Judah Johnson

Detroit natives Judah Johnson acquiesce with their own naturalness as a band, not entirely consumed with some of the Motor City's finest. They're content with making music for themselves, which combines sludgy space rock elements with slight jazz influences for an alluring indie rock soundscape similar to the likes of Elliott Smith, Sparklehorse, and Pedro the Lion. Formed in 1999, Nate Cavalieri (keyboards), Daniel Johnson (vocals, guitar), Brian Pierson (guitar), Zach Roberts (bass), and Charlie Koltak (drums) all came from different sides of the tracks with various musical tastes and backgrounds. By summer 2000, they had a working relationship with songwriter/producer Don Dixon (the Smithereens, R.E.M., the Golden Palominos), and Judah Johnson prepped their homespun distinctness for gigs in and around the Midwest. A self-titled debut EP was issued on Flameshovel Recordings the following spring. Several months later, Pierson left the band to finish his education. Cavalieri and Roberts followed suit in spring 2002 for other projects. Keyboardist Steve Nistor and bass player Rodrigo Palma were added to the band, and Judah Johnson was back in the studio by summer; released in early 2003, Kisses and Interrogation was the fruit of those sessions. Judah Johnson's third album, the more direct and confident Be Where I Be, followed in August 2006. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide