Start the Party!

Cannonball Jane is the one woman lo-fi electro pop recording project of elementary music teacher Sharon Hagopian. We recently got our paws on her 2004 release, Street Vernacular, which has filled the cavernous void left by Julie Ruin and BS 2000. Cannonball Jane makes us very happy.

Sharon got her first 4-track a number of years ago while living in New York. Alas, the cost of living became a hindrance for creating an adequate music making environment, so Sharon reluctantly moved in a strategic pursuit of passion to create and record. It was a good move. Sharon is now living on the coast of Connecticut where she teaches music to elementary age children and has her own home recording studio.

With the exception of Jamie Gustkey, who wrote the lyrics on “Slumber Party” and played guitar on “Beaker Breaker, Sharon wrote, performed recorded and mixed Street Vernacular herself! Cannonball Jane crafts her songs using layered mixes of old school drum loops, piano’s samplers, keyboards, guitar, bass and a battalion of other lovely noisemakers including xylophone, chimes and analogue synths. The music is ace, but it is Sharon’s playful and powerful vocal layers that make Cannonball Jane utterly irresistible. Her voice is clear and lovely and the effects added vary from clean and clear with a pop sensibility to a little twee-pop fuzz and all the way to a more aggressive heavy gritty reverb. Street Vernacular was recorded in its entirety on a four-track recorder in Sharon’s home and no computers were used in the making of her music.

The song “Slumber Party” was selected on NPR’s “All Songs Considered” and came out with a score of 4.179 out of 5 – the highest of that particular show. She told NPR that the inspiration for “Slumber Party” came from a vocal sample she recorded from her 11 year old niece during a recent afternoon of fun with her new sampler.

Cannonball Jane has toured regularly in the Northeast, and frequently opens for Le Tigre. Jamie Gustkey plays live with Cannonball Jane and we hear that everyone has a good time. Cannonball Jane has also performed with Gravy Train!!!, Lesbian’s on Ecstasy, E.S.G. and Bonfire Madigan.

Street Vernacular was recently re-released in the UK on Fortuna POP! with the original release on the esteemed 555 Recordings. This is a must have CD for fans of Julie Ruin, Le Tigre and BS 2000. Also recommended for those who love Pizzicato 5, Aislers Set, Luscious Jackson, The Go! Team, or French pop.

We will be keeping our fingers crossed for more Cannonball Jane!

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