The Honorary Title began several years ago as a moniker for Brooklyn singer-songwriter Jarrod Gorbel's solo folk musings, but later evolved into the full-fledged quartet responsible for 2007's critically acclaimed Scream and Light Up the Sky (Doghouse/Warner Bros.) Gorbel has come full circle this year, stepping out from behind the Honorary Title name and recording two remarkable new discs. His recently-released tour EP, Ten Years Older and the upcoming Devil's Made A New Friend - Gorbel's debut solo LP - mine classic soul, traditional folk and Americana, incorporating strings, horns and female backing vocals for a sound more lush and organic than any of his previous work.
The Honorary Title released their debut album, Anything Else But the Truth on Doghouse Records in 2004. Produced by Roger Moutenot (Yo La Tengo, Guster), the album c
ombined the unbridled passion of Gorbel's vocals with pop hooks and keenly observed, poetic lyrics. The self-produced video for their song "Everything I Once Had" became a fixture on FUSE, and the disc earned accolades from Rolling Stone ("a soaring, heart-rending debut,") Spin (which praised Gorbel's "winning humor and killer pipes,") and GQ, among others. Nominated in August 2004 for the prestigious Shortlist Music Prize (alongside Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, TV on The Radio and many more), the album's popularity kept The Honorary Title on the road for three years.
To help bottle the lightning The Honorary Title was creating onstage, the band turned to producer Rob Schnapf, known for his work with Beck and the late Elliot Smith. Their major label debut, 2007's Scream And Light Up The Sky, was met by rave reviews, with Rolling Stone declaring: "Gorbel still has his strikingly gorgeous voice, which will probably always be the secret to slaying the sound-alikes." Or, as Paste put it: "Under-realized power-pop supergroup makes its best album."
Gorbel's deceptively simple melodies, warm arrangements and soulful, soaring voice were always what drove The Honorary Title; his new, solo material brings those qualities into crisp focus in a way that makes the details even more beautiful. Tuesday November 24 marks the digital release of "Ten Years Older", the first single and title track of Jarrod Gorbel's forthcoming EP which was previously made available on the final Honorary Title tour. The collection was recorded this past August in New York and is a taste of what is to come with his first full length solo album Devil's Made A New Friend, which was recorded this summer in Los Angeles with producer Blake Sennett, formerly of Rilo Kiley and the Elected. Look for Jarrod on tour early 2010.
http://www.myspace.com/jarrodgorbelmusic
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