New Jessie Kilguss album brings grace and sensitivity through storytelling

Fabulous NYC-based songwriter-storyteller Jessie Kilguss has released her new album ‘What Do Whales Dream About at Night?’ four years after her album ‘The Fastness’. Co-produced by Adam Lasus (Yo La Tengo, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Helium) along with Kilguss and her band members, Lasus engineered the recordings, which were mixed and mastered by Charlie Nieland (Debbie Harry, Rufus Wainwright, Blondie).

Leading up to this release, Kilguss released the title track, inspired by the poem ‘Headphones’ by Ukrainian poet Serhiy Zhadan, which takes place during the war in Ukraine, along with a video produced and directed by Deborah Magocsi. This was preceded by the singles ‘Sleepwalking Heart’ and ‘Great White Shark’.

On this album, Kilguss is accompanied by drummer Brian Griffin (Patti Smith, Brandi Carlisle, Lana Del Rey), bass guitarist Whynot Jansveld (The Wallflowers, Butch Walker, Sara Bareilles), LA-based award-winning composer and producer Naren Rauch on guitar, and Nathan Schram (Bjork, David Crosby, David Byrne), with whom Kilguss runs the non-profit organization Musicambia.

A former actress, whose acting highlights include the film adaptation of Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible’ (starring Daniel Day Lewis and Winona Ryder) and the UK production of ‘As You Like It’ (directed by Royal Shakespeare Company founder Sir Peter Hall), Kilguss made the switch to songwriting after working with two of her musical heroes – Marianne Faithfull and Mary Margaret O’Hara – in ‘The Black Rider’, a musical written by Tom Waits and William Burroughs.

In addition to writing and performing her own music, Kilguss also sings with Gramercy Arms, Jim Andralis and the Syntonics and Benjamin Cartel, having previously performed at the Sundance Film Festival and with Freddie Stevenson, supporting The Waterboys during their European tour.

As of September 23, the album ‘What do Whales Dream About at Night?’ will be available across digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.

CREDITS
All songs written by Jessie Kilguss
Jessie Kilguss – vocals and harmonium
Brian Griffin- drums, percussion, keys & backing vocals
Whynot Jansveld – bass, keys & backing vocals
Naren Rauch – guitar, piano & backing vocals
Nathan Schram – strings
Recorded at Studio Red in North Hollywood in April 2021
Produced by Brian Griffin, Whynot Jansveld, Naren Rauch, Jessie Kilguss & Adam Lasus.
Engineered by Adam Lasus at Studio Red in North Hollywood
Mixed & mastered by Charlie Nieland
Artist photography by Shervin Lainez