For those who attended high school in the early 2000s, almost all of us had an erstwhile love affair with Q and Not U. When they broke up in 2005, we lost an essential reference point for explaining to less-cool friends what post-hardcore was, and a small chapter ended in our lives (or maybe it was just adolescence). In a surprising twist, shortly after the band’s dissolution, drummer John Davis formed the indie pop duo Georgie James with Laura Burhenn, coming out with one album of innocuous, more or less generic power-pop from Saddle Creek. While nothing special and certainly, nothing lasting, Places — the first and last album from the duo — at least gave Davis the opportunity to branch out musically. Rather than sticking to percussion, he alternated vocals with Burhenn and took charge of most of the instruments.
Burhenn and Davis split up shortly after Places, and once again the very capable Davis was left to his own devices. Having perspicaciously anticipated the breakup, he began work on a solo album as early as January 2008 (Georgie James didn’t officially break up until that summer). In 2009, he released a single under the name Title Tracks on old QANU standby Dischord, and thus Davis returned to the indie radar. (For those interested in Laura Burhenn, she too began a new band, The Mynabirds, and is releasing an album in April with Saddle Creek.)
John Davis’ long-overdue debut full-length as Title Tracks, It Was Easy, is at long last set for digital release from Ernest Jenning Record Co. on February 9 (CD/LP out February 23). With the exception of two covers of Bruce Springsteen and The Byrds, the songs are all Davis’. He also commandeered all the instruments, though you can listen for a sax contribution from Kriston Capps on one song and vocals from Camera Obscura’s Tracyanne Campbell on two. Title Tracks is still not Q and Not U, but it’s also not Georgie James, and Davis’ songs are decently catchy and varied enough to keep you interested.
Check out the video to “Steady Love” at the Chocolate Grinder and then catch Title Tracks on tour, with a backing band comprised of Nick Anderson, Michael Cotterman, and Andrew Black.
02.11.10 - Washington, DC - Black Cat *
02.14.10 - Pittsburgh, PA - Brillobox *
02.16.10 - Pontiac, MI - The Pike Room *
02.18.10 - Chicago, IL - The Hideout
02.19.10 - Madison, WI - Der Rathskellar at Wisconsin Union *
02.21.10 - Memphis, TN - Hi Tone Cafe
02.24.10 - Austin, TX - The Mohawk *
03.01.10 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 *
03.02.10 - Richmond, VA - Gallery 5 *
03.03.10 - Baltimore, MD - Golden West Cafe *
03.04.10 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie *
03.05.10 - Cambridge, MA - The Middle East (Upstairs) *
03.06.10 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Hall *
03.07.10 - New York City, NY - The Cake Shop *
03.11.10 - Cleveland, OH - The Grog Shop ^
03.12.10 - Pontiac, MI - The Crofoot ^
03.13.10 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge ^
03.14.10 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon ^
03.15.10 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue ^
* Pretty & Nice
^ Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
• Title Tracks: http://www.myspace.com/titletracksdc
• Ernest Jenning Record Co: http://www.ernestjenning.com
[Photo: Shervin Lainez]