JEFF the Brotherhood Zone Out on Heavy Euro-Prog

In Physical Education, we ask musicians to divulge their earliest, latest and most meaningful encounters with physical media. Today's vinyl fantasies are courtesy of Jake Orrall, half of the envelope-pushing JEFF the Brotherhood fraternity. Check out JTB's latest experimental album, Zone (Dine Alone), the latest in a "spiritual trilogy" of albums prefaced by 2009's Heavy Days and 2011's We Are the Champions. 

What’s your parents’ favorite album?
Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues, probably, or Naked.

What was the first record you bought?
Men Without Hats, Rhythm of Youth.

What record has your favorite art and/or packaging?
That's a good one! Probably some cool '70s European heavy prog album like Jenghiz Khan, Well Cut or Birth Control, Hoodoo Man — those are good ones. Also really love the cover of "Zuckerzeit" by Cluster. And every Roxy Music album; they're like real-life Nagel paintings or something. Always loved those.

What’s your preferred method and setting to listen to music?
I sit on my couch and get in the sweet spot of three to five beers and put one on the platter and just crank it. That just sounded realllly cheesy, but that's what I do. [Laughs]

Most disappointed you’ve been with an album?
It's been happening a lot lately where I get into a current artist's debut and then they make another one and it's just not nearly as good. I don't want to give any of those examples. I will say I was realllly into Kaputt by Destroyer when it came out, and then I went and checked out some of his other albums and didn't find any more that I liked. That was disappointing because even as a double album, it's too short!

What’s a record not enough people own? That too many people own?
Not enough people own Dead Soft's self-titled album. Too many people make a case for Dookie by Green Day being a classic album, I think. As obsessively as I played it as a child, I don't see how it holds up now, not at all.

What’s the most you’ve ever spent on a record?
$90 on a Les Rallizes Dénudés bootleg. I'm on the frugal side of record collectors, I think.

How do you organize your records?
Alphabetical by genre in plastic outer sleeves with some exceptions; some countries have their own sections, for instance

What’s your latest acquisition?
A 12" of some Sade house edits — very, very tasteful stuff!