Portland-based indie pop artist BERKLEY presents 'Your Place' single, previewing 'Pueblo' album

"Equal parts catchy and groovy... recalls the carefully manufactured hits of pop kingpin Beck and songwriting savants Miike Snow. Shimmering synths envelop the listener like a warm bath, while a melodious electric guitar floats atop in the form of a rock-tinged bass line" ~ Dallas Observer

“Earnest and immediate pop-rock with shades of Americana and ’70s Laurel Canyon rock & roll" ~ Bandcamp Daily

"Superb. Here we have a super-catchy melody, a high feel-good factor, impeccable delivery and production. Fans of Ben Folds, Ethan Gold and Ben Kweller should take note" ~ Amplify Music Magazine


Portland indie pop artist Berkley presents his new single 'Your Place', previewing his debut full-length album 'Pueblo', slated for release on September 1 via Oregon-based label Big Secret Records. While recent singles explore his history and hometown of Pueblo, Colorado, here Berkley holds the mirror to himself, examining his past only to realize that it endures.

Berkley revisits the good, the bad and the ugly, Berkley concluding that ultimately, some things never change. He sums it up best in the chorus: “I’m uncomfortable with myself / you think you leave that behind but it stays on your face”.With verses that sketch one view of the past, Berkley revisits the good, the bad, and the ugly as he comes to terms with how some things never change.

Berkley explains, “Your Place started as an attempt to write as if I were 12 years old but possessed the vocabulary and perspective to capture all the big new feelings I had. That exercise led me to realize I haven’t stopped feeling as out of place and anxious as I did in middle school. The song came to be about the insecurities that stay with you and how they shape or guide your life despite your best efforts."

'Pueblo' album pre-order  https://bigsecretrecords.com/pre-order-pueblo-now
Bandcamp  https://alwaysberkley.bandcamp.com/album/pueblo
'Your Place'  https://alwaysberkley.bandcamp.com/track/your-place

Interrogating the small spaces shared between what-ifs of the past and the realities of the present is where Berkley’s songwriting shines. Earlier, he released 'Pueblo Nights', which explores themes of memory, youth, and growth in Berkley’s hometown of Pueblo, Colorado, and 'Fiesta Day', where he blows the dust off the events that shape us to reveal what follows, revisiting the end of a teenage friendship with clarity brought by time.

Berkley is the nom-de-plume of Andrew Jones, a recording engineer whose production and songwriting adventures include recording with former Cher bassist and ASCAP award winner Bob Parr, a power pop collaboration with members of The Offspring, and the “gorgeous” (AV Club) synthesizer project Sound for Bombs.

As Berkley, Jones weaves together a wide range of influences, diving in with renewed vigor for writing and performing. In terms of his origins, after touring in his own punk and metal bands in his teens and early 20s, Andrew Jones took a chance on the Los Angeles songwriting scene, ultimately finding himself as part of a team of writers tasked with developing early ideas for Michael Jackson’s comeback album.

Following Jackson’s death, Jones reevaluated his path in music and stopped writing and performing for three years while he taught university writing and literature. Jones’ muses returned in 2010 when he quit his teaching job to immerse himself in jazz guitar studies and rekindle his relationship with music and his primary instrument.

As of August 14, 'Your Place' is available via Bandcamp, where the full 'Pueblo' album (out September 1) can be pre-ordered on CD and vinyl, the first 100 of which come in a random color (brown, army green, gray, or purple). It also includes exclusive audio from vintage Pueblo KDZA broadcasts and field recordings captured in Pueblo locales significant to Berkley's life. A seamless listening experience track to track, side per side - this is how Pueblo is meant to be heard.

SINGLE CREDITS
Music and lyrics by Andrew Jones aka Berkley
Berkley - vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, piano
Ramon Muzquiz - drums, percussion
Bob Cummins Jr. - piano
Recorded at Echo Lab in Denton, Texas
Engineered, mixed, and mastered by Andrew Jones
Photography and layout by Andrew Jones
Artist photos taken by Juli Williams

TOUR DATES
Sept. 1  PUEBLO, Colorado - Analogue Records
Sept. 2   MANITOU SPRINGS, Colorado - Lulu's Upstairs (with Volon Vauban)
Sept. 3   DENVER, Colorado - Skylark Lounge (with Volon Vauban & Nicki Walters)
Sept. 9   PORTLAND, Oregon - Music Millennium


Keep up with Berkley
Website | Label website | Bandcamp | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | Linkedin | Email

Portland-based indie pop artist BERKLEY presents 'Festival Day', rooted in Colorado and the pain of growing apart

"Equal parts catchy and groovy... recalls the carefully manufactured hits of pop kingpin Beck and songwriting savants Miike Snow. Shimmering synths envelop the listener like a warm bath, while a melodious electric guitar floats atop in the form of a rock-tinged bass line" ~ Dallas Observer

