Presents Author Unknown

Before the recording of Presents Author Unknown, Falkner was the lead guitarist for the San Francisco-based power pop band, Jellyfish. He left the group shortly after the promotional tour for the group's 1990 debut, Bellybutton, due to a lack of promised songwriting credits and lead vocals on the group's songs. After quitting, Falkner reluctantly joined the band The Grays. The group released one record, entitled Ro Sham Bo, in 1994. The band split due to the album's unsuccessful commercial performance. Due to Falkner's previous experiences with bands and his desire to have complete control of his music, he plays nearly all of the instruments on his debut album. The album was recorded over a two-and-a-half month period in the winter of 1995 at Madhatter Studios.{{Cite news |last=Moon |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Moon |date=August 11, 1996 |title=Lyrical, lush orch-pop talks back to grunge |pages=K1, K6 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |type=Arts & Entertainment}}{{Cite AV media notes |title=Presents Author Unknown |year=1996 |type=booklet |publisher=Elektra Records |id=61941-2}}

The album was released on August 13, 1996 on Elektra Entertainment. The album was supported with singles for the songs “I Live”,[https://www.discogs.com/Jason-Falkner-I-Live/master/1116586 I Live] at Discogs (list of releases). Retrieved September 6, 2018. “Miracle Medicine”,[https://www.discogs.com/Jason-Falkner-Miracle-Medicine/release/1164527 Miracle Medicine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616064725/https://www.discogs.com/Jason-Falkner-Miracle-Medicine/release/1164527 |date=June 16, 2018 }} at Discogs (list of releases). Retrieved September 6, 2018 and “Follow Me”.[https://www.discogs.com/Jason-Falkner-Follow-Me/master/560670 Follow Me] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616030148/https://www.discogs.com/Jason-Falkner-Follow-Me/master/560670 |date=June 16, 2018 }} at Discogs (list of releases). Retrieved September 6, 2018 No music videos were released in support of the album.

In an article for HuffPost, writer Tony Sachs describes the album's sound as combining “classic ‘60s songcraft, elements of ‘70s glam-rock, and the new-wave sheen of the ‘80s” while “sounding completely contemporary.”

The album opens with the song “I Live” which Matthew Greenwald of AllMusic describes as “a cross between a mid-'70s Raspberries-like power pop sheen and a modernist approach.” The song is an “emotionally direct love song” that uses a descending melody for the chorus. Greenwald called the track “one of his finest, hook-laden rockers” and “one of the great pop moments of the 1990s.”{{cite web|last=Greenwald|first=Matthew|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/i-live-mt0007311790|title=I Live: Song Review by Matthew Greenwald|work=AllMusic|publisher=Rovi Corporation|accessdate=September 15, 2018|date=n.d.|archive-date=September 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916060340/https://www.allmusic.com/song/i-live-mt0007311790|url-status=live}}

After the tracks “Miracle Medicine” and “Hectified”, the album continues with the song “Don’t Show Me Heaven” that has been described as using “a comfortable, mid-tempo, power pop melodic base” and “an almost tribal, psychedelic rhythm and series of hooks” to create “an ominous atmosphere that is inescapable.” The song utilizes “ambient sounds, some classical piano flourishes, and an almost Pete Townshend-inspired chord progression” which creates what has been described as “a monolith of sound”. The song's lyrical composition has been interpreted to be about love, with flourishes of mortality and reincarnation.{{cite web|last=Greenwald|first=Matthew|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/dont-show-me-heaven-mt0007488466|title=Don't Show Me Heaven: Song Review by Matthew Greenwald|work=AllMusic|publisher=Rovi Corporation|accessdate=September 15, 2018|date=n.d.|archive-date=September 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916060332/https://www.allmusic.com/song/dont-show-me-heaven-mt0007488466|url-status=live}}

