myspace music

Jona Byron
Alternative / Folk / Zouk



Melbourne, Victoria
Australia

Profile Views:  26467




Last Login:  12/13/2009
View My: Pics | Videos | Playlists

   Contacting Jona Byron

 MySpace URL: 

   Jona Byron: General Info
Member Since10/24/2006
Band Websitejonabyron.com
Band MembersJona Byron - voice, guitar, piano, sounds, production

Pete Uhlenbruch - guitar

Dave Bennett - bass

Alex Rogowski - drums

Photobucket

Influences

Bob Dylan >> M Ward >> Leonard Cohen >> Arcade Fire (Funeral) >> Beirut >> Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds >> Nick Drake >> Tom Waits >> The Flaming Lips >> J Walker >> Akron Family >> Sufjan Stevens >> Midlake >> Nick Jaina >> Lou Rhodes >> Billie Holiday >> Will Oldham >> Spain >> Tindersticks >> John Coletrane >> Bob Dylan >> Johnny Cash >> Pixies >> Godspeed You! Black Emperor >> The boats >> Radiohead >> Cure >> The Angels of Light >> Esmerine >> Nirvana >> Frankie Sparo >> A Silver Mount Zion >> Bowie >> Cocteau Twins >> Cat Power >> Beth Gibbons and Portishead >> Francoiz Breut >> Black Heart Procession >> Buckleys >> Low >> Sigur Ros >> Dirty Three >> Grails >> Hungry Ghosts >> etc

iLike Jona Byron


BlankBand website hosting

Facebook

 

Sounds Likea man with a will to sacrifice a life of comfort for a life of strange stories...
Record LabelPopboomerang Records
Type of LabelIndie


Get Flash now!

In order to listen or view this content you will have to upgrade your version of Flash.


Jona Byron's Latest Blog Entry  [Subscribe to this Blog]

PBS radio Interview Monday 30th  (view more)

How To Bleed For Your Art  (view more)

Extinct Hearts Medley & Special Bonus Tracks (for pre-orders)  (view more)

New mini album   (view more)

Confest Songwriting Workshop  (view more)

[View All Blog Entries]

   About Jona Byron
Jona Byron's beautiful new mini-album ‘Extinct Hearts' is much more than just a warmer for his full length debut album ‘Halos', due out 2010. It is a seminal piece of work. The 7 tracks cover the last few years of Jona's musical and human journey, from homelessness, broken relationships and personal battles. 'Hearts' oozes longevity and a deep emotional core, while also acting as a musical journal of an era often full of hardship. The new single ‘Beautiful Bird' conjures delicate moments of the late Elliot Smith and paints a story of mental illness and a lovers fading hope while resting on well-crafted melodies and stunning vocals. The angsty title opener ‘Extinct Hearts' rides on a hypnotic pulse of bass, organ and dense guitars, and acts as a warning, as Byron reflects on a world gone mad. ‘Glass Jaws' opens with subtle acoustics and banjo yet blooms into a powerful acoustic tour de force, with it's catchy melody, strong bass (played by Edmondo Ammendola of Augie March) and evocative imagery. The devastating ‘Arm Yourself' rolls like a medieval Leonard Cohen song complete with haunting cello work by Francesca Mountfort, while the cover of the classic Bob Dylan song ‘The Times They Are A Changing' is a beautiful departure from the original and works more as a contemporary apocalyptic anti-war song.

The mini album was produced and recorded by Jona himself (the benefits of being a sound producer) in various houses, studios and locations across Melbourne, with producer Myles Mumford (Lamplight, Kate Vigo) stepping in for some minimal production at Atlantis Sound.

Jona's music and songwriting has been revered by artists such as Conway Savage (The Bad Seeds) and Glenn Richards (Augie March) and he has toured and played with acts such as Machine Translations, Sime Nugent and Jason Mraz.

He has lived, worked and performed in Melbourne now for 10 years (releasing 2 previous independent EP's along with an album from instrumental band "The Boats") and has styled his own unique fusion between rootsy cosmic folk and edgy indie rock.

