Jake Xerxes Fussell
Biography
Reared in Georgia and now settled in North Carolina, Jake Xerxes Fussell has established himself as a devoted listener and contemplative interpreter of a vast array of so-called folk songs, lovingly sourced from a personal store of favorites. On his latest album, When I’m Called—his first LP for Fat Possum, and his first as a parent—Fussell returns to a well of music that holds lifelong sentimental meaning, loosely contemplating the passage of time and the procession of life’s unexpected offerings.
The album was produced by James Elkington and mixed by Tucker Martine. In addition to Elkington, it features the playing of Ben Whiteley (The Weather Station), Joe Westerlund (Bon Iver, Califone), and others. Blake Mills contributes guitars on several tracks. Joan Shelley and Robin Holcomb provide backing vocals.
“…Fussell is the rare contemporary to approach folk in its pure form, shunning self-penned compositions about bummer relationships to concentrate on material handed down from bygone, hardened times.” – The New Yorker
“(Fussell) is one of the great magpies of American song, collecting forgotten, tarnished gems with a folklorist’s zeal… his renditions aren’t so much cover versions as composites…” – The Guardian
“…maybe the leading interpreter of American folk music right now.” – Ann Powers, NPR
Video & Press
Brittany Howard, Jake Xerxes Fussell on The New Yorker’s Best Albums of 2024 List
[The New Yorker] By Amanda Petrusich 14. “What Now” Brittany Howard If anyone is presently poised to inherit Prince’s mantle, it’s Brittany Howard, the former front woman of the indefinitely sidelined Southern rock band Alabama Shakes. Howard is a visionary; she can write an earworm, but is more interested in work that melts the boundaries between genres. “What […]
‘When I’m Called’ Review: Jake Xerxes Fussell’s Poetic Album
On his eclectic, sprightly fifth album, the musician makes a compelling argument for the old-fashioned folk tradition, stitching together songs and verse from the past. [Wall Street Journal] By Mark Richardson For much of the 20th century, a folk singer was someone who preserved and performed vernacular music that had been handed down through generations. While plenty […]
Jake Xerxes Fussell Preps First LP for Fat Possum, Touring w/Kath Bloom & Robin Holcomb (Hear “Going to Georgia”)
[Brooklyn Vegan] Jake Xerxes Fussell has announced a new album, When I’m Called, his first for Fat Possum, which will be out July 12. The album was produced by his longtime collaborator James Elkington, and it features contributions from Blake Mills, Joan Shelley, Robin Holcomb and more. As on other records, Fussell is an master interpreter of other people’s songs, […]