To Jake Paleschic, the wait was worth it.
Coming out Friday, the folk singer-songwriter’s new album has been “finished for about three years, sitting in the tube,” he said, “with the recording production that started five years ago with a song that was written 10 years ago. I think we had our first show with the band about five or six years ago playing this material.”
The record he’s talking about is Wrongdoer. Recorded at Niles City Sound (Leon Bridges, White Denim, Nicole Atkins) on the South Side and released on the studio’s new label, Niles City Records, the eight-track long-player features catchy hooks and fuzzy stoner jams melded with soulful Americana which Paleschic said would be good for road trips or campfires. The video for the track “Some Days” just came out on his YouTube channel.
“Some of the wait was trying to find a good home for the album instead of self-releasing,” he said, “then the pandemic hit, and I took a break from performing live. Now, Niles City Records has launched and placed [Wrongdoer] as the second album on their roster. I’m glad I took the time for development personally as a writer and performer.”
Paleschic said he’s excited, and since most of the material is personal, it’s timeless. “It’s been really cool to kind of get a fresh perspective on it and realize that even if I’ve heard this for years now … it’s a lot of people’s first time to hear any of it, so I’m able to enjoy it like it’s new right now, which is kind of nice.”
Paleschic has been writing and playing since he was 15 all across North Texas. His first album, Again, at Last, was released eight years ago, and his self-titled follow-up came out in 2015. Now 32, he doesn’t plan on touring to promote the album. Instead, he’d rather play one-offs to generate the money to record more music to fund a bigger tour hopefully later.
“It can be hard to release a record and sell your hard work and being able to pay PR and things like merch you can sell,” he said.
Wrongdoer was mastered by Jordan Richardson (Son of Stan, Ben Harper, Quaker City Night Hawks) and produced and engineered (and drummed on partially) by Josh Block of Leon Bridges fame.
“The way that I make music and the way that I want to make music is making songs and albums that people feel enriched by and feel good to listen to,” Paleschic said. “I may not be a party band, but hopefully it’s adding something of value into people’s lives.”
Jake Paleschic
Wed, Apr 15, w/Harry Zimm at Three Links, 2704 Elm St, Dallas. 214-484-6011.
