Jarrod Gorbel Goes Solo, The Glory of Shameless Weirdos, and Home Videos

Today's Inspiration: Jarrod Gorbel


Not just the musician, but the weirdo. You might know him better as the front man of NY indie rock band The Honorary Title. But what you should also get to know is the eccentric, rambling jokester behind the brooding, wailing artist. He's like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Except a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde who's sides are both equally magnificent despite being complete atitheses.


On the one hand you have the talented musician. This side is exemplified in Gorbel's new series of homemade music videos put together by him and his talented filmmaker/musician friends (including the likes of Jack Antonoff, Nicole Atkins, and Yoed Nir). Each opens on Jarrod Gorbel in a different location of his native New York City (churches, taxi cabs, rooftops, and quickie marts to name a few), Then the video cuts to Jarrod and his accompaniment performing a stripped down acoustic version of one of the ten songs from his new solo album "Devil's Got A New Friend" in that location. Each is wonderfully spur of the moment, personal and honest in it's own way. Boy can that kid wail. Here's one of my favorites. Check them all out here.








Then on the other hand you've got the idiosyncratic loon who stars in his own homemade skits. Weird? Yes. Hilarious? Oh yes. Gorbel again calls on the talents of his friends, utilizing the skills of filmmaker Brian Lerner. How Lerner manages to stay sober whilst Jarrod is ranting and raving is beyond me. The videos almost always descent into potty humor or perversity by the end; but that's the beauty of Jarrod Gorbel: his childlike shamelessness to be exactly who he is, oddities, foibles and all. Here are two of my favorite old skits. You can check them all out on Jarrod's Youtube channel. 








Jarrod will actual be in LA tomorrow night at the Fonda's Music Box playing with fun (made up of members of The Format) and Steel Train. If you can make it out, you won't regret it. When he's performing live you get to see both personalities in action simultaneously. 


- Amy
Listening to: Jarrod Gorbel's "Weight"