Meet Jeanines

Alicia Jeanine and Jed Smith sling out charming tunes like that vending machine from Maximum Overdrive slung out cans of soda. As Jeanines they have one foot in the past and another in the now times. What results is a terrific jangly sound. High treble, high energy, and just a little bit melancholy there is a lot to take in.

Step along with us as we chat with the band about their 2019 album, hair, and drinking! It’s all down below.

A Man of Many Things A Mad-Lib by, Jeanines

Once apon a time, there SWAMED in SAN FRANCISCO a man named SAMPLE. He was the CREATIVE guy. He could CREATE the night away. but then one day he got into an accident and lost the ability to CREATE ever again. He was SAMPLING when it happened. A CEVICHE came out of nowhere and SMELLED him. He was in OUTER SPACE for SEVENTEEN months to recover. Then he went to EL FARALITO to become the first ever SPARK. But after FOUR weeks he was fired. He met NO ONE. They then got married. LOOK I'M STICKING WITH THREE JUST LET IT GO later they adopted ACTUALLY FOUR IS LOOKING PRETTY GOOD NOW kids.

Would You Rather

be able to grow your hair at will or your fingernails? What would you do?

AJ: neither--my hair already grows pretty fast and haircuts are expensive. and i like my nails short!

Some questions with Jeanines

What has it been like playing live with the songs of your self titled June 2019 album?

AJ: it's been fun!

JS: It's been fun but I play them too fast

Have you noticed any changes happening in the songs organically with more live performances?

AJ: there are a couple songs i do slightly different vocal melody things with live than on the record. it's nice to keep it fresh.

JS: They're faster

What is your favorite movie musical number?

AJ: I don't really watch musicals, but the songs in The Sound of Music are pretty great. also have a soft spot for Josie and the Pussycats. JS: Also not a fan of musicals but I watched The Sound Of Music for the first time last year and that was fantastic. I'd go with "Edelweiss"

What is one song you would love to cover, and why?

AJ: all three songs on Tobin Sprout's difficult-to-find EP Popstram, because they're perfect, and i think we could add some Jeanines flare with Jed's and my vocals.

JS: I'd love to do the Tobin Sprout thing and I'd also love to do a Tall Dwarfs cover

What is your go-to drink to get from a bar?

AJ: fruity or frozen cocktails if they have 'em, otherwise vodka soda or rum and diet coke.

JS: Either a margarita or a vodka cranberry or a rum and diet. Actually my favorite cocktail is a Cosmopolitan.

Who are your favorite bands active in NYC right now?

AJ: thanks for coming, Kevin Hairs

JS: Can't pick a fave but Kevin Hairs is great, Holy Tunics, uh jeeze there are a lot sorry

Have you ever had a supernatural experience?

AJ: no

JS: Yes. I was staying at my grandparents' house (they'd already moved) for a summer with my then girlfriend on an island and working for a car service though it was more of a van and I went to pick my girlfriend up at her work and when we came back like 10 minutes later, all the chairs in the living room had been stacked up on top of each other and placed directly behind the door so when I opened the door up they were right in front of me. No one else was living there, my grandparents had already moved to a retirement community near my parents in Western Mass, and in fact, my grandmother had died recently. Both of the nearest house were also empty and there house was on a brackish pond that fed into the sound. So that was pretty spooky.

What brought you to making music together?

AJ: We used to date, and I was going through a stressful time in my life several years back and decided to pick the guitar back up, after learning a few chords back in high school. I didn't think I could write songs, but Jed really encouraged me to try, and it turns out I can! After a while, we decided to start a band together.

JS: Alicia really wanted to write songs but didn't think she could, but I kept on telling her she just had to do it and not think about it and she did and they were good almost right away.

Many of your lyrics deal with the passage of time and romantic angst. What do you find most compelling about these themes?

AJ: Time is super weird and disconcerting. Sometimes it seems to move so slowly and other times so fast, and sometimes both at once. I've also always been upset by the concept of death and mortality.

JS: Our perception of time is probably the best evidence we have that this is a simulation.... or not. Death could use a few tweaks.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

Nope

Jeanines