by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Felt Letters (feat. Ian Svenonius)- Let's All Dream (MP3)

The Journal of Popular Noise is a semi-annual audio magazine inspired by the traditions of pop music, printed periodicals, and the delight of a finely crafted artifact.

Within the package are 3 issues, each in the form of 7" vinyl records. Every issue conforms to the same prescribed editorial structures but is composed by a different artist or group. This set contains issues 13-15 featuring (respectively) Andrew W.K., Ian Svenonius, and Walker & Cantrell. The packaging folds out to a beautiful letter-pressed poster containing information about the Journal, the musicians, and the compositional process.

The Journal's fifth three-7" collection ships out August 1st (there'll also be a zine edition, with additional photos and writing). On Tuesday, July 7th, JPN will have a release party at Santos Party House with contributors Andrew W.K., in his first "spoken word" performance, and comedy duo Walker & Cantrell, as well as TV Baby and Jayson Green. Tickets are on sale.

The one contributor not at the party, Ian Svenonius, is represented above with his song "Let's All Dream." The track finds Svenonius with Felt Letters, a band with Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty and Tom Bunnell.

At the core of the Journal are the "prescribed editorial structures" dictated by founder and editor Byron Kalet. The structures in question come as a diagram that maps out different points of repetition, tension and dynamics for the artists. As far as graphic notation goes, the map is fairly tame, and the notes make clear that the artists are free to interpret the instructions as they wish.

As a result, the score, which is included in the packaging, ends up providing an alternate way to interpret the music. The listener tries to trace the songs back to the cryptic picture. It should be said, the records come packaged in one ingeniously folded piece of letter-pressed card stock, which manages to delicately cradle the three discs and allow easy access to the liner notes inside.

The three contributions in these new issues weigh heavily on "spoken word" -- and past releases are a mixed bag of styles. The Spring/Summer '08 edition brought together the moody rock of Past Lives, the found sound of Bora Yoon + Ben Frost, and the catchy J-pop of Na + Junko, all working under the same guidelines.

We asked Byron Kalet to explain the motivation behind the sets and give a bit of background on the magazine...

Continue reading "an interview w/ Byron Kalet of the Journal of Popular Noise (whose new issue party is at Santos on Tuesday)"