“Earnest and immediate pop-rock with shades of Americana and ’70s Laurel Canyon rock & roll" ~ Bandcamp Daily

"Superb. Here we have a super-catchy melody, a high feel-good factor, impeccable delivery and production. Fans of Ben Folds, Ethan Gold and Ben Kweller should take note" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

"Intertwines ‘70s country with modern pop and Berkley’s soft vocals layered to hazy guitars will remind you of a sunset in the countryside on a summer road trip" ~  Central Track

"Knows how to tug at the emotional heartstrings without ever venturing into the terrain of sappiness or maudlinism" - Ghost of Blind Lemon


Portland-based Colorado-raised artist Berkley will release his new single 'Fiesta Day', previewing his debut full-length album 'Pueblo', to be released via Oregon label Big Secret Records. Interrogating the small spaces shared between what-ifs of the past and the realities of the present is where Berkley’s songwriting sparkles. On 'Fiesta Day', Berkley blows the dust off the events that shape us to reveal what follows.

Over the pulsing rhythm that propels the track, Berkley revisits the end of a teenage friendship with clarity brought by time. The track pumps at a windows-down-driving tempo while Berkley pleads with the estranged: I don’t want you near / but I wish you were here / please understand me before the end of the world.

Set during Fiesta Day, a local celebration of Latinx culture in his hometown of Pueblo, Colorado, Berkley reclaims the pain of growing apart by reimagining a final conversation. Warbling Moog synthesizers, shaky guitars, and a lonesome piano represent the haunting memories of a lost connection.

Inspired by the first-person experimental video game Paratopic, which switches players’ perspective and place in time, the accompanying video takes viewers through different moments and locales in Berkley’s life, from a stretch of interstate in pre-COVID New Mexico to Berkley’s early 2000s high school years, his 20s spent in Los Angeles, and a 2008 sold-out performance in a northern Colorado theater. All footage was captured by the artist in his efforts to audio-visual cataloge his career.

Berkley is the musical moniker of Andrew Jones, a notable recording engineer who now channels his production and songwriting talents into this project. After exploring broad musical territory from recording with former Cher bassist and ASCAP award winner Bob Parr to 2016’s power pop collaboration with members of The Offspringto 2017’s “gorgeous” (AV Club) synthesizer project Sound for Bombs, Jones decided to sharpen his focus on electronic elements and pop song forms.

Earlier, he released 'Pueblo Nights', backed up by members of the Austin-based band Watering, which explores themes of memory, youth, and growth in Berkley’s hometown of Pueblo, Colorado as he recalls being in young dumb love in a small city’s punk rock and heavy metal music scene. Its straightforward laidback pop grooves are driven by shaky electric guitar tones and chiming keyboards.

“The passage of summer to fall in my hometown of Pueblo, Colorado is marked by this parade that takes place during an event called Fiesta Day. That time of year always reminds me of when a high school friend dropped out, seemed to change his identity, and left town. I was heartbroken and bitter about it until I wrote this song and realized I could have been a better friend and noticed why he did that. This is a song that sums up the album’s purpose well — taking responsibility for your part in the past and forgiving yourself, hoping others will too,” says Berkley.

In Berkley, Jones has found a palatable recipe for his wide range of influences and a renewed outlook on writing and performing. But his origins are unexpected. After touring in his own punk and metal bands in his teens and early 20s, Andrew Jones dipped his toe in the Los Angeles songwriting scene, ultimately finding himself among a team of writers developing early ideas for Michael Jackson’s comeback album.

Following Jackson’s death, Jones reevaluated his path in music and stopped writing and performing for three years while he taught university writing and literature. Jones’ muses returned in 2010 when he quit his teaching job to immerse himself in jazz guitar studies and rekindle his relationship with music and his primary instrument.

As of July 26, 'Fiesta Day' is available via Bandcamp, where the full 'Pueblo' album is available for pre-order. Set for release on September 1, it is available on CD and vinyl. The first 100 come in a random color (brown, army green, gray, or purple). It also includes exclusive audio from vintage Pueblo KDZA broadcasts and field recordings captured in Pueblo locales significant to Berkley's life. A seamless listening experience track to track, side per side - this is how Pueblo is meant to be heard.

