Jaill gives update on Sub Pop debut

It’s been a while since we last checked in with Milwaukee band Jaill, so The A.V. Club decided to drop in on our local garage-pop maestros as they prep their much-anticipated Sub Pop debut. Along with enthusiastically endorsing Jaill’s new labelmates after playing with them last week at South By Southwest—including Happy Birthday, who released its self-titled Sub Pop debut last week, as well as fast-rising L.A. outfit Avi Buffalo—drummer Austin Dutmer told us that the band has recorded 15 songs with Milwaukee engineer Justin Perkins at Bay View studio The Mystery Room. Other than that, a lot is still up in the air: The album doesn’t have a title, cover art, tracklist, or firm release date, though Dutmer said “we’re aiming for mid to late summer, but it might end up being early fall.”

“We’re really thrilled,” Dutmer says of the songs, which are now in the mixing phase. “It’s a hard thing to gauge. I’m really excited about the new songs, but there’s older songs on there, too.” One of the older songs, “Everyone’s Hip,” originally appeared on an untitled 5-song EP from four years ago and was re-recorded almost as an after-thought; now, it’s one of the tracks Sub Pop is most jazzed about. “It’s curious to see what other people are excited about,” Dutmer adds. “It’s almost the opposite of what we’re excited about.”

The band is “trying to really hustle in the next two weeks” to get the album completed, at which point thoughts will likely turn to plotting supporting shows. But Jaill isn’t looking to spend too much time outside of Milwaukee. Dutmer says the band doesn’t have a booking agent or even promo photos yet—though it does have a new website—and admits he’d rather Jaill focus on making records than touring. Prolific singer-songwriter Vinnie Kircher already appears ready to head back to the studio—by the end of the year, “we’ll probably start working on the next record,” Dutmer says. “I think Vinnie already has songs ready for it.” See Jaill April 1 when it performs with The Strange Boys at Cactus Club.