By John Ostapowicz / The Jambar
While some may refrain from mixing blood and business, Jack and the Cadavers proves the value of family ties.
From Lisbon, Ohio, the band is made up of lead guitarist Noah Pennington, bassist Avery Pennington, rhythm guitarist Josh Pennington and drummer Aaron Bowles.
Most recently, Jack and the Cadavers released its debut album titled, “you and i” on Sept. 27. The band’s most streamed single, “who am i to you?,” is the opening track on the record.
The nine-song LP features new songs such as “just out of reach,” “reverie” and “panorama,” which combines themes of love, loss and relationships. Two previously released singles also made an appearance on the album — “who am i to you?” and “lost and found.”
Jack and the Cadavers mixes hints of rock, loud guitar tones and creative lyricism to achieve a new take on the indie genre.
All three siblings take turns on vocals, with Noah Pennington and Avery Pennington sharing the role as the band’s primary lyricists. Josh Pennington, the band’s youngest sibling, is perceived as a prodigy by both Noah Pennington and Avery Pennington, as he has played a significant role in the band’s musical writing.
“Behind a lot of the chords and the structure of the songs themselves, [Josh Pennington] has a lot of input which is nice,” Noah Pennington said.
“A lot of the time, [Josh Pennington] comes to practice and he’s like, ‘Okay guys I have something,’ and it’s a fully fleshed out song,” Avery Pennington said.
Before the official creation of Jack and the Cadavers, the Penningtons’s participated in a jam session at Birdfish Brewing Co. in Columbiana and partnered up with Bowles shortly after.
The new record was produced by Bowles at his home studio. Noah Pennington said Bowles is a crucial part in the band’s recording process.
“We recorded it all at his house with some vocal takes at my house. [Bowles] is the primary producer and mixes it all. It was a blast and a fun experience,” Noah Pennington said.
With local performances at The Wickyards, Westside Bowl and Cedars West End, Noah Pennington said it’s time for the band to travel away from the Mahoning Valley for new opportunities.
“We’re going to slow down in [Youngstown], we’ve been around here a lot,” Noah Pennington said. “Kind of spreading our wings a little bit, maybe a little tour here next summer.”
Although the band has been busy with live performances, Avery Pennington said the band has musically benefited from the hard work that goes into the shows.
“Playing the live shows has been really good for us because it has really helped us work out these songs as we’re playing them,” Avery Pennington said.
Jack and the Cadavers music is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music.