SINGLE CREDITS
Music and lyrics by Andrew Jones aka Berkley
Berkley - vocals, guitars, keyboards, piano, drum machine
Ramon Muzquiz - drums
Recorded at The Nest Studio in Denton, TX
Engineered, mixed, and mastered by Andrew Jones
Additional recording at Huge Planet, Nashville, TN by Jake Davis
Field recording in Pueblo, CO by Andrew Jones and Josh Knobbs “Factor”
Cover layout and design by Dan Gremminger
Single cover photo by Sean Beeman
Artist photos taken by Juli Williams


Keep up with Berkley
Website | Label website | Bandcamp | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | Linkedin | Email

Portland-based Colorado native BERKLEY presents 'Pueblo Nights', previewing his debut album

"Equal parts catchy and groovy, 'Pueblo Nights' recalls the carefully manufactured hits of pop kingpin Beck and songwriting savants Miike Snow. Shimmering synths envelop the listener like a warm bath, while a melodious electric guitar floats atop in the form of a rock-tinged bass line" ~ Dallas Observer

“Earnest and immediate pop-rock with shades of Americana and ’70s Laurel Canyon rock & roll" ~ Bandcamp Daily

"Berkley's music is superb. Here we have a super-catchy melody, a high feel-good factor, impeccable delivery and production. Fans of Ben Folds, Ethan Gold and Ben Kweller should take note" ~ Amplify Music Magazine

"Intertwines ‘70s country with modern pop and Berkley’s soft vocals layered to hazy guitars will remind you of a sunset in the countryside on a summer road trip" ~  Central Track

"Knows how to tug at the emotional heartstrings without ever venturing into the terrain of sappiness or maudlinism" - Ghost of Blind Lemon


Oregon-based Colorado-raised artist Berkley presents 'Pueblo Nights', the first single from his debut full-length album 'Pueblo', forthcoming via Big Secret Records. Making sense of what remains of youth in adulthood – opportunity, regret, and empathy – is where Berkley stakes his claim among current Portland songwriters.

With straightforward laidback pop grooves driven by shaky electric guitar tones and chiming keyboards, Pueblo Nights explores themes of memory, youth, and growth in Berkley’s hometown of Pueblo, Colorado.

Berkley is the musical moniker of Andrew Jones, a notable recording engineer who now channels his production and songwriting talents into this project. After exploring broad musical territory from recording with former Cher bassist and ASCAP award winner Bob Parr to 2016’s power pop collaboration with members of The Offspringto 2017’s “gorgeous” (AV Club) synthesizer project Sound for Bombs, Jones decided to sharpen his focus on electronic elements and pop song forms.

Set at a tempo best for nighttime drives and backed up by members of the Austin-based band Watering, 'Pueblo Nights' recalls being in young dumb love in a small city’s punk rock and heavy metal music scene. Berkley sets the tone using the everyday poetics of Hal David with a modern spin: Pueblo nights / everything’s alright / I don’t wanna fight/or place the blame.

“When I wrote this song, I thought it was about the fear of running into someone who doesn’t like you, and wishing that going home didn’t have to hold so much tension. But living with ‘Pueblo Nights’ showed that the tension can come from potentially seeing someone you used to love. Will that ever be okay?” says Andrew Jones.

With one foot in Then and the other in Now, 'Pueblo Nights' relays a youthful anxiety any past, present, or future teen could relate to. But Berkley reckons each memory with an adult’s perspective, crafting pop hooks and space cowboy riffs along the way: Would it feel the same if we never met until today / would we still say all those awful things?

After touring in his own punk and metal bands through his teens and early 20s, Andrew Jones dipped his toe in the Los Angeles songwriting scene, ultimately finding himself among a team of writers developing early ideas for Michael Jackson’s comeback album.

Following Jackson’s death, Jones reevaluated his path in music and stopped writing and performing for three years while he taught university writing and literature. Jones’ muses returned in 2010 when he quit his teaching job to immerse himself in jazz guitar studies and rekindle his relationship with music and his primary instrument.

In Berkley, Jones has found a palatable recipe for his wide range of influences and a renewed outlook on writing and performing.

As of July 10, 'Pueblo Nights' is available via Bandcamp, where the 'Pueblo' LP is available for pre-order. Set for release on September 1, it is available on CD and vinyl. The first 100 come in a random color (brown, army green, gray, or purple). It also includes exclusive audio from vintage Pueblo KDZA broadcasts and field recordings captured in Pueblo locales significant to Berkley's life. A seamless listening experience track to track, side per side - this is how Pueblo is meant to be heard.

SINGLE CREDITS
Music and lyrics by Andrew Jones aka Berkley
Berkley - vocals, guitars, keyboards, piano
Jasper Johnson - bass
Bob Cummins Jr. - piano
Ramon Muzquiz - drums, percussion
Recorded at Echo Lab in Denton, TX
Engineered, mixed, and mastered by Andrew Jones
Additional recording at Huge Planet, Nashville, TN by Jake Davis
Field recording in Pueblo, CO by Andrew Jones and Josh Knobbs “Factor”
Cover layout and design by Dan Gremminger
Single cover photo by Sean Beeman
Artist photos taken by Juli Williams


Keep up with Berkley
Website | Label website | Bandcamp | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Spotify | Apple Music | Press contact

Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | Linkedin | Email