Postmodern Jukebox - A Modern Take on Pre-1980s Music

I only recently discovered this band, thanks to YouTube’s recommendations – sometimes, it works.

Postmodern Jukebox, also known as PMJ, is the creation of Scott Bradlee, a musician and pianist.

Growing up in the 1990s, his listening of choice was old jazz and Motown records, the intricacies of which mesmerised him.

So taken with the skill inherent in the music of bygone ages, he formed PMJ in an attempt to bring those sounds back into the mainstream.

Singers and musicians gravitated to Bradlee’s band, wanting to perform the same classic genres he loves. And PMJ found an audience eager for that sound.

Most of the videos are recorded in Bradlee’s own living room and, sometimes, in studios. He’s always present, on piano. The amazing thing is, the singers sing every note live and the musicians play every instrument live too.

What I love is, they don’t sing songs from the past – they take modern songs and deliver them in a style reminiscent of music from a bygone age, anything from the swing and jazz of the 1920s to the rhythms of Motown and beyond.

I’ve listened to most of their pieces and, while not all work for me, I love the majority of them. They even made me like a Justin Bieber song!

Obviously, it’s impossible to list them all and almost as impossible to pick a couple to include in this post, but I’ll try.

If you love music and you haven’t listened to PMJ yet, I urge you to do so. There’s such a wide repertoire, I’m sure you’ll find something you like.