Franklin Jonas to Drop Debut EP 'Sewer Rat'

Sewer Rat, the debut EP from rising artist Franklin Jonas, is set for release June 21 on Pizzaslime Records (via Mad Decent)—pre-save/pre-order here. 

The forthcoming project, written and produced with Charlie Brand (Miniature Tigers, Weezer, Skizzy Mars), introduces the sonic world Franklin has worked for several years to create. “This is a result of my own journey, and it’s a taste test of every sound I can make,” Franklin says of the EP. 

“It was originally titled Subway Rat when I had just begun working on the original demos. I had just moved to New York, and to fill the time I would take extensive train trips with no destination. I quickly felt a kinship to the rats in the subway. I started referring to myself as a subway rat,” says Franklin.

“I would listen to the demos on repeat on these train rides and I decided that I only knew how to make music for listening on the subway rather than driving down the 1 with the top down. It wasn’t until the end of the first day of production that, in a stupor, I wrote the name of the EP and my ideal track list on a white board. Charlie looked at it and said, ‘Oh, that title’s much better.’ I had written Sewer Rat instead of Subway Rat. I looked at it and followed the energy.”

In celebration of the upcoming EP release, a live performance video of “Hoboken” debuts today, featuring the famed MUSYCA Children’s Choir. The video was filmed in Burbank, California comic book store, House of Secrets, where Franklin frequently visited throughout his childhood. “This place gave me more belief in my creativity than any other place could,” Franklin told the store’s owner of over 31 years—watch the video here.

In addition to “Hoboken,” Sewer Rat will feature Franklin’s first-ever music release, his debut single, “Cocaine,” named “a dreamy, shoegaze-y tune with hints of doo-wop” by Rolling Stone, while Ones to Watch hailed the single as “a celebration of who he dances as today and a declaration of hope that he’ll meet more of himself tomorrow.” 

Following his live debut at Stagecoach in April, Franklin is slated to support Hobo Johnson on a run of shows this Summer. The dates will take him to Los Angeles’ The Troubadour, Philadelphia’s The Fillmore, New York’s Bowery Ballroom and more. Full tour routing can be found below.

Franklin Jonas’ solo musical journey began when he started experimenting with beatmaking in college, crafting samples directly from vinyl and diving deep into the world of music production. After studying audio engineering under mixing mastermind John McBride—whose distinctive voice appears at the beginning of “Cocaine”—Jonas took a break from music, until inspiration struck during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was roommate and fellow musician Clint Michigan who encouraged him to pursue his creative streak; and it was a peer who, after hearing Jonas’ work-in-progress, connected him with the guys behind Pizzaslime Records. Jonas takes inspiration from a bevy of foundational influences—the synth-y zest of Passion Pit, Allen Ginsberg’s classic work of poetry Howl, Bon Iver’s electro-acoustic experimentation, samplepedia bands like The Avalanches—to craft his own sound. 

FRANKLIN JONAS LIVE

June 10—Santa Ana, CA—The Observatory*
June 11—San Diego, CA—SOMA*
June 13—Los Angeles, CA—The Troubadour*
June 14—Los Angeles, CA—The Troubadour*
July 14—Orlando, FL—The Social*
July 15—Tampa, FL—Crowbar*
July 18—Atlanta, GA—Center Stage*
July 19—Charlotte, NC—The Visulite Theatre*
July 21—Durham, NC—Motorco Music Hall*
July 22—Washington, D.C.—Union Stage*
July 23—Philadelphia, PA—The Fillmore*
July 25—New York, NY—Bowery Ballroom*
July 27—Allston, MA—Brighton Music Hall*
July 28—Allston, MA—Brighton Music Hall *
July 29—Toronto, ON—Velvet Underground*
July 30—Toronto, ON—Velvet Underground*
*with Hobo Johnson

photo credit: Henry Kornaros

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