‘Extinct Hearts' will be released Nov 17 through Popboomerang Records. If you ORDER the record you will receive a digital download of rare B-Sides and Alternative Mixes, including a digital booklet of artwork and photographs! To order the album, visit this link.

Photobucket

REVIEWS

Jona Byron of The Boats is a man who is well versed in how to make an epic of the ordinary. His lengthy songs and lyrically evocative tales swell slowly and captivate what should be a drained audience, but we all listen rapt. The new 'Red Jerusalem' ("Fill my cup with sand / You'll bury my eyes / I won't see you my friend / Turn blood to water") shows a mind keen at work and with the upbeat closing 'All My Days Are Mad' a broad pallet is proven and another talented individual joins the fold of Laterra. - Dec '07 - Andy Hazel (Inpress)

Gives you a kind of Bob Dylan folky feel. Quite dark at times but full of atmosphere, blended together with good melodies and heart-wrenching lyrics. Very deep but cool.
Nov '03 - Pat Fagan on the Dirty Royals EP (Elevation Station, Scotland)

Australian, alternative folk meister, Jona Byron has been compared to some of the very greats in music such as Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley and Thom Yorke and on hearing the opening track of this 6 track mini album I could see why, 'Goodbye Blue Monday' opens like a morphing of snippets from the KLF's 'Chill out' and Jeff Buckley's 'Grace' and builds on a dark, melancholic [without being miserable] country vibe.
Stand out track for me is the beautifully understated 'Goodnight to the Moon', a piano and a voice can sometimes be all you need to get the message across. Sounding at times like the Penguin Café Orchestra jamming with Crowded House on Valium. A&R verdict: Jona Byron will be huge, mark my words! He's a class apart…… high quality music, introspective words, significant production head....4.8/5
- '02 Iain Fugue ES A&R Panelist (Molotov Records)

I've known Jona Byron for a couple of years. During this time I've seen him perform shows and heard various demo recordings of his music. As well as being an able and talented songwriter he possesses a unique voice that is not only of a high quality but is also very distinctive.
- '02 - Matt Walker (Musician/ARIA Winner)

Pretty songs feature near-spectral male vocals that wind around themselves, forming loops your ears eagerly trace as if they were visibly hanging in the sky. Acoustic strummings tie off all the pretty, floating tips that comprise these songs.
- Kali.H (Listen.com/Rolling Stone)

Rate me on triple j Unearthed!

!!! Start Code To Apply Top Banner !!!!

Custom top banner code by Eileen
!!! End Code To Apply Top Banner !!!

   Jona Byron's Friend Space (Top 10)
Jona Byron has 1882 friends.
 Popboomerang Records 


 THE SOUND ZOO 


 Glass Mountain 


 The boats 


 Owls of the Swamp 


 J. Tillman 


 Adam Dempsey at Deluxe Mastering 


 Myles Mumford 


 Nervous Doll Dancing 


 BRIDEZILLA 





Jona Byron's Friends Comments
Displaying 25 of 639 comments  ( View All | Add Comment )
*~Chantal~*

Chantal Hunter



Dec 8 2009 3:29 PM

Hello Jona!!!
Your music is amazing!!
Dandelion Wine

Dandelion Wine



Dec 7 2009 4:08 AM

Hello!!!
It's been awhile - sorry there hasn't been in any Australian shows for many months but we've been busy in Europe with a bunch of touring and we're now recording our new album in Berlin (scheduled for release in March). But to make up for it, here's a big (and silly) Merry Christmas from us (and from some hippos too) :


Some bold new artistic direction? Nah, Just us being silly!!! We did this track for our label's "Black Snow - the completely different Xmas compilation". (and of course, visit our youtube channel for a high quality version)

Wishing you a very silly Silly Season and we'll see you back in Australia sometime in 2010!

N&N
 
sayako

sayako



Dec 7 2009 4:08 AM

How are you, Jona?

