# NYC’s JESSIE KILGUSS Releases ‘What Do Whales Dream About at Night?’ LP, An Adventure In Sonic Storytelling 

- Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/nycs-jessie-kilguss-releases-what-do-whales-dream-about-at-night-lp-an-adventure-in-sonic-storytelling/
- Published: 2022-11-17T11:00:00-06:00
- Author: Eugene Tierney

**NYC’s Jessie Kilguss releases ‘What Do Whales Dream About at Night?’ LP, an adventure
in sonic storytelling **

_“Kilguss artfully pulls us into her wistful nostalgia with a bit of twang and a
strummy, well arranged instrumental accompaniment”_ ~ **Guitar World**

_“Stellar, pure, inspired and inspiring… her voice is as clear as her vision and
every element of her music is perfectly placed”_ ~** The Spill Magazine**

_“Finely-wrought, deep, dark valentine… well-crafted”_ ~ **American Songwriter**

_“Sublime, serene, introspective and wonderfully imaginative… combining the best
of Martha Wainwright, Carly Simon, Beth Orton and Shawn Colvin” _~ **The Record 
Stache**

_“Artfully beautiful, full of radiant harmonics, stylish rhythms, and Jessie Kilguss’
enchantress-like tones. Imaginative and numinous” _~ **Seattle Post-Intelligencer**

_“She uses her songs to probe possibilities that lie just below the surface, allowing
them to resonate in ways that allow for greater interest and intrigue”_ ~ **Goldmine
Magazine**

_“Fluid and poised… Her flawless lyrical and melodic aesthetic relays uncompromising
emotion in a light and flowing style” _~ **The Aquarian**

NYC-based indie pop artist [**Jessie Kilguss**](http://www.jessiekilguss.com/) has
released her album [**‘What Do Whales Dream About at Night?’**](https://jessiekilguss.bandcamp.com/album/what-do-whales-dream-about-at-night),
a nine-track collection of elegant and eloquent indie folk, pop rock and Americana.
Beautifully melancholic at time, it is purposeful, optimistic and nostalgic but 
of the now. Her music is gentle, poignant and honest.

![](https://i0.wp.com/redirect.haulix.com/osAqMkh5NLjXJL4qgFEkJGoe_2n4qwA6tIdfLezcqGo%
3D/PromoAccessory_300420.jpeg?resize=472%2C472&ssl=1)

**Photos by Shervin Lainez**

On this album, Kilguss is accompanied by drummer [**Brian Griffin**](http://www.briangriffindrums.com/)**(
Patti Smith, Brandi Carlisle, Lana Del Rey)**, bass guitarist [**Whynot Jansveld**](https://www.whytunes.com/)**(
The Wallflowers, Butch Walker, Sara Bareilles)**, LA-based award-winning composer
and producer [**Naren Rauch **](https://narenrauch.com/)on guitar, and [**Nathan Schram**](https://www.nathanschramnoise.com/)**(
Bjork, David Crosby, David Byrne)**, with whom Kilguss runs the non-profit organization
[**Musicambia**](https://www.musicambia.org/).

Four years after [**‘The Fastness’**](https://jessiekilguss.bandcamp.com/album/the-fastness)**
LP**, her new long-player was co-produced by [**Adam Lasus **](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Lasus)**(
Yo La Tengo, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Helium)** along with Kilguss and her band
members. Lasus engineered the recordings, which were mixed and mastered by [**Charlie Nieland**](http://charlienieland.com/)**(
Debbie Harry, Rufus Wainwright, Blondie, Scissor Sisters)**.

Leading up to this release, Kilguss released the **[title track](https://youtu.be/M_bv39hErHA)**
and the singles [**‘Sleepwalking Heart’**](https://youtu.be/zuAAMUTyumM) and [**‘Great White Shark’**](https://jessiekilguss.bandcamp.com/track/great-white-shark-3).

