So what has Pete Yorn been up to lately?

I am so excited about this post. There are some 24 great songs in this post. You can jump to them, but let's chat a bit first. A while back I posted a set that Pete Yorn did in 2001 at the Roxy in L.A. In the comments, fellow blogger Jesus posed the question "is this yorn fella going to release something new soon?" That stuck in my mind as a quest, and I love quests, so off I went and here's what I found. ("We're on a mission from God.")

You may remember Pete Yorn from when he burst onto the scene in 2001 as a 26-year-old drummer-turned-singer/songwriter whose album Musicforthemorningafter was a gold seller, based in part on the strength of singles like "Life on a Chain" and "Strange Condition." I personally love the completely creative and refreshing percussive layer behind the entire album. When I listen to it, that's one of the things that stands out for me, and now I know why (because he was a drummer first).

In fact, he is such a stellar drummer that the Channel 4 News Team from the movie Anchorman tapped him (in a fabulously large moustache) to play bongos in their music video for "Afternoon Delight." Excellent.

Following Musicforthemorningafter, Yorn released Day I Forgot in 2003 and the excellent Live From New Jersey double disc in 2004. Since then, he's been busy working on a new album with an unspecified release date, although some say this summer is a possibility. Yorn has been touring with the guys from Minibar as his backing band, and recently did a fantastically small benefit show for tsunami relief for a $5 cover (plus tips!) at O'Brien's bar in Santa Monica which raised $13,000. And while exact dates are still unconfirmed, Minibar's website says they expect to be touring with Pete starting in July. Yorn's also been keeping busy working with the Dixie Chicks (really?) on songwriting for their upcoming new album Taking The Long Way, which will be released next month.

Check out some of his unreleased/new/cover stuff you may not have heard that he's been crankin out:

NEW SONGS
These three songs were posted over the last couple months on Pete's MySpace (streaming), but are taken down now. These are likely candidates for release on the new album, whenever that may be.

If you visit his MySpace page, appreciate how his music genre is listed as "crunk":

"Old Boy" (new song, MySpace)

"For Us" (new song, MySpace)

"When She's Mine" (new song, MySpace)

(Thanks a million to Kraig for the first two tracks - I was posting all over God's green earth looking for someone who had them, and he found me with just the two I was looking for. He's just started a new blog, title also based on a Pearl Jam lyric, and so far his track record of featured music is stellar. Check him out: A Spacious Hole In The Ground)


Pete offered Nancy Sinatra three of his songs to choose from to record for her 2004 eponymous album. She chose "Don't Mean Nothin'" - here is her version (which is so clearly Yorn-ey):

"Don't Mean Nothin'" - Nancy Sinatra


Then hear how it sounds with Pete performing his song, this version from a live set on WOXY last summer, along with two other new ones he played:

"Don't Mean Nothin'" - Pete Yorn live on WOXY

"Broken Bottle" (new song, live on WOXY)

"Lions" (new song, live on WOXY) - coming soon!

Thanks on these ones to Kevin from So Much Silence who helped me immensely with the audio ripping. He is a music master of live radio shows, check out who he's had on his blog lately. It's all good.


OTHER YORN SONGS, new or unreleased or rare:

"Baby, I'm Gone" (unreleased, live) - sound quality is not the best on this one, but I really like the melody & drive of this song. I hope a nice clean studio version is on his new album because this rocks.

"Knew Enough To Know Nothing At All" (musicforthemorningafter vinyl)

"Seventeen" (Day I Forgot import)

"Hunter Green" (released on Trampoline Records Greatest Hits Volume I, 2005)

"Rooftop" (unreleased) - recommended!

"Model American" (unreleased)

"Farmer vs. River" (unreleased)

"You Never Knew" (unreleased)


COVER ME
And then, ahhh, the covers. You all know how much I love the covers and Pete apparently does too. Let's browse:

"China Girl" (Iggy Pop then Bowie cover, musicforthemorningafter bonus disc)

"Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" (from the Just Like Heaven OST, 2005)

"New York City Serenade" (Light Of Day: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen) - check the stirring harmonica

"Chimes of Freedom" (live at the Axis Of Justice benefit concert with Serj Tankian & Tom Morello)

"Splendid Isolation" (Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon)

"Suspicious Minds" (two versions, the "Dawn Version" (love this) and the "Dusk Version." Total side note, but the dusk/dawn dichotomy reminds me of some of my favorite Michelangelo sculptures that I once did a huge presentation on in situ and is one of the things I am most proud of.)


Other Soundtrack Contributions:

"Ever Fallen in Love" (from the Shrek 2 OST, 2004)

"Undercover" (from the Spiderman OST, 2002)

"Red Right Hand" (from the Hellboy OST)

Now have at it:

DOWNLOAD YOURSELF A PETE YORN BONANZA IN ZIP

Oh, and I knew there was another reason I loved him: He was a Communication major like me. Oh yeah, go Comm majors! There's one that made something of himself.

Keep me posted if you hear any new album/tour news, kids. And enjoy the unique new sounds of Mr. Yorn's recent musings.