The song “Before My Heart Attacks” has been described as a mix between “pop, folk, and classical”. It has been compared to the early work of Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson. The lyrics pertain to isolation which is juxtaposed by the song's “subdued yet powerful string arrangement”.{{cite web|last=Greenwald|first=Matthew|url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/before-my-heart-attacks-mt0007291284|title=Before My Heart Attacks: Song Review by Matthew Greenwald|work=AllMusic|publisher=Rovi Corporation|accessdate=September 15, 2018|date=n.d.|archive-date=September 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916060313/https://www.allmusic.com/song/before-my-heart-attacks-mt0007291284|url-status=live}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Chrispell|first=James|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/presents-author-unknown-mw0000185904|title=Presents Author Unknown|work=AllMusic|publisher=Rovi Corporation|accessdate=September 15, 2018|date=n.d.|archive-date=September 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916060326/https://www.allmusic.com/album/presents-author-unknown-mw0000185904|url-status=live}}

| rev2 = The Austin Chronicle

| rev2Score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}{{cite web|last=LaBernz|first=Mindy|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/1996-12-27/525900/|title=Presents Author Unknown|work=The Austin Chronicle|accessdate=September 6, 2018|date=December 27, 1996|archive-date=November 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118135644/https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/1996-12-27/525900/|url-status=live}}

| rev3 = The Boston Phoenix

| rev3score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{Cite journal |last=Thorn |first=Craig |date=October 25, 1996 |title=Off The Record |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_boston-phoenix_october-25-31-1996_25_4/page/44 |journal=The Boston Phoenix |language=English |volume=25 |issue=4 |page=44 |access-date=December 21, 2023 |via=WayBack Machine}}

| rev4 = Chicago Tribune

| rev4score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite web|last=Webber|first=Brad|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-01-03/entertainment/9701030342_1_robyn-hitchcock-presents-verve|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619035817/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-01-03/entertainment/9701030342_1_robyn-hitchcock-presents-verve|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 19, 2018|title=Presents Author Unknown|work=Chicago Tribune|accessdate=September 6, 2018|date=January 3, 1997}}

| rev5 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book|editor-last=Larkin|editor-first=Colin|editor-link=Colin Larkin|title=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2006|publisher=MUZE |volume=3 |edition=4th|isbn=978-0-19-531373-4|title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music |page=376}}

| rev6 = Mojo

| rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite magazine |last=Doyle |first=Tom |date=November 2022 |title=Oceans Apart |url=https://archive.org/details/mojo-november-2022/page/68 |magazine=Mojo |issue=348 |publisher=Bauer Media Group |page=68 |via=Internet Archive}}

| rev7 = MusicHound Rock

| rev7score = {{rating|4.5|5}}{{cite book |last=Isabella |first=Michael |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |date=1999 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |isbn=1-57859-061-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/410 411] |chapter=Jason Falkner}}

| rev8 = Uncut

| rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}{{Cite magazine |last=Hughes |first=Rob |date=December 2000 |title=Jason Falkner: Presents Author Unknown |url= |magazine=Uncut |publisher=IPC |issue=43 |page=93 |via=}}

| noprose = yes

}}

The album has received critical acclaim from contemporary music critics. Mindy Labernz of The Austin Chronicle described the album as "melodious, harmony-laden, and sumptuously produced." She continues by stating that, "His songs are not sanitized by their own perfection, nor do they bury emotions under layers of puns and fictions." To summarize, she says that "Falkner struggles not to make things too familiar. When he wants to seduce the listener, though, as on the wrenching "She Goes to Bed," he is epic. So is much of this album." Brad Webber of the Chicago Tribune, states that Presents Author Unknown "harks to the days when albums were packed with great songs rather than one hit and filler." He continues by saying that "he also takes on a multitude of styles -- neopsychedelia to the near-psychotic." He finishes by saying the album "squarely establishes him as a one-man pop combo with great verve."