“We recorded this album in April 2021, coming out of pandemic lockdown and just 
as it was finally kind of ok to be inside with other people again. This was the 
first time any of us were making music with other people in the same room again.
For that reason, making this album has incredible significance for me personally
as I rediscovered the joy and deep importance to me of singing and storytelling 
through song and also creative collaboration. The experience was heightened by having
been so isolated and cut off from performing for 2 years,” says **Jessie Kilguss**.

“Many of these songs are inspired by books: **‘The Tiger’s Wife’** (by Tea Obreht),**‘
You Were Never Really Here’** (by Jonathan Ames), **‘The Sleepwalker’s Guide to 
Dancing’** (by Mira Jacob) and the poem [**‘Headphones’**](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/26/magazine/poem-headphones.html)
by Ukrainian poet and musician [**Serhiy Zhadan**](https://www.wordsforwar.com/serhiy-zhadan-bio).
Zhadan’s poem deals with the last war in Ukraine and the ways the protagonist coped
with the harsh reality of that experience by putting on his headphones and tuning
out the world. There’s a line “think about whales in the ocean at night.” I found
that line incredibly evocative, especially in the context of the rest of the poem,
and it inspired the title track. I wrote this song a couple years ago before the
current war. My heart and this song go out to the people of Ukraine.”

A former actress, whose acting highlights include the film adaptation of Arthur 
Miller’s **[‘The Crucible’ ](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453066/)**(starring **
Daniel Day Lewis **and **Winona Ryder**) and the UK production of** ‘As You Like
It’** (directed by Royal Shakespeare Company founder Sir Peter Hall), Kilguss made
the switch to songwriting after working with two of her musical heroes –** Marianne
Faithfull** and **Mary Margaret O’Hara **– in **‘The Black Rider’**, a musical written
by **Tom Waits **and** William Burroughs**.

In addition to writing and performing her own music, Kilguss also sings with [**Gramercy Arms**](http://www.gramercyarmsmusic.com/news)**,
Jim Andralis and the Syntonics** and **Benjamin Cartel**. She also performed at 
the Sundance Film Festival and with **Freddie Stevenson**, supporting **The Waterboys**
during their European tour.

The album ‘What do Whales Dream About at Night?’ is out now and is available across
digital platforms, including [**Spotify**](https://open.spotify.com/artist/6rllaMSZqoKPsYPbF4hmXg),
[**Apple Music**](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jessie-kilguss/264985060) and**
Bandcamp**.

![](https://i0.wp.com/redirect.haulix.com/6ilb2kZ6bDvAcTpI-sD39_lA6ri27cqYkx5kIfeJ37Q%
3D/PromoAccessory_958681.jpg?w=1290&ssl=1)

**CREDITS**
All songs written by Jessie KilgussJessie Kilguss – vocals and harmoniumBrian
Griffin- drums, percussion, keys & backing vocalsWhynot Jansveld – bass, keys & 
backing vocalsNaren Rauch – guitar, piano & backing vocalsNathan Schram – stringsRecorded
at Studio Red in North Hollywood in April 2021Produced by Brian Griffin, Whynot 
Jansveld, Naren Rauch, Jessie Kilguss & Adam Lasus.Engineered by Adam Lasus at Studio
Red in North HollywoodMixed & mastered by Charlie NielandArtist photography by Shervin
Lainez

**FOR FANS OF:** 
Aimee Mann, Liz Phair, Kate Bush, Sharon Van Etten, PJ Harvey,
Lucinda Williams, Mary Margaret O’Hara

**Keep up with Jessie Kilguss**
[Website](http://www.jessiekilguss.com/) | [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Jessiekilgussmusic)
| [Bandcamp](https://jessiekilguss.bandcamp.com/) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Jessiekilguss)
| [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/jessiekilguss) | [Soundcloud](https://soundcloud.com/jessiekilguss)
| [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpnd8F2AuGm8zrQKT_Lr1Yw/featured) |
[Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/artist/6rllaMSZqoKPsYPbF4hmXg) | [Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jessie-kilguss/264985060)

**Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR**
[Website ](http://www.shamelesspromotionpr.com/)
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