introduced himself in 2001 with his Musicforthemorningafter CD, adult alternative and modern rock radio rushed to embrace “Life on a Chain,” “For Nancy (’Cos it Already Is)” and “Strange Condition,” as critics name-dropped Ryan Adams, Wilco, Jakob Dylan, Jeff Buckley and the Smiths while heralding his Brit-pop-influences and delicious, rootsy songs. In a flash, the scruffy 27-year-old singer/songwriter went from unknown to poster boy.
The son of a former concert pianist, Yorn taught himself drums at age 9 and guitar at 12; he was soon mimicking his heroes the Smiths and the Cure — including their British accents. After college, Yorn self-funded a never-released album and moved to Los Angeles, where he began to attract crowds to his club shows. One of those early gigs impressed film producer Bradley Thomas (There’s Something About Mary, Shallow Hal), who asked Yorn to score the Jim Carrey/Renée Zellweger pic Me, Myself & Irene.
His next two CDs, 2003’s Day I Forgot and 2006’s Nightcrawler, coupled with a collection of EPs, live releases and one-off singles, underscored Yorn’s standing as a prolific, talented songwriter. And he plays well with others, too; not only have R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, Foo Fighter Dave Grohl, Dixie Chicks Martie Maguire and Natalie Maines, and Wallflower Rami Jaffee (Yorn’s partner in indie label Trampoline Records) all performed on his recordings, Yorn has guested on CDs by Liz Phair, Nancy Sinatra and Jesse Malin, among others.
In 2009, Pete Yorn returned with the acoustic-based Back and Fourth. Produced by Bright Eyes guitarist Mike Mogis, Back and Fourth was recorded with a full band — a first for Yorn, who has always performed most of the instruments himself. Even as Back and Fourth was being readied Yorn had plans to also release a CD with actress Scarlett Johansson and a punkish outing that ex-Pixies frontman Frank Black produced.
Provenance: Montville, New Jersey
Latest release: Back and Fourth (2009)
© 2009 Nigel Music Media LLC. Used by permission.
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