07 February 2014 - 0 Comments

We are pleased to announce the imminent release of the new album, Midnight, by Wellington singer/songwriter and guitarist Jake Stokes. Midnight is a ten track rock n’ roll record which combines pop hooks and melodies with distorted guitars, heavy bass and drums to get a contemporary sound, with balls. The songs are inspired by various botched relationships and experiences drawn from the turbulence of youth, and are all written, composed and arranged by Jake, with collaboration on 3 tracks. He sings and plays lead guitar throughout, with themes ranging from love, hate and pride, to leaving home, teenage debauchery and even murder. The title track Midnight is a powerhouse about the antics of youth in the night, and songs the like of Today (the album finale) and October Air are about leaving home and family ties. Long Time Dead, one of the album singles, is a throwback to times well before Jake’s years, a narrative tale set in the days of cowboy boots, saloon bar doors and bounties, in which Jake and the antagonist fight over love. 

Jake was lucky enough to have had the pleasure of working with Wellington producer/engineer TKO at STL Audio, and also a great band in the studio - Nathan Kung (Bass), Ruben Magallanes (Drums) and James Magallanes (Keyboards). Sam Sneyd, a recent addition to the band, has been on board for their live gigs around town.

For nineteen year old Jake this is the culmination of many years work as a Wellington busker, guitar teacher and, more recently, as a touring session musician, in order to fund his first album. Many will remember the young Jake entertaining on Wellington’s Cuba St./Manners Mall some years ago, when he was already sowing the seeds of this project. Voted Wellington’s favourite busker in a 2009 Dominion Post poll, Jake went on to become a regular feature at the Wellington Blues Club, an Associate Guitar Tutor with The Rock Institute, and a session musician touring NZ with Madsen Promotions, as well as playing local gigs with his own band. He has also set up his own record company, Apollo Music.

Jake and his band will be performing at The Grand, Courtenay Place, on Saturday 22^nd. February as part of Wellington’s Fringe Festival. This is the album’s official release party, it is free entry and all are welcome. CD’s will be for sale on the night. Pre-sale CD’s are currently available at Slow Boat Records in Wellington and from Friday the 21^st, the album will be available for download on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon MP3 etc.  Pre-sales are also available through  Apollo Music’s website. http://www.apollomusic.co.nz/Home.html You can listen to two of the tracks, October Air and Long Time Dead on Youtube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/jakestokesmusic

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