In addition to his legacy as a member of Wilco, particularly his formidable contribution to their breakthrough masterpiece, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and five solo LPs, Jay Bennett left behind one last solo album when he tragically died due to an accidental overdose of pain medication at the age of 45 last year. Though said record, Kicking at the Perfumed Air, was known to be in its final stages of completion at the time of his passing, its potential for an official release was uncertain. Until now…
Earlier today, Glorious Noise pointed us to a free MP3 of “Mirror Ball,” one of the cuts from the forthcoming LP, which will be released on July 10, a few weeks following the first anniversary of his death, as well as the launch date of the Jay Bennett Foundation, on May 24. Upon further inspection, we found more details about the album’s release, including another new song, “Twice A Year,” which is streaming below.
“Those of us who loved Jay lost a son, a brother, a collaborator and a loyal friend,” said Jay’s brother, Jeff Bennett, who has teamed up with their mother, Jan, to launch the charitable foundation in conjunction with the album’s release. Later, he added: “This album is part of a larger effort to honor Jay’s memory and enhance his legacy by exposing more people to his music and by supporting charitable efforts to make the world a better place.”
Kicking at the Perfumed Air will be released digitally for free on May 24 with an option to donate to the foundation or a partnered charity, and a CD version will come out on July 10 with an undisclosed percentage of the proceeds going to charity.
Meanwhile, you can sign up at their official site for updates, check out the album art above, and stream two new songs below:
“Mirror Ball” “Twice A Year”