The John-Pauls
Bon Mots

 
A Description


The John-Pauls are a Texas band with a New York City Metro- Card. Lou Reed devouring Tamale House migas while posing for pictures with tourists in front of the Jeremiah the Frog mural. More Unrest than Pavement – less SRV than Roky. Indebted to the Stones with Can in their hearts, the J-Ps follow up their critically acclaimed debut full-length “Forget to Remember to Forget” with this year’s spellbinding “Bon Mots”.

As The Austin Chronicle stated in their glowing review of “FTRTF,” “Repeatedly mesmeric, the local quintet’s guitar-driven warmth recalls Nineties slowcore icons Bedhead in mellowed aesthetic, and the Feelies and Yo La Tengo’s enduring indie rock romanticism.” The three guitarists interplay beautifully with the male and female vocalists. “Bon Mots” is the perfect soundtrack for your next backyard barbecue or stress induced anxiety attack.

Like a countrified 90s Sonic Youth, The J-Ps use three guitars, and no bass. The bottom is owned by the insistent kick of drummer Elizabeth John-Paul. Loping stone-skips of keyboards by Mikila John-Paul.

The singing is shared by Mikila, a chanteuse like Mo Tucker crossed with Patsy Cline, and the monotone but oddly emotive Phillip John-Paul. Mark and Matt interplay lead guitars like Ron Wood jamming with Lee Renaldo.

Guitarist Matthew John-Paul recorded the group in rented house. He captured the band well rehearsed and loose as if they are playing in a living room. Recordings range from rockers (“Danny Green” “Same Dweller, Different Cave“), to hypnotic sad-disco (“didn’t i??” “O.O.O.”) to Fall-damaged country-folk (“Denver Rainbow“, “Forgetness“), lo-fi drones (“Boxes inside of Boxes“), and jam-band-Kraut rock (“No Names“).

If pronounced correctly, in French “Bon Mots” means good words. The songs by Phillip John-Paul are filled with turns of phrase. This is a San Antonio kid who came of age listening to thrice-dubbed tapes of the Smiths. Lyrics bounce specific visual episodes (“swimming in a fountain in the rain“, “chugging milk in the back of a van“) with shards of cobbled wisdom and doomed self-awareness (“To others, we are what we do. What will me lead me to?”). He and Mikila sing of depression, grace, NBA basketball, the history of humanity, flaking out, love, Cardi B, swimming, philosophy, and more.

A Metadata


Formats : CD/LP/Mp3
Catalog Number : 
AGO134
Barcode CD : 703674045598
Barcode LP :703674045581
Release Date : 
November 18 2022

Tracklisting
1. Bon Mots
2. Same Dweller, Different Cave
3. didn’t i??
4. Danny Green
5. O.O.O.
6. Boxes Inside Boxes
7. Denver Rainbow
8. Kindness
9. No Names
10. Forgetness

A Purchase



LP : $20.00 + Shipping
Card Wallet CD : 
$8.00 + Shipping
Immediate Download : $6.99

A EU and UK orders ship from Italy.

A Artwork


B Listen to Track 3


A Related