Bastards Of Prog, the debut album from Jesse Krakow's KRAKHOUSE, is comprised of eighty four lo-fi/ high-IQ absurdist experimental-comedy songs. Divided into three acts, it consists of original compositions by Krakow, with additional collaborations between he and Dot Wiggin-Semprini of The Shaggs, plus covers of songs by Captain Beefheart, Sisqo, and Alan Smithee.

As the title suggests, it’s a celebration and a deconstruction of what people have come to know and love (and/or hate) about the genre. Krakow says “All the cliches about “prog” being pretentious, absurd, bloated and self-consciously “far out” are valid, but if we apply those same measuring sticks to other art forms then ANYTHING can be “prog”, no matter how it sounds, looks like or tastes. Progress is about moving beyond one’s limitations, and in my opinion the people who do so don’t (just) play “prog”, they play music, they play sports, or they play the role of best supporting actress. Whatever it is that they do, they bastardize the medium of their choice.”

Inspired by “Weird Al”, The Mothers Of Invention, Minutemen, Ween, professional wrestling, four-track cassette recorders, WFMU, Andy Kaufman & The Muppets, the music is often silly, the songs often short. The adult language and subject matter are matched by adolescent humor, which are both enhanced by the raw, DIY production. Yet in Krakow’s mind, the comedy, brevity, and sonic fidelity shouldn’t distract the listener from the seriousness of the musicianship or the ambitousness of the arrangements.

“Much like words “iconic” and “literally””, he says, “the word “epic” has been bastardized to where it doesn’t mean anything anymore. It’s just something people say when they’re sick of going “that’s awesome” (“This salad is epic.”) As such, a thirty-minute song about overwhelming lonliness and a thirty-second song about uncontrollable flatulence are equally “epic”, even if one was recorded at Carnegie Hall by a symphony orchestra and the other was recorded in a sleeping bag on an out-of-tune ukelele. Both of them can be extremely moving – and “proggy” - especially if you listen to them back to back. One of them might be unintentionally distorted, but that’s where the differences end. They’re exactly the same. That’s where it starts getting fun.”

And that’s what Bastards of Prog is. Two and a half hours of avant-fun.

The album features guest performances from Eric Slick (Dr Dog), Southern California cult heroes The Crazy Muchachos, chamber outfit l’ensemble des fromages, The Gregory Elementary Jazz Band, and Krakow’s two young sons. It addition, it contains over 100 pages of lyrics, thesis statements, Top Ten lists, and a chapter from his upcoming novel.

Jesse Krakow is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, sideman and music director. He was a founding member of the NYC experimental rock band Time of Orchids, a touring bassist for Shudder to Think, guitarist for The Shaggs, and Professor at Bootsy Collins’ Funk University. He was awarded a Fellowship from The Brooklyn Philharmonic, hosted the weekly radio show “Minor Music” on WFMU, and created the “Fuck This Gig” podcast. He has worked with Ruins, Fast ‘n Bulbous, Doctor Nerve, PAK, John Zorn, Kate Pierson, Nona Hendryx, Nina Persson, Jello Biafra, Paul Rudd, Julee Cruise, Gilbert Gottfried, Roddy Bottum, R Stevie Moore, Chris Butler, The Losers Lounge, and the all-male Madonna tribute MANDONNA.

Bastards of Prog press release