We met with Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast before her show with Mitski. Michelle had a lot of fun chatting about five of her favorite albums, including Fever to Tell by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, as well as stating her love of Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac.

A side project from her work as front woman of Philadelphia indie punk band Little Big League, Michelle Zauner released a tape in June 2013 under the solo moniker Japanese Breakfast. The tape was titled June and boasted thirty tracks written and recorded every day of the month. A stark deviation from Little Big League’s guitar- based indie rock, it showcased Zauner’s dark lyrics, unique vocals and inherent knack for pop melody.

Two bedroom pop cassettes later, Japanese Breakfast returns with its first full-fledged LP and vinyl release, Psychopomp. The album explores Zauner’s experimental interests and hosts a wide range of sound: jarring anime samples, minimalist ballads, rhythms and synths reminiscent of Tango in the Night-era Fleetwood Mac paired with the moody intimacy of Mount Eerie. After the foundation of the album was built, Zauner enlisted Ned Eisenberg to coproduce and embellish the record. Eisenberg helped with the mixing and production of the album.

Japaense Breakfast favourite albums

1. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever to Tell
2. Fleetwood Mac – Rumuors
3. The Grammy Nominees – 1998 compilation
4. Built to Spill – Keep it Like a Secret
5. Carly Rae Jepsen – Emotion

JAPANESE BREAKFAST
PSYCHOPOMP
YELLOW K RECORDS

1. In Heaven
2. The Woman That Loves You
3. Rugged Country
4. Everybody Wants To Love You
5. Psychopomp
6. Jane Cum
7. Heft
8. Moon On The Bath
9. Triple 7

7/19 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry *
7/20 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall *
7/22 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern *
7/23 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz *
7/24 – Burlington, VT @ Monkey House
7/25 – Portland, ME @ SPACE Gallery *
7/26 – Providence, RI @ AS220
7/27 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg *

* w/ Mitski and Jay Som