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In the cynical-hip, flavor-of-the-month atmosphere that is contemporary show-biz USA, Jeffrey Clark has managed something odd; staying out from under the parade of ever-shifting trends while walking a singular musical path, creating a small but coherent and prismatic body of work.

As the former lead singer of the seminal LA underground band Shiva Burlesque (which also produced Grant Lee Buffalo), Clark’s undeniable lush, sensual atmospheric rock forged a new path through the then current sea of hair-metal bands, and eventually paved the way for many post modern rock acts of today.

Before disbanding, Shiva Burlesque released two albums, both to critical acclaim, including Melody Maker and Rolling Stone, which named the group’s first album, as one of the year-end’s best for 1988.

“I like to think of what I do as protest music in an odd way, like sensual protest music,” Clark says. “I think the way to undermine the people who seem bent on turning the world into a video game is to see more deeply, connect more, feel more.”

If Is, only the second solo work yet released by Clark, certainly lives up to that promise. Written and recorded over several years in various studios with a shifting array of musicians, the album features eight tracks ranging from glimmering chamber pop to sweeping, ambient soundscapes, all punctuated with haunted-house melodies and Clark’s thoughtful and often intense lyrics.

“Four albums in twenty years, I guess I make guys like Scott Walker or Kevin Shields look prolific,” laughs Clark. “I could explain the myriad, crazy reasons why it’s taken me this long to release another album. I mean, if anybody cares to know I’ll spell it out, but ultimately it doesn’t really matter, since what’s important is the work itself. Anyway, it’s ready to see the light of day and I’m very satisfied with how it all turned out. Ha! I’ll see if I can pick up the pace from here on out!”

If Is was produced by Jeffrey Clark and mixed by Noah Georgeson (Devendra Banhart, Bert Jansch, Joanna Newsom, etc.)

Among the musicians contributing to the album’s eight tracks are drummer Joe Berardi (Rufus Wainwright, Stan Ridgeway, etc.); Todd Sickafoose (Ani DiFranco); Vince DiFiore (Cake); and bassist James Brenner (Shiva Burlesque, Scenic).

This fall Clark will be performing select dates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and other major cities to support If Is.

“… truly lyrical…self exploratory… the closest you’ll get to poetic words integrated into the rock idiom.” 

-Andrew Perry (Select Magazine)

“…(Jeffrey Clark) knows how to wrap his words in gorgeous and fragile instrumentation that evokes the desert plains and the concrete sprawl…”

-Robert Wilonksy of New Times (Los Angeles)

“Band co-founders Jeffrey Clark (on vocals) and Grant Lee Phillips (on guitars) opted to concoct something much harder to pigeonhole — a psychedelically tinged, folky, punky, lyrical, spooky musical brew.”
– No Depression