User:SkrymSay/Block (musician)

Jamie Block, more commonly known by the alias Block, is a New York City-based musician, known for being a prominent member of New York's anti-folk movement.

Early Career
Block grew up on Long Island, New York. He went to college to study English in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, but relocated to New York City, where he began his music career as a subway busker. In 1996, Block self-released his debut album, Lead Me Not Into Penn Station, which was well-received by critics. In reviewing the album, Laurel Bowman of Alternative Press wrote that Block "practices the alchemy of melodious discord: pretty enough to draw you in, rough enough to keep you listening." The CD included CD-ROM content, including video clips, song lyrics, photos and a New York City guide. Block released a music video for the album song "Rhinoceros," which was broadcast on cable network MTV2.

Timing Is Everything
The positive reception for Penn Station helped Block book tours opening for The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Bob Mould, and They Might Be Giants, garnering notice from producer Glen Ballard. In 1998, Ballard, (known for co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's album Jagged Little Pill) started the Capitol Records imprint Java, and chose Block to be the first signed artist. Java released Block's sophomore album, Timing is Everything, on October 6, 1998. The album was generally very well received by critics, with Karen Iris Tucker of Time Out New York calling the album "stellar" and Matthew S. Robinson of The Boston Globe stating that the album is "tight, important and definitely well-timed." Following the album's release, Block toured with a full band, including Mark Hutchins on drums and John Abbey on bass.

Several songs from the album appeared in feature films. "Rhinoceros" was featured in the 1999 romantic comedy Blast from the Past, "I Used to Manage PM Dawn" was featured in the 1999 Mary Lambert film Clubland, and Block's cover of the Perry Como song "Catch a Falling Star" was used in the opening credits for the 1999 romantic comedy Never Been Kissed.

Departure and Reemergence
Despite being well received critically, the album did not sell as much as expected, and Block was dropped from Java records. He ended up pursuing a career on Wall Street, getting a job as a financial advisor at a Manhattan investment firm. In the mid 2000s, he reportedly got interested in making music again after hearing one of his songs on Fordham University's non-commercial radio station WFUV. He connected with and was interviewed by WFUV DJ Claudia Marshall, who inspired him to record new material.

In March of 2006, Block released this third album, The Last Single Guy, on indie label SonaBLAST! Records. Like his previous albums, it was critically well-received, with Jo-Ann Greene of Allmusic calling the album "enthralling" and noting that "like a bedside book, this album can be played in one sitting, but so much better to dip in and out of it over time, letting one's mood determine one's favorites for the day." Claudia Marshall of New York-based noncommercial radio station WFUV included the album in her "Best of 2006" list.

Style and Lyrics
Block has been considered one of the early participants in New York's anti-folk movement, a raw and subversive form of folk music that is inspired heavily by punk rock and indie rock. Block includes a multitude of instruments and sounds within each album, including elements of punk rock, electronica, jazz and hip hop. Lyrically, Block focuses heavily on personal experiences and observations living in New York City.