Songstress Jessie Kilguss, a name whispered with reverence in deep-cut New York songwriting circles, has released her new album 'They Have A Howard Johnson's There'. Never one to shy away from the cinematic or the deeply literary, on this sixth album, she drives her classic vintage automobile straight into the heart of American mythology, albeit with European art-house sensibility.
Kilguss isn't just making music; she's collecting fragments of the past and stitching them into a luminous, deeply felt present. This album is a powerful collection that's steeped in sweet nostalgia, divine inspiration and sophistication. A masterclass in mood, this is a sonic exploration where poetic introspection and light-filled melodies intersect with folk-laced resignation.
The near-title track, 'Howard Johnson's', is a stroke of lyrical genius—a beautiful, melancholic tribute to her late father, Howard, name-checked in a surreal line by Al Pacino in the movie 'Dog Day Afternoon' ("I’ll charter a plane to Algeria. They have a Howard Johnson’s there"). The whole project is defined by a clever, layered nostalgia, as reflected in the era-inspired video by Deborah Magocsi. Kilguss crafts a sonic space that’s both intimately personal and universally resonant, proving that sometimes, the greatest stories can be found in the most unlikely places.
"This is a collection of songs I’ve written over the past few years, most being inspired, at least in part, by a book (Elena Ferrante’s 'The Lost Daughter & Neapolitan Quartet'), a movie ('Dog Day Afternoon') or a work of art ('The Ecstasy of St Teresa'). The title comes from a line in the song 'Howard Johnson’s', which is a roundabout tribute to my father Howard, who passed away in 2023," says Jessie Kilguss.
Charlie Nieland (Debbie Harry, Rufus Wainwright, Blondie, Scissor Sisters), who engineered, produced, mixed and mastered this album at Saturation Point Studios in Brooklyn, brings a nuanced touch, building from a simple guitar and voice into something far grander.
Kilguss says, "I’ve been working on this album for the past year with producer Charlie Nieland, with whom I have been collaborating since 2007. We started every track with just voice and guitar and built them out from there. Previously, I’ve always gone into the studio with my band to record. This was an interesting way to work as we deconstructed each song and then put them back together.."
This album also involves heavy-hitters like Kirk Schoenherr (Tegan and Sara, Elle King, Chet Faker), John Kengla (David Byrne, Ben Kweller, Serena Ryder), Andrea Longato (Duncan Sheik, Jeremy Jordan), Rob Heath (Madison Square Gardeners, Julia Nunes), Dave Derby (The Dambuilders, Gramercy Arms, Lloyd Cole) and Rembert Block (Rembert and the Basic Goodness).
'St. Teresa in Ecstasy' (and its beautiful video, created by Alex Dar) is a divine, slow-burn revelation, inspired by Bernini's dramatic sculpture and the dizzying feeling of being utterly overwhelmed by art or even something celestial. understands the power of great moments, and this song is pure, dramatic and full of radiant harmonics. 'Fool's Fight'rounds out an album that flows seamlessly.
A fine cartographer of this emotional landscape, Kilguss is a former actress who cut her teeth working with titans like Daniel Day Lewis and Winona Ryder on 'The Crucible', as well as Marianne Faithfull and Mary Margaret O'Hara in the Tom Waits / William Burroughs musical 'The Black Rider',
Apart from her own music, Kilguss also sings with Gramercy Arms, the Loser’s Lounge, Jim Andralis and the Syntonics and Benjamin Cartel. She has performed at the Sundance Film Festival and with Freddie Stevenson, touring with The Waterboys' for their European tour. In summer 2025, Kilguss was an artist in residence at Fish Factory Creative Center in Stodvarfjordur, Iceland.
Kilguss' 2022 album 'What Do Whales Dream About at Night?' LP features drummer Brian Griffin (Patti Smith, Brandi Carlisle, Lana Del Rey), bassist Whynot Jansveld (The Wallflowers), composer-producer Naren Rauch, and Nathan Schram (Bjork, David Crosby, David Byrne), with whom Kilguss ran the non-profit organization Musicambia.
'They Have A Howard Johnson's There' is out everywhere digitally, including Apple Music, Spotify and Bandcamp.
ALBUM CREDITS
All songs written by Jessie Kilguss, except 'Jesus Was a Crossmaker' (written by Judee Sill)
Produced, engineered, mixed & mastered by Charlie Nieland at Saturation Point Studios, Brooklyn
Jessie Kilguss - vocals, arrangement
John Kengla – guitar, bass, keys on Howard Johnson’s, Fool’s Fight, Lost Causes, Jesus Was a Cross Maker
Kirk Schoenherr – guitar and keys on Chasing Down a Ghost and St Teresa in Ecstasy
Andrea Longato – guitar on St Teresa in Ecstasy
Rob Heath – Drums and percussion
Rembert Block – Backing vocals on Fool’s Fight, Chasing Down a Ghost and Lost Causes
Dave Derby - Backing vocals on Howard Johnson’s
Charlie Nieland – bass, violin bow guitar and keys on St Teresa in Ecstasy, Fool's Fight and Lost Causes, backing vocals on Howard Johnson’s
Single cover photo by Shervin Lainez
Video by Deborah Magocsi
Graphic design by Scott MX Turner
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
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