The Jayhawks. 8:30 p.m. June 24. $30-$35. The Buckhead Theatre, 3110 Roswell Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-843-2825, thebuckheadtheatre.com.
Founded by the singing-songwriting duo of Mark Olson and Gary Louris in 1985, the Jayhawks were part of a happening Minneapolis music scene that spawned funk-rock genius Prince and punk-rock icons the Replacements.
The band’s 1992 masterpiece, “Hollywood Town Hall,” became one of the touchstones of the Americana sound, mixing tuneful melodies and soaring harmonies with wistful lyrics and the strikingly emotional electric guitar outbursts of Louris.
Olson left the Jayhawks after the release of 1995’s “Tomorrow the Green Grass,” reappearing briefly for “Mockingbird Time” in 2011. But, some 30 years on, it’s Louris who has managed to keep the band together in various guises through several albums.
The latest, “Paging Mr. Proust,” was released in April and garnered early critical acclaim, with a display of melodic rock that reaches into experimental realms, and a core group of players that includes Marc Perlman on bass, Tim O’Reagan on drums and Karen Grotberg on keyboards.
The Jayhawks have been touring steadily since, with a stop scheduled June 24 at the Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta.
Louris recently chatted by telephone about the new album, which he said came about after he successfully completed a rehab program for opioid addiction.
Q: So, what was the impetus for getting the Jayhawks back together and making a new album?
A: I went to rehab. I kind of changed my life. And when I got out, I spent a couple of years reassessing what I wanted to do. The slate was clean. I could do anything. But I wasn't good in that situation. I needed structure of some kind. Once I re-embraced music, instead of blaming it for my problems, I realized it was me, not music, and I decided I wanted to play with the band again.
Q: You produced the album with Peter Buck of R.E.M. and Tucker Martine, known for his work with the Decemberists. Was that part of a master plan as far as the people and the sound?
A: Like a lot of things on the this record, it was serendipitous. We went and played in Mexico at Peter's Todos Santos festival a couple of years ago, and he just made it clear that he was a fan and that he would like to throw his hat in the ring as far as producer when that time came.
Q: To me, "Proust" seems to blend a touch of the early Jayhawks with the sound of some of the albums you did with the current lineup, and then it veers off into something more experimental.
A: That's exactly how I would describe it (laughs). But, none of it was very calculated. That's who I am. That's who we are. People can say we are this or that. But we are many things. And I certainly knew much more about prog rock than Gram Parsons until my late 20s. That's what I grew up with — prog rock and Brit rock and art rock. Finding ways to mix that in with what we do as a band is the challenge, but, in this case, everything just seemed to just fit together.
Q: The first track, "Quiet Corners," grabs you as immediately familiar, and it's a reminder that you have that ability to write melodies and hooks that quickly become earworms. Was that something you discovered at an early age?
A: I think I had it from Day One. There's something built into me, whether it's just absorbed or DNA. But, I am attracted to a certain kind of contrast, and a melody that's kind of uplifting but has a kind of a sadness to it.
Q: Along with the songwriting, you are one of those musicians who has a really recognizable voice and guitar sound. Again, are those things that came naturally?
A: I may not be the world's greatest singer, but you can tell when it's me. As far as guitar stuff, it is amazing how two people can pick up the same guitar and have a completely different sound. My guitar has definitely become an extension of myself, and that's kind of supernatural in a way. It sounds goofy, but I kind of feel like I grow a couple of feet when I put it on.
Q: All the press I've read has mentioned your opioid addiction, which is a huge topic in the news right now because of Prince. Any further thoughts on the subject?
A: I think about people stuck in that situation and my heart goes out to them, because I was there and I know what it's like. Just like with Prince, I had legitimate health issues, and that's how it all started. I'm trying to be outspoken on the subject if I can help people. I was lucky to have good treatment, because MusiCares, this Grammy-funded organization for musicians, paid for my rehab. I was lucky I didn't die.
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