Jump, Little Children, the North Carolina indie rock band that expanded on the typical guitar, bass and drums lineup with a cello and accordion… now that’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time.
I was a big fan of the band’s first four releases, including a collection of demos from 1995. Their major-label debut, 1998’s Magazine, was the one that really caught my attention, with its interesting blend of instruments and lead singer Jay Clifford’s unique voice.
I once listed Clifford among my ten favorite male vocalists, prompting one of the blog’s lively debates with daily commenter Dana.
The band went on hiatus in the early 2000s and fell off my radar a little while after that. Turns out they reunited in 2015 and have released two albums since then, including one in 2022. It also turns out they officially called it quits after that final release.
I’ll have to give those two records a listen.
[Note: Happy Thanksgiving!]
In the shadows of tall buildings
Of fallen angels on the ceilings
Oily feathers in bronze and concrete
Faded colors, pieces left incomplete
[Chorus]
The line moves slowly past the electric fence
Across the borders between continents
In the cathedrals of New York and Rome
There is a feeling that you should just go home
And spend a lifetime finding out just where that is
[Verse 2]
In the shadows of tall buildings
The architecture is slowly peeling
Marble statues and glass dividers
Someone is watching all of the outsiders
[Chorus]
The line moves slowly through the numbered gate
Past the mosaic of the head of state
In the cathedrals of New York and Rome
There is a feeling that you should just go home
And spend a lifetime finding out just where that is
[Verse 3]
In the shadows of tall buildings
Of open arches endlessly kneeling
Sonic landscapes echoing vistas
Someone is listening from a safe distance
[Chorus]
The line moves slowly into a fading light
A final moment in the dead of the night
In the cathedrals of New York and Rome
There is a feeling that you should just go home
And spend a lifetime finding out just where that is
[Outro]
In the cathedrals of New York and Rome
There is a feeling that you should just go home
And spend a lifetime finding out just where that is
Meet Me In Montauk 
Good lord! How much time did we have on our hands in 2010?!? That debate over best vocalists went on and on!
Meanwhile, though I still don’t get this guy as being a top 10 vocalist, I’m kinda digging today’s song.
Hope the turkey preparation is going well! Looking forward to seeing you soon. I’m thinking a good Thanksgiving topic might be to go around the table to ask everyone who their favorite vocalist is. 😉
Frank Sinatra