GRAMMY-winning psych-folk originator Peter Stampfel (Holy Modal Rounders, The Fugs) has released Song Shards: Soul Jingles, Stoic Jingles, Vintage Jingles, Prayers and Rounds via Jalopy Records. The album arrives with praise from NPR, Magnet, PopMatters, Americana UK, and more, highlighting Stampfel’s eccentric brilliance and influence on freak-folk and anti-folk music.
A sampler of tracks including “Focus,” “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy,” “Ajax,” and “White Rose Petroleum Jelly” is streaming now: listen here.
Stampfel will celebrate with a release show on October 30 at Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn.
About Song Shards
The 46-track collection is divided into two parts: short stoic aphorisms reframed as “Soul” and “Stoic Jingles,” and surreal reinventions of vintage advertising jingles. Produced by Mark Bingham (Marianne Faithfull, Dr. John, Elvis Costello) and recorded in Brooklyn and New Orleans, the album features guitarist Jonathan Frelich of the New Orleans Klezmer All Stars.
Highlights include the contemplative “The Road,” the playful “More Wack,” the powerful “God May Be Indifferent,” and off-kilter jingles like “Beer Jingle” and “White Rose Petroleum Jelly.” Stampfel’s online liner notes and annotations span nearly 14,000 words: read here.
Praise for Song Shards
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“Among the best new albums out Sept. 19.” – NPR Music
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“Grade A.” – Robert Christgau
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“Measured insanity delivered with well-orchestrated brevity.” – Magnet Mag
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“The contemplative numbers will make you weep… Stampfel’s off-kilter sensibilities are on full display.” – PopMatters
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“A beautiful flower of friendliness.” – Self Portrait Gospel
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“Fascinating, unique, strange, and totally entrancing.” – It’s Psychedelic Baby Mag
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“Sounds like no one and nothing else.” – Americana UK
Tracklist Highlights
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Maximum Love
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The Obstacle is the Way
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God May Be Indifferent
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Focus
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Ajax
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Beer Jingle
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White Rose Petroleum Jelly
(Full 46-track listing available with album.)
About Peter Stampfel
Stampfel’s career began with the Holy Modal Rounders, who shared bills with the Velvet Underground, Pink Floyd, and Ike & Tina Turner, and contributed “If You Want to Be a Bird (Bird Song)” to Easy Rider. He went on to collaborate with Michael Hurley, Jeffrey Lewis, Yo La Tengo, and They Might Be Giants. Stampfel also won a GRAMMY Award for his liner notes to the reissue of The Anthology of American Folk Music.
