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JACOB FITZGERALD
“My Top 5 Tracks to
Prepare Me for a Gig”

(15th November 2022)

As told to Dave Bruce

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1. Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car
– Billy Ocean

I don’t consider myself a cool guy – but man it’s hard not to feel smooth when you have Billy Ocean infecting your ears. I love this song. It reminds me of my Dad singing in the car, partying with friends and walking to get my morning coffee. It helps loosen the hips, puts a pep in the step and gets me smiling before we head out on stage. Consider me pumped.

2. The Power Of Love
– Huey Lewis & The News

Now, Huey has pipes man. Singing along to this one before I head out and belt my own songs does wonders for me. It also makes me feel like Marty McFly, cruising through a gritty 1985 on my skateboard whilst holdin’ onto the back of a pickup. Effortless.

3. No Surrender
– Bruce Springsteen

This one just puts me in the headspace to perform. The Boss is one of my biggest inspirations as he performs each song wholeheartedly and works up a sweat while he does it. If I can take a slice of that up there with me then we’re golden. Forever telling myself “BE LIKE BRUCE”!

4. Mother We Just Can’t Get Enough
– New Radicals

This song and this album both SLAP. It fills me with the good jitters. Moving dynamically in sync with my emotions prior to performing. There are just lots of optimistic melodies and high vibes flooding the room. It reminds me to soak it in. I’m up there with my best of friends playing to a bunch of new ones. Life can’t get much sweeter than that.

5. Shoot to Thrill
– AC/DC

This one is simpe. For however long we’re on stage, we have to be rockstars. Full of energy. Full of presence. Pure vibe. This one makes you feel like the boss. It makes you hungry. After the 5:17, of this bad boy… you’re ready.

Press Release 11th November 2022 (below)

BUY/STREAM HERE

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Support for ‘JACOB FITZGERALD & THE ELECTRIC CITY’

“Love this! The start of the song made me think of The Black Keys – really punching me in the face with guitar and an amazing voice. Great stuff!”  – ★★★★ Jess Perkins – triple j (AUS)

“The indie-pop offering explores a roller coaster ride of emotions amid a breakup.” Music Feeds (AUS)

‘Muse’ added to Apple Music Playlists ‘New Music Daily’ (AU/NZ) and ‘The New Rock’

‘Muse’ First Play on triple j Unearthed’s TOPS program

‘Muse’ music video added to MTV Upload

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Following on from his standout single releases, Naarm/Melbourne-based indie-rock artist Jacob Fitzgerald has released his EP ‘Jacob Fitzgerald & The Electric City’ – produced by the artist himself, and long-time friend/collaborator Brent Quirk, with mastering by George Georgiadis (Gang of Youths, The Vanns, Tyne James-Organ) at Little Wing Sound.

The opening track ‘My Girl’ immediately parts the curtains on what is the start of the six-act love and heartbreak narrative EP. With anthemic 80s rock chords struck and E Street Band drums and synths in tow, the track is harking back to something simpler, pining for that summer crush. ‘Long Way Home’ continues the story as an earnest yearning of shining delay and stoic rhythm determined to quell the pain left by a love that had everything.

The titular track ‘The Electric City’ has an ominous feeling to it, with the only sense of illumination coming from cunningly generated keyboard tones and devious bass lines. Everything about this song from the supporting backing vocals and layered leads begs you to take an honest chance, with this act closing at the downfall of a heartthrob in an 80s teen movie. Jacob says, “This one is about the band, my experience meeting them and finally evolving into who we are today. I filled this one with metaphors and feelings that could be interpreted as a love song would, but in reality, the lyrics have a deeper and more specific meaning behind them.”

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‘Muse’ swiftly leans into its pulsing verses, before a wall of searing guitars launches its soaring and hook-laden chorus, giving way to the stripped-back ‘Peter Pan’. Wearing his influences on his sleeve, Jacob has curated the EP to feel like it flows through eras of Bruce Springsteen and is a humble, finger-plucked acoustic piece likened to the Boss’ ‘Nebraska’, “It’s a love song that was written with a full heart and carries a lot of weight,” Jacob continues. “It’s basically about wanting to grow old with someone and finding yourself falling deeper in love each day.”

Closing the curtains is ‘Shame On You’, a fastidiously crafted slice of indie-pop exploring the roller-coaster ride of emotions experienced in a breakup, let alone the EP.

Jacob talks about the importance of ‘Jacob Fitzgerald & The Electric City’: “In my mind, ‘Jacob Fitzgerald & The Electric City’ is the closest I’ll ever get to a self-titled project. Early on in my career, I was stumbling through this industry as a solo artist and there was a heavy emphasis on the Singer/Songwriter thing. I was busking, gigging and recording by myself, and whilst it was great fun… I was missing something. After a few years of networking, good luck, and natural evolution, I’m fortunate to have found my people. My family. My driving force behind what we do. The band.

After almost five years of releasing music as ‘Jacob Fitzgerald’, this was the first project where it wasn’t just me. Everyone tailored their individual parts and carved their own personal style, sound and flavour into the song. We co-wrote, arranged, and made the music what it is today. It was a group effort, the next step and exactly what I needed for a new era of music.

This EP helps mark the next phase in our evolution. It’s a time stamp and helps me share an identity. Pair that concept with six cheeky bops, and you have an outfit that is proud, motivated, and hungry to play these bad boys live.”

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Jacob and his band have four performances supporting Loose Bricks in Meanjin/Brisbane, Eora/Sydney, Tandanya/Adelaide and Naarm/Melbourne to celebrate the EP. He’s previously sold-out headline shows and supported the likes of The Delta Riggs, Fergus James and John Floreani (Trophy Eyes).

Jacob’s first three singles from the record ‘Muse’, ‘Shame On You’ and ‘Long Way Home’ all received strong support from the likes of triple j Unearthed, MTV and Apple Music. He has also seen high praise in the online sphere from Music Feeds, Scenestr, Backseat Mafia (UK), AAA Backstage, AustralianMusic Scene, Ear To The Ground (USA), Milky, Starving Kids, Sounds of Oz, Be Groovy Or Leaveand Good Call Live.

‘Jacob Fitzgerald & The Electric City’ is available worldwide now

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AMNPLIFY – DB