#jimshepard

Jim Shepard, Heavy Action (ever/never, 2019)

Of the spectrum of human experiences that get told through art, I find awkwardness to be the most interesting. It’s way more common than heartache, yet we seem to understand it less.

That’s the secret ingredient in this collection of odds and ends by the enigmatic Ohio underground legend, the late Jim Shepard. Heavy Action compiles never-before-heard material from live shows and private recording sessions, but also voicemails, interviews and snippets of home experiments (and a whole 12” is dedicated to tributes to Shepard by close friends and collaborators - which sounds lame but I assure you it’s great).

The vein Shepard tapped in was so overflowing with self expression, art was constantly pouring out of him: sound collages, folk ballads, hardcore ragers, poetry—everything was committed to tape and spread tumultously, in disregard of the laws of music business. His band V-3, arguably the pinnacle of his production, shines on this record with a bunch of impressive, noisy and powerful live cuts that provide a stark contrast from his sweet and angsty solo output. He dreamt of becoming a cult figure, like Lou Reed in the early 70s. But a special awkwardness spurts from his lyrics: he couldn’t project a persona like Lou did.

That’s why I don’t just listen to Jim Shepard - even though nobody in their right mind could deny the beauty of songs like “One Percent of Nothing”, “Come Carry Me Down” or “Forever Lowman” (especially of a live version so visceral like the one included here) - I empathize with the guy. I smile benevolently at “Star Power”. I feel him pouring his soul out playing Bob Dylan’s “Baby Blue”. I cry at Charles Cicirella’s poem about his death. I get nostalgic reading Tom Lax’s captivating liner notes.

So, this triple record is really worth buying for several reasons: the music is top notch, the curation is seamless, the photos are beautiful and the booklet is an unmissable slice of underground music history. And most importantly you’ll make a friend. He’s a bit of a jerk and you’ll need to keep his ego in check, but you won’t regret meeting Jim.

Click here to listen to Heavy Action on Bandcamp.