SONG PREMIERE: ‘I’m a Wreck’ takes Scranton rockers Jung Bergo in catchy, poppy new direction
Jung Bergo is working on their second full-length album for release in early 2016, but you don’t have to wait until then to hear new music from the Scranton indie alternative rock band – they’ve asked NEPA Scene to bring you the exclusive online premiere their brand new song, “I’m a Wreck,” today!
The group has been making waves in the local scene throughout the year, winning a Battle of the Bands to open the 2015 Fuzz Fest at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain and kicking off the “In the Office” music series at WVIA with their undefinable sound.
“I typically describe our music to people as rock and roll in the vein of groups like Wilco, My Morning Jacket, and Pavement,” vocalist/guitarist Jeremy Burke said.
“Those bands to me kind of have free reign over where their music takes them. To label any of those guys as one genre would be impossible in the minds of people who are familiar with their catalogs. They’re pulling from so many forms of pop music and presenting those elements in a new, yet familiar context, so it’s a pretty broad type of rock and roll.”
“I’m a Wreck” was recorded just last week at Saturation Acres with Bret Alexander of The Badlees and Gentleman East fame.
“The song’s main hook was kind of a simple riff that came out of rehearsals and became an easy soundcheck-type jam, being just two chords. It presented itself to us as a really simple tune and felt great. The verse lyrics came as a way to get you to that chorus. [Bassist] Dave [Connors] wrote a few different versions of the verses, kind of hinting at someone struggling with distressing thoughts, and there’s some allusions to mental health evaluation with the ‘buried in a Rorschach test, scribbled in the ink’ lines. We decided to repeat the first verse at the end, something we’ve never done before, but it’s a practice that’s typical in pop music,” Burke explained.
“We worked on our first album with Bret, and we’ve developed a pretty laid-back, yet productive recording process. We tracked the whole tune in one evening – about four hours! We spent a couple hours mixing and mastering, and here we are.”
The song can be streamed below or purchased soon via iTunes or the band’s website:
“This is actually kind of a standalone track,” he added.
“The B-side is a song called ‘Lonely Lonesome Blues,’ and the two songs were written around the same time. We had already been working on the new album, which should be out in early 2016, when we decided it would be nice to record something to release before the end of the year. I see these tracks as an appetizer to the full meal, which is the new album.”
Jung Bergo has been performing for seven years now in various forms, recording their first album, “Thieves,” with Alexander as well. Their follow-up, titled “Everything New is Old Again,” will be “tonally different” and engineered and co-produced by Shawn Caden, who plays multiple instruments in the band after joining about a year and a half ago.
“‘Everything New is Old Again’ is more of an ethereal and atmospheric experience. There’s also some shiny pop tunes that kind of transition the more ‘far out’ moments on the album. I kind of imagine it as Beck trying to write a Paul Simon record. Compared to the material on the new record, ‘I’m a Wreck’ is, in my opinion, more accessible and light.”
Jung Bergo can be seen opening for The Struts on Sunday, Nov. 29 at the F.M. Kirby Center (71 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre) and ringing in the New Year in downtown Scranton on Thursday, Dec. 31 during the city’s annual First Night Scranton celebration.
Photo by Jesse Faatz Photography