8dec copy web.jpg
The Orphanage

The Orphanage



Dec 3 2009 6:26 AM

It's gonna be a NSC weekend for me!
x
Tiana
NSC NSC NSC
Laurie Ann

Laurie Ann



Dec 3 2009 6:25 AM


MySpace Comments
Clear Springs Entertainment

Chris Parke
Online Now!


Dec 1 2009 4:15 AM

gig
dale g thomas

Dale g Thomas.
Online Now!


Nov 27 2009 7:26 AM

How's the new band sounding ?
Pascal

Pascal



Nov 26 2009 2:37 AM

Bonjour Jona
Thanks for the friendly add
So beautiful sound and music
really appreciate your voice
Best wishes from France
(Follow me on twitter.com/pascal95 )
Pascal
Kosmic Evolution

Kosmic Evolution



Nov 20 2009 12:37 PM

Thank you for your friendship and support Jona, hope you enjoy the music.  Peace and love. 
Love Bart & Jody
KOSMIC EVOLUTION
Here is our video clip Mystery.

Illusenzia

Illusenzia



Nov 19 2009 1:08 AM

oh yeah! your album came yesterday. I love it.  I start missing melbourne again, i just forgot about about the great time I had, My new job makes me so busy in the moment Its hard to think about something different than graphic stuff.
miss you and see you soon in berlin ;)
Green Rabbit

Green Rabbit



Nov 18 2009 1:18 AM

great! give me a call anytime and we can discuss some ideas.... here's our website link, give you a bit of an idea of what we're all about.


cheers,

Taj

dale g thomas

Dale g Thomas.
Online Now!


Nov 18 2009 1:17 AM

Cheers for the disk Jona.
Well done...it's a real tangible thing now...touch it, read  and smell it...and play it
d.

tom woodward

tom woodward



Nov 16 2009 11:48 AM

new songs sound great jona. looking forward to ya launch. if ya free, come on down to the wes this sunday...

wesley anne tom fergus lindsay
Shane Alexander

Shane Alexander



Nov 13 2009 7:06 AM

Thanks for finding me on here. I hope to hear from you soon. Stop by and say hello if you get a chance.

S.A.
Kate Vigo

Kate Vigo



Nov 9 2009 11:11 AM

Kate Vigo and The Underground Orchestra + Emily Smart and The Clever Girls @ The Basement, Tue 17th November
THOI

THOI



Nov 9 2009 11:11 AM

thanks man...looking forward to hearing some new tunes from you..!
Riki

Riki Benton



Oct 29 2009 2:38 PM

heya bro...hows things going. im good, been doin a tiny bit o busking here in mornington...its goin well
Kate Vigo

Kate Vigo



Oct 26 2009 2:24 PM


Kate Vigo and The Underground Orchestra @ Northcote Social Club, Sun 8th November
David Hosking

David Hosking



Oct 26 2009 2:24 PM

David Hosking is launching his new album at the Thornbury Theatre with very special guests The Killjoys. Friday 6th November. Hope you can come.
www.thethornburytheatre.com
The boats

The boats



Oct 23 2009 5:15 AM

Photobucket
v baudelaire

Rose Lerchbacher



Oct 22 2009 4:59 AM

digging the new tunes. i'll have to contact you soon to organise getting myself a copy of the new mini-album, so i don't have to keep going to myspace to listen to it! :P
Claire Deak

Claire Deak



Oct 21 2009 4:40 AM

put me down for one mini album Jona. I particularly like Howl. Very broodingly sweet indeed.
Special Patrol

Special Patrol



Oct 19 2009 10:44 AM

Hi there! Special Patrol are going to be in Melbourne this Saturday the 24th to launch their brand new album The Stranger's Dozen. Come along to the John Curtin Band Room, say hi and have a beer with us! Cheers, SP.
The Steadfast Shepherd

The Steadfast Shepherd



Oct 15 2009 1:58 PM

Hi there,
we're launching our album in Melbourne this Saturday night!
It'd be great to see you there,
cheers,
TSS
GUITARELAY

GUITARELAY



Oct 15 2009 1:58 PM

Photobucket
Add Comment


©2003-2009 MySpace.com. All Rights Reserved.