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Tim Sendra wrote, “Writing, producing, singing, and playing nearly everything except the occasional guitar overdub (and strings), Jason has released a one-man pop tour de force. Hooks abound and won't let you down. The more you listen, the more you'll find yourself humming along. Standout tracks include "I Go Astray" and "Don't Show Me Heaven," but all are worthy of a listen. It's good ol' pop music. Better still, it's good music.”

Despite the album’s critical success, Author Unknown was a commercial disappointment.{{cite web|author=Michael Hann|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2012/mar/29/old-music-jason-falkner-miracle-medicine|title=Old music: Jason Falkner - Miracle Medicine|work=The Guardian|accessdate=July 14, 2018|date=March 29, 2012}}{{Cite news |last=Wener |first=Ben |date=June 3, 1997 |title={{sp}}'Author Unknown' still laboring in obscurity |page=36 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |type=originally published in the Orange County Register}} By May 1997, the album had only sold 6,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.{{Cite web |last=Roos |first=John |date=1997-05-30 |title=Sound, No Fury When Falkner Works Alone |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-30-ca-63790-story.html |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |archive-date=December 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221182731/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-30-ca-63790-story.html |url-status=live }} Falkner has attributed this to a lack of proper promotion on behalf of his label, Elektra.{{cite web|author=Gary Knight|url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/jason_falkner_interview_072007/|title=Jason Falkner: Can You Hear Me Now? (interview)|work=Under the Radar Magazine|accessdate=July 14, 2018|date=July 2, 2007|archive-date=July 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715093710/http://www.undertheradarmag.com/interviews/jason_falkner_interview_072007/|url-status=live}} The label did not provide Falkner with a band to tour in promotion of the album.{{cite web|author=Tony Sachs|url=https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/604062|title=

Author (Still) Unknown: The Brilliant Music and Star-Crossed Career of Jason Falkner|work=The Huffington Post|accessdate=July 14, 2018|date=June 8, 2010}} In an article for The Guardian, Michael Hann argued that the album’s lack of success was due to the fact that Falkner was “...too pretty to be a proper rocker, too tough to be pop, too eccentric for the jocks, too straightforward for the arty people.” After an attempt to be dropped by the label, Falkner was convinced to stay. Falkner eventually left the label after the release of his sophomore follow-up, Can You Still Feel?.

All songs written and composed by Jason Falkner.

{{tracklist

| headline =

| title1 = I Live

| length1 = 3:11

| title2 = Miracle Medicine

| length2 = 3:26

| title3 = Hectified

| length3 = 2:44

| title4 = Don’t Show Me Heaven

| length4 = 4:15

| title5 = She Goes to Bed

| length5 = 4:16

| title6 = Nobody Knows

| length6 = 4:06

| title7 = Follow Me

| length7 = 4:07

| writer7 =

| title8 = Before My Heart Attacks

| length8 = 3:43

| title9 = Afraid Himself to Be

| length9 = 3:41

| title10 = Miss Understanding

| length10 = 2:58

| title11 = I Go Astray

| length11 = 3:49

| title12 = Untitled

| length12 = 4:02

| total_length = 44:17

}}

Personnel per liner notes.

• Jason Falkner — vocals, instruments, string arrangements, mixing (tracks: 2, 4, 6 to 12), production
• Alain Johannes — guitar on “Miracle Medicine”
• Charlie Barnett — string arrangements
• Jack Joseph Puig — mixing (tracks: 1 and 4, assisted by Jack Champagne)
• Jim Ebert — mixing (tracks: 2, 4, 6 to 12)
• Arthur Smilios — mixing on “Hectified” (assisted by Doug Trantrow and Steve Fitzmaurice)
• Andrea Byers, David Stone, David Strenske, Larry Corbett, Nancy Roth, Norman Hughes, Peter Kent, Scott Haupert, and Suzie Katayama — string accompaniment

{{Reflist}}

• {{discogs master|master=581816|name=Presents Author Unknown|type=album}}

{{Jason Falkner}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1996 debut albums

Category:Jason Falkner albums