In a few weeks, one of the best guys I’ve met will be back in London. Tall Juan’s European tour is about to start, and prior to the tour of the Summer, a new EP has been released. On tape.

My love for Tall Juan is huge. I love the way he’s totally nailed that Punk sound I absolutely adore. I love how he makes you want to start your own band. I love how he makes you want to dance, develop an horrific crush on someone to the point it ruins you. I love how he just makes music that makes you insanely happy. He’s a cross between Joey Ramone and Ritchie Valens. It’s like La Bamba meets Beat On The Brat.

The songs on the tour EP consist of 2 covers and 2 of Juan’s songs. He’s got /the brilliant ability to take you back in time and holds you there for a little while. You can imagine him writing these songs on his porch at his home in Far Rockaway. You can imagine him gazing out into the unknown, and letting these songs fall out of him.

Tall Juan is one of those singers that you HAVE to see live. He’s got this insane energy that is projected at best on stage. On record you do get a sense of the hyperactivity in his songs, but when you see it all live and right in front you, it does something to you. You take the songs in a different way, in some respects. You get that strong urgency coming through. I adore I Wish I Knew as it sounds just like Joey Ramone crooning. It’s such a gorgeous song, and I love the way in which Juan evidently loves the Ramones, and carefully weaves their influence in his music. He uses his voice in the same way Joey did- you can’t help but stop what you’re doing and give it all of your attention.

Not Enough is a brilliant ode to a failing or failed love. The way in Juan speaks about it just shows how we all deal with heartache in a different way, and there comes a time where we just need more. We shouldn’t be afraid to want more than what we have, and it’s songs like this that drag it out of us.

Break It All (Los Shakers) cover is one I’ve really enjoyed during his live shows, and it’s the one where he urges the crowd to step forward and dance. You can’t help but dance to his music (covers or not.) He can sing about the saddest of subjects but he brings this cheerfulness to it that stops you from being hurt in any way, or any more than you already are. The other cover on the tape is  I Like To Stay Home by R.Stevie Moore which is a solid favourite amongst Juan’s fans, and is yet again, a brilliant cover. If you’re going to take on a song by someone else, it’s always important to make it your own in any way possible. Juan’s one of the few who do that. His cover of I Wanna Be Your Dog is a solid example of that.

You can get all the information you need about his European tour right here: https://www.facebook.com/events/500988976752247/

After you’ve picked a show to go to, get yourself a pizza and listen to the EP (and buy it!) here: https://talljuan.bandcamp.com/album/tall-juan-taller-than-ever-tour-cassette

EP is out via Gone With The Weed.