Weirdo New Zealand smooth-rocker Connan Mockasin has been pretty quiet since 2016’s Soft Hair, his collaborative album with Sam Dust, though he’s popped up from time to time with friends like Mac DeMarco, Kirin J. Callinan, and MGMT. Today, we learn else what he’s been up to: A new album titled Jassbusters and an accompanying film fleshing out a concept about a band made up of music teachers. First single “Con Conn Is Impatient” arrives with a video clip from the film, Bostyn ’n Dobsyn, starring Mockasin as music teacher Dobsyn and his friend Blake Pryor as music student Bostyn, both in bad wigs. The film is intended to be viewed ahead of the album, which arrives October 12 from Mexican Summer.
According to press materials, Jassbusters was recorded in one week in August 2016 at Studios Ferber in Paris. Bostyn ‘n Dobsyn was filmed in 10 days in Los Angeles in July 2016 and supposedly “took 20 years to develop,” though those familiar with Mockasin and his artistic associates may hesitate to accept such facts at face value—all part of their surreal left-field appeal.
Jassbusters follows up Mockasin’s most recent solo record, 2013’s strange and enjoyable Caramel. Check out the ultra-mellow “Con Conn Was Impatient,” Jassbusters’ artwork and track list, and Mockasin’s upcoming international tour dates (“Connan Mockasin presents Bostyn ’n Dobsyn with Jassbusters”) below.
