Jon recently had the privilege of hanging out with Jack Rabid of Big Takeover Magazine and talking about some of his favorite artists, performing some live stripped-down versions of songs off the soon-to-be UK-released Wolf In Preacher’s Clothes, and digging into the archives to hear some of his past projects (Aarktica, Pale Horse and Rider, and even the elusive Dead Leaves Rising!).

Listen to the complete program on BreakThru Radio here.

Saturday, August 25th
Jon DeRosa
Joe’s Pub
425 Lafayette Street, NYC

Celebrating the vinyl LP release of A Wolf In Preacher’s Clothes and performing for the first time with his FULL orchestra!

Performance at 9:45 PM sharp. With Kris Gruen (9 PM).

Advance tickets are strongly suggested and can be purchased through the Joe’s Pub website
here.

Jon had the chance to sit down with Tim Hinley of the great Dagger Zine to talk about growing up like a Lost Boy on the New Jersey Shore, heading to homeroom straight from the Limelight, Aarktica & Dead Leaves Rising, and going solo on the new album.

Read the interview here.

Also, one of our favorite music writers Dave Heaton gives A Wolf In Preacher’s Clothes 8 out of 10 in PopMatters in one of the album’s most insightful reviews yet:

…A Wolf in Preacher’s Clothes has cover art that’s somewhat reminiscent of the cover art for Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely (1959), and is a sophisticated pop record with strings and piano and more of a crooner’s vocal style than on DeRosa’s previous works. Really though, the Danzig and the post-punk and goth and ambient influences are all here still, just smoothed over into something which often resembles a late-night, cocktail-drinker’s moment of bittersweet reflection..

Read the full review at PopMatters here.

The official video for “True Men” off of A Wolf In Preacher’s Clothes, filmed at the historic Strand Theatre in Lakewood, NJ with additional footage from Asbury Park Boardwalk, NJ.

Recently, I visited BTR at Serious Business Studio to run through a few songs from A Wolf… with Matt and Lorraine and talk a bit about the new album. Thanks to Travis, Jeremiah, Maia, and all the crew at BTR for putting this together.

Watch the performance below, or check it out on the BTR site here.

As if praise from Jack Rabid at Big Takeover last week wasn’t enough, this week the great Tim Hinley (of the beloved and long-running Dagger) gives A Wolf… 9 out of 10 stars. Check out the full review below or at Blurt Online here.

Jon DeRosa
A Wolf In Preacher’s Clothes

I recently had told a friend, who knows DeRosa, that the guy looks like Danzig, to which my pal laughed and said he needed to tell him (he also referred to him as “a real solid dude, a great guy”). As it turns out, DeRosa was born in Lodi, NJ, where Danzig began The Misfits, but was raised in the Jersey Shore town of Manasquan (being a Jersey Shore guy myself, Ocean City, N.J., I surfed there once). I had heard DeRosa’s more ambient project, Aarktica, and wasn’t completely impressed (also, Pale Horse and Rider, another one of his musical projects) but upon hearing his Anchor ep from last year, I spotted some serious talent – also good taste, as he covered The Chills’ “Submarine Bells” – which leads me to believe that I should revisit some of those Aarktica records. One thing is for sure: DeRosa needs to release more records under his own name. So far he’s batting .1000!

On the opening cut, “Birds of Brooklyn” you’re immediately struck by the smoothness of his deep voice; think Scott Walker, Leonard Cohen and, to a certain extent, Nick Cave. The intriguing melody and swooping orchestration bring home a winner. Same with the stunning “True Men” in which DeRosa namechecks both Robert Mitchum and William Holden amidst a swirling backdrop of crying strings. “Teenage Goths” kicks the tempo up into 3rd gear with a choppy, start/stop cut that melds into a dancing melody (same with “Who Decides?”), while “Easter Parade” gives it the neatly-trimmed tag of chamber-pop with DeRosa’s croon in full effect. And on “Ladies in Love,” well, there won’t be a dry eye in the house by the song’s end.

If anyone’s listening, this will end up on several best of 2012 lists – including my own. – Tim Hinley/Blurt

A Wolf In Preacher’s Clothes will be released on vinyl LP on May 29th! First edition is a very limited run of 200. Pre-order your copy now at Mother West.

Release show/party in NYC on June 3rd. Details to follow…

We’ve been reading Big Takeover since the 8th grade, and still respect it as one of the only music magazines around that matter. Jack Rabid himself penned the following words about A Wolf… for the Spring issue.

Jon DeRosa
A Wolf In Preacher’s Clothes

“If you want reviews in Big Takeover, your chances improve mentioning The Chameleons in your bio. First you have to know who they were; and those that value them tend to make artistic, pretty music. Even if his promo’s Scott Walker reference is more helpful to unlock dapper DeRosa’s locker (like 1969’s Scott 3 and 4), with a spin of a Divine Comedy, Amanda Brown-era Go-Betweens, or 1984 Julian Cope combination,
this holds true for A Wolf. I.e., it’s unlike the singer/songwriter’s significant catalog with darkwave stalwarts Dead Leaves Rising and atmospheric guitar dronesters Aarktica. Light, fluffy strings are constant highlights, as are chamber pop, piano-lit quiet spaces, ’40s moody lounge ambiance, and DeRosa’s romantic crooning. An orchestral pop nod to Eric Matthews’s trumpet fanfares on the opening “Birds of Brooklyn” is also salutary. Sit, relax, nip a highball, and… listen.

Monday, April 9th
Jon DeRosa LIVE
A Wolf In Preacher’s Clothes Album Release Show
Rockwood Music Hall (196 Allen Street @ Houston) NYC
Set time is 9 PM SHARP

Also, be sure to tune into East Village Radio at 1 PM that afternoon (April 9th) to hear Jon and his band play songs off the new album live in the studio.

Visit the Music portion of this site to stream advance songs from A Wolf In Preacher’s Clothes!

Read the full review here.

Aarktica leader Jon DeRosa steps up with a limited edition four-song EP influenced by Robert Wyatt, and the Blue Nile’s Paul Buchanan with hints of Spiritualized and Echo and The Bunnymen. The title cut unfolds at a heroic saunter, the melody haunting, uplifting, enigmatic. Joined by percussionist Sam Lazzara, whose presence is as integral to “Snow Coffin” as DeRosa’s own, plus cellist Julia Kent, violinist Claudia Chopek and several other players, Anchored never wavers from excellence. Some never write four songs of consequence in their entire careers; DeRosa has delivered that many in one sitting. The Nick Drake-cum-Scott Walker “Ladies In Love” suggests we have plenty to look forward to once DeRosa releases his first solo full length album later this year. – Jedd Beaudoin, PopMatters