Big Stir Records proudly continues to roll out new music in a banner year for THE SPONGETONES with the announcement of “Help Me Janie”, the second in a trilogy of all-new singles from the Power Pop Hall Of Famers set to appear on a soon-to-be-announced album celebrating the band's past, present and future. The followup to their recent indie hit “Lulu's In Love”, the new single is out July 11 on all digital platforms, and it's up for pre-order and pre-save now:
https://orcd.co/spongetones-janie
Having only just returned to the airwaves with new music for the first time in sixteen years, THE SPONGETONES are wasting no time in adding to their illustrious songbook of power pop classics. Each of the band's celebrated core singer-songwriters – JAMIE HOOVER (guitar), STEVE STOECKEL (bass) and PAT WALTERS (guitar) – take center stage on one of the three new tunes, and while Stoeckel provided the recent hit “Lulu's In Love”, it's Hoover stepping to the fore on “Janie's In Love,” co-written with pop tunesmith and noted solo artist MICHAEL SLAWTER. Jamie tells the tale of the collaboration's origin:
“One day I got an MP3 from my good friend Michael, and the only thing it said on it was 'Help me, Jamie!' I listened to it, and it was the bed of a track with no lyrics, and he wanted me to help him finish it up. The more I thought about the title 'Help Me Jamie,' the more I thought it sounded great with the exception of changing Jamie to Janie instead. As I fooled with the idea, it became a story about two best girlfriends – Janie and an unnamed friend. Both knew everything about each other. I decided to go after the second girl by using Janie to get to her friend! 'If I kiss her on your lips, would you tell her what I say?' A twist on the classic pop music relationship song.”
It's brilliantly performed by the band (including new drummer ERIC WILLHELM) with chiming guitars, soaring harmonies and an ebullient energy well beyond what most groups in their fifth decade of recording could dream of achieving. It's practically the definition of “radio ready” and set to be another hit on the global indie airwaves for a band that's long deserved to be more widely heard. Soon to be followed by a single showcasing PAT WALTERS, “Help Me Janie” is also set for inclusion on an album documenting THE SPONGETONES' rapturously-received 40th Anniversary concert in their home state of North Carolina. Details on the collection are forthcoming from Big Stir Records, but the broad strokes are already a power pop fan's dream: all the should've-been-hits from the band performed with all the energy for which they're renowned, plus three new studio tracks demonstrating that THE SPONGETONES still have more to sing about. “Help Me Janie” is a standout even in a catalog as strong as the one on display on the new album, and it won't be long until you can have them all on one platter. Stand by for more news!