JATK frees a ‘Japanese Butterfly’
The power-pop project from Boston songwriter Matt Jatkola continues chronicling his cancer journey with upbeat rock and roll
PRE-SAVE: ‘JAPANESE BUTTERFLY’ ON BANDCAMP, SPOTIFY, & APPLE MUSIC
Out June 4, ‘Japanese Butterfly’ is the second single from JATK’s forthcoming full-length album, due out later this year
LISTEN: APRIL SINGLE ‘WHEN TOMORROW COMES’
Photo Credit: Aneleise Ruggles
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BOSTON, MASS. [June 4, 2021] -- In April, when JATK released “When Tomorrow Comes,” the single was billed as a bold and ambitious power-pop anthem that chronicled singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Matt Jatkola’s recent cancer journey.Diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in early 2020, Jatkola began a process that would change his life -- and spark a new era of creativity. The phrase “cancer journey” is a deliberate one; now enjoying a clean bill of health with his cancer in remission, Jatkola has many stories to tell.
On June 4, JATK (pronounced “Jack,” for those not in the know) releases the second single from his forthcoming debut full-length album. It’s titled “Japanese Butterfly,” it hits streaming services in maxi-single format (complete with instrumental and acoustic versions), and it continues to shine a light on Jatkola’s personal battle to overcome and defeat cancer at a time when the pandemic was front page news.
Oh, it’s also catchy as hell.
“This song -- musically and lyrically -- is a sister song or maybe even a sequel to 'When Tomorrow Comes'. They were written within a few weeks of each other,” Jatkola admits. “The main difference is 'When Tomorrow Comes' was written when I was in the middle of treatment and 'Japanese Butterfly' was written just after I finished. I can hear that it's lighter musically. Among all the layers of distorted electric guitars, there are acoustic guitars. It's dense, but there's space. There's definitely a lot of optimism in the lyrics.”
Those lyrics play off the previous single’s, a reflection of the fit of creativity Jatkola was experiencing as these compositions came to light. “When Tomorrow Comes” begins with the line "This thing is heavy" and ends with "Let it come down"; where “Japanese Butterfly” starts with an opening refrain of "Come down to the ground from the cloud" and ends with "Show him some love."
It’s pure affirmation, and a sentiment that plays into the continuation and connection of these songs. When Jatkola speaks of his cancer journey, these songs are its chapters. The heaviness and “sky is falling” fears of “When Tomorrow Comes” are eased with the light and airy tone of “Japanese Butterfly.” Jatkola’s skies have opened up.
Musically, “Japanese Butterfly” cruises with the type of golden-rod, glammed-out power pop that makes it insanely fun to play and sing along to, able to exist outside the weight of the intense subject matter. It’s high energy rock and roll with debts to ‘70s prog, glam and power-pop, and ‘90s alternative rock, fueled by Jatkola’s desire to rock with a capital-R. “Japanese Butterfly”, in all its zig-zagging forward motion, bursts out of the speakers and covers more sonic ground in its first 30 seconds than most songs do across entire run-times.
“The music came really fast,” Jatkola admits. “I had the entire song structure, all the guitar parts, even the basis for the drums, bass, and vocal melodies demoed out within a couple hours. I knew this song was a full band rock song immediately. It's not modeled after any sound specifically, but there are elements that remind me of Cheap Trick.”
Joining Jatkola on recording “Japanese Butterfly” are STRANGEPRIDE’s Anthony Tinnirella on lead guitar and Lesser Glow’s Seth Botos on drums, keeping with the album's theme of collaboration with a rotating cast. And because of COVID protocols, this is another song that was recorded entirely remotely.
“Since we share some musical DNA, I knew Anthony would be able to do something great for this guitar solo.” says Jatkola. “It provides some space-y, other-worldliness that works really well with the story of the song. To me, it's the sonic personification of a butterfly in flight. Seth brought so much life to this song through his performance. I’ve known him for years but we've actually never made music until this song was recorded! He plays on a bunch of new JATK songs.”
Though these stories from Jatkola as JATK are new, those in the Boston scene are well familiar with his previous projects, including The Bynars, genderless/genreless duo FBGM, and mid-’00s experimental rock band Lights. So one thing that’s been garnering a lot of attention lately has been Jatkola’s new facial addition, a big, bushy mustache. And there’s a cool story growing right under the artist’s nose.
“Side effects of chemo and radiation treatments are hair loss,” Jatkola says. “When I was done with treatment, my mustache started growing in twice as thick! I've just rolled with it and now it's gained some personal significance, along with the songs I started working on around the same time. As I'm hitting these one year anniversaries of being done with treatment, it feels good to be rocking out and rocking a 'stache!”
Contact michael@publisist.co or jatktheband@gmail.com for more information.
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JATK short bio:
JATK (pronounced “Jack”), the power-pop project from Boston-based songwriter Matt Jatkola, cranks up an arsenal of hooks and riffs with affecting jolts of guitar-rock reflected through his knack for pop melody. After a string of singles turn up the volume in 2021, his debut full-length album is set for release later this year.
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Appearing on ‘Japanese Butterfly’:
Matt Jatkola: Vocals, guitar, bass
Anthony Tinnirella: Lead guitar
Seth Botos: Drums
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Credits on ‘Japanese Butterfly’:
Recorded at Peace & Love Laboratories, Arlington, MA; The Wallpaper Room, Brooklyn, NY; Studio 52, Allston, MA
Engineered by Matt Jatkola, Anthony Tinnirella, Seth Botos
Mixed by Adam Taylor at Bang-A-Song Studios, Gloucester, MA
"Japanese Butterfly (Acoustic)" recorded and mixed by Matt Jatkola at Peace & Love Laboratories, Arlington, MA
Mastered by Nick Zampiello at New Alliance East, Somerville, MA
Cover photography by Niki Fandel
All songs written by Matt Jatkola
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JATK press photo [credit to Aneleise Ruggles]:
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The music of JATK has been heard on:
BumbleBee Radio, idobi Radio, WZBC’s Virtual Detention; Christian's Cosmic Corner on Mark Skin Radio, Your First Listen on KNNZ 89.1 FM (Fargo, ND), Garagerocktopia with Robert Kreutzer, Boston Emissions with Anngelle Wood, Rising with Skybar on WMFO Tufts University, Bay State Rock, and other fine radio stations and programs.
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Media praise for JATK:
"When Tomorrow Comes” is a fresh blast of indie rock/powerpop... that hits you with ferocity, yet also brings vocals filled with melodies that are super catchy and lyrically relevant. With so much uncertainty in the world around us, Matt brings us what many of us need most: a killer rock song for us to sing along with, as endearing and contemplative as it is simply rocking.”
“Boston's answer to your power-pop cravings is Matt Jatkola, now known to some as JATK.”
“The new four-song EP is filled with hook-filled rock, beginning with the addictive, sing-along chorus of ‘How I Feel Inside,’ which carries a classic, ‘70s vibe. The energy continues to flow through the big guitar riffs of ‘Angry Anchor,’ before finishing with the more aggressive, hard rock attack of ‘Nuebella Satan.’
“JATK celebrates the louder end of the power-pop spectrum. The three-piece band love distortion and fuzz almost as much as they love a sun-filled retro hook and the result is, perhaps, one of the noisiest power-pop discs since The Great Affairs released ‘The Striped Album’ back in 2011. Beneath the layers of guitar and fuzz are four absolutely cracking songs.”
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Media contact and all press/radio inquiries: michael@publisist.coor jatktheband@gmail.com
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