Turn on the Jukebox and do us all a favour

Piano-based pop is a much undervalued genre as far as I'm concerned. I mean, how many ivory botherers have really made it big in the history of rock and pop? Neil Sedaka, Ray Charles, Liberace, Elton John, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Rufus Wainwright, Ben Folds and Rowlf from The Muppets. OK, so quite a few really. Still, though, not so many modern artists in there. Just Wainwright and Folds Five (as I like to call him) really.

So perhaps it's unsurprising that the band we're featuring today, America's Jukebox The Ghost, have clearly been inspired by Ben Folds. (No bad thing of course.) Examine the facts: their singer-pianist is also called Ben (Thornewill). A mere coincidence? Oh alright then, yes. But also - as with the Ben Fold Five - Jukebox The Ghost are a three-piece; they've even supported Ben Folds on tour. What's more, their songs are also great fun to listen to. At the moment I'm especially enjoying Hold It In from their first album, and their cover of New Order's Temptation. Behold.



Jukebox The Ghost - Temptation mp3

Jukebox the Ghost's second album, Everything Under The Sun, is due to be released on September 7th. Download Empire i.e. track number three here.