Review: J Marinelli’s Pre-emptive Skankery Sessions

By Jackson Cofer

As I start this review I would first like to beg forgiveness. NoC editor Danny Mayer brought J Marinelli’s latest vinyl release to my very doorstep in the depths of winter and though I have heavily rotated it for months now, I have selfishly kept this treasure trove my dirty little secret. Not dirty as in “guilty pleasure,” but dirty as in “J Marinelli, you’re a dirty, dirty boy.” Pre-emptive Skankery Sessions sounds like, feels like and smells like real rock and roll. J’s style seamlessly rolls elements of soul, punk and rock-a-billy into one cohesive sound that is uniquely his. Raw and original, this album is a sincere depiction of how gritty rock and roll can and (in my opinion) should be.

You can see the dust fly off the kick in “Weak Enuff.” You’ll check the ridges in your record for little flecks of dirt on “The Ballad of Eddie Freedom.” You’ll even ask yourself, “Did I shower today?” as you groove to (it can’t be helped) “Pop Bottle Pete and Beercan Bud.” J’s lyrical sentiments in “Last Year’s Party” find me swaying in an empty room, drinking my last Modelo Especial, and matching my best yodel against his. Not surprisingly, I always lose.

I have seen J perform here in Lexington at least 5 times, which isn’t nearly enough as the man lives and works here in Lexington, and he jumps at almost every opportunity to perform. A transplant from West Virginia, J has been spreading his sound through touring and album releases for the past decade. One-man band performers from all over the country absolutely revere this man and when you meet him you get a genuine smile and a very real appreciation for his listeners.

Lexington has some really amazing local music. And since the first time I heard “Telephone Teeth” (not found on this album) on a youtube video years ago, J hasn’t moved from my top 3. If you’re into lo-fi, electric soul with break-beat swagger and the kind of nonchalance that is earned by years of playing all of your instruments at once, then not only do you owe it to yourself to see him perform live, but you should be supporting his music through the purchase of this incredible album. Pre-emptive Skankery Sessions may well have been the best new album to come out of Lexington in 2010.