Pete Yorn is back, new and improved, with his fourth studio album. Hence the album title: Back & Fourth.
He’s been developing and sharpening his craft since his last release, Nightcrawler, in 2006. Instead of sticking to the process he’d taken up for his first three albums, Yorn switched things up a bit.
For starters, he changed his surroundings. After writing all the tracks, he spent two months working with producer Mike Mogis, recording Back and Fourth in Omaha, Nebraska instead of in L.A.
He also let other musicians drive for a bit. On his previous albums Yorn was almost a one a one-man-show. This time around, he’s enlisted the help of many other talented musicians such as guitarist Jonny Polonsky, bassist Joe Karnes, drummer Joey Waronker, pianist Nate Wolcott, and backing vocalist Orenda Fink. Yorn told Billboard, “I’m so used to doing it all myself, it’s definitely a challenge for me to let go and let people bring their stuff to the table. But these were all musicians I definitely have a lot of respect for, and they played some things I don’t think I would have thought of myself, so that was good.”
The album is also a lot more personal. He also told Billboard, “I just think I had been living my teenage, rocked-out fantasy for a long time, and I had some growing up to do.” Apparently he experienced a lot of emotions while touring his third studio album Nightcrawler. All of those emotional experiences translated into material for a new album, an album which is definetly more detailed and thoughtful, no just in process, than his other albums.
Back and Fourth will be released on June 23. Listen to the album and watch the video for “Don’t Wanna Cry” at his website.
Later this year (September) Yorn’s also slated to release Break Up, a collaboration with actress Scarlett Johansson inspired by Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot. Listen to the first single.
