Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Darren Jessee made four studio albums as drummer for Ben Folds Five and had five more LPs under his belt as leader of the much more reflective Hotel Lights before deciding to make his first solo album. An outlet for his quietly observant songwriting style, Hotel Lights had always seemed to fill that role, but with The Jane Room 217, it becomes apparent that his solo work is even more spare and intimate. The album was recorded on a six-track in Jessee's New York City apartment, with the songwriter covering all instruments except strings. (They were added later by Trey Pollard.) While the material follows closely in the footsteps of Hotel Lights, its bare, unprocessed sound and lack of drums, together with brittle vocal performances, play like live demos that take the intimacy to another level. Jessee has said that he was inspired by favorite recordings by Leonard Cohen, Willie Nelson, and Tom Waits. Songs like "Leaving, Almost Ready" and "Go on Baby Break Down" are snapshots of private moments of transition, specifically the anticipation of someone leaving and the point where a downward spiral could turn a corner toward recovery. The performances are equally as exposed. On "Leaving, Almost Ready," for instance, Jessee's half-whispered delivery is accompanied by strummed acoustic guitar and judiciously placed keyboards and single-note piano lines. He's eventually joined by strings in the final verse, when the storyteller reveals what he's preparing for. Elsewhere, the standout track "Letting You Go" has one of the album's more haunting melodies, also punctuated by strings that never overtake Jessee's voice. With its low volume and these gentle textures in play, the album is understated and touching throughout, though, for passing moments, lyrics can be devastating or, alternately, affectionate, as when they catch glimpses of beauty or recall fond moments. Still, The Jane Room 217 does have the feeling -- perhaps suggested by the title -- of someone jotting down thoughts on a notepad, alone at a desk by a rain-streaked window.
© Marcy Donelson /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr124,99/month
Darren Jessee, MainArtist
2018 Bar None records 2018 Bar None Records
Darren Jessee, MainArtist
2018 Bar None records 2018 Bar None Records
Darren Jessee, MainArtist
2018 Bar None records 2018 Bar None Records
Darren Jessee, MainArtist
2018 Bar None records 2018 Bar None Records
Darren Jessee, MainArtist
2018 Bar None records 2018 Bar None Records
Darren Jessee, MainArtist
2018 Bar None records 2018 Bar None Records
Darren Jessee, MainArtist
2018 Bar None records 2018 Bar None Records
Darren Jessee, MainArtist
2018 Bar None records 2018 Bar None Records
Darren Jessee, MainArtist
2018 Bar None records 2018 Bar None Records
Album review
Darren Jessee made four studio albums as drummer for Ben Folds Five and had five more LPs under his belt as leader of the much more reflective Hotel Lights before deciding to make his first solo album. An outlet for his quietly observant songwriting style, Hotel Lights had always seemed to fill that role, but with The Jane Room 217, it becomes apparent that his solo work is even more spare and intimate. The album was recorded on a six-track in Jessee's New York City apartment, with the songwriter covering all instruments except strings. (They were added later by Trey Pollard.) While the material follows closely in the footsteps of Hotel Lights, its bare, unprocessed sound and lack of drums, together with brittle vocal performances, play like live demos that take the intimacy to another level. Jessee has said that he was inspired by favorite recordings by Leonard Cohen, Willie Nelson, and Tom Waits. Songs like "Leaving, Almost Ready" and "Go on Baby Break Down" are snapshots of private moments of transition, specifically the anticipation of someone leaving and the point where a downward spiral could turn a corner toward recovery. The performances are equally as exposed. On "Leaving, Almost Ready," for instance, Jessee's half-whispered delivery is accompanied by strummed acoustic guitar and judiciously placed keyboards and single-note piano lines. He's eventually joined by strings in the final verse, when the storyteller reveals what he's preparing for. Elsewhere, the standout track "Letting You Go" has one of the album's more haunting melodies, also punctuated by strings that never overtake Jessee's voice. With its low volume and these gentle textures in play, the album is understated and touching throughout, though, for passing moments, lyrics can be devastating or, alternately, affectionate, as when they catch glimpses of beauty or recall fond moments. Still, The Jane Room 217 does have the feeling -- perhaps suggested by the title -- of someone jotting down thoughts on a notepad, alone at a desk by a rain-streaked window.
© Marcy Donelson /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 9 track(s)
- Total length: 00:39:15
- Main artists: Darren Jessee
- Label: Bar - None Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
2018 Bar None records 2018 Bar None Records
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.