JBM, the moniker of solo artist Jesse Bryan Marchant, underscores each song with a howl of the isolation and yearning of a much older soul. Originally from Montreal, Canada, Marchant is now based in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, and has released a follow-up to his “only in July” debut called “Stray Ashes.” The singer has already drawn favorable comparisons to that of Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Jim James of My Morning Jacket, due in large part to haunting reverb on songs like “Only Now” and “Winter Ghosts.” JMB records most of his work in a cabin in a rainy northern New York town, giving his music an undertone of isolation as he searches within himself. Though JBM may not initially strike an immediate chord with all listeners, it’s in his music’s subtleties that channel his emotionally wrought spirit and draws in audiences.


Why did you choose to release music under your initials instead of your full name?
It wasn't something that I thought about too much. My name was out there publicly, associated with some acting that I had done, and I wanted this to not be associated with that in the beginning. I also liked that the initials were somewhat ambiguous and that they could become a band name, when the thing turned into that. Using one's name somewhat pigeonholes artists into a certain genre nowadays, which is why I think that everyone is giving their solo project a band name. That didn't feel right to me for this though, so I went with the initials. For better or for worse. A lot of people seem to have a hard time with it.

You started playing music at such a young age. Do you come from a musical family, or was it something you got into on your own?
My family was musical, but they did not play. My grandfather was a musician but I was not around him much. I began showing an interest in playing instruments at an early age and my parents were very supportive in helping me along with that.

You’ve said that you initially moved to NYC to pursue acting (IMDB.com lists a Jesse Marchant as appearing on "Ugly Betty," "Law and Order: SVU"). How did you first get involved in acting?
It was one of those old stories. A manager from New York walked into a restaurant in Montreal where I worked through college and talked about making me a star. I wasn't interested in that, but I was unhappy in my life, so when I broke up with my girlfriend a few weeks later, I dropped out of college and fled to New York, and when I got there I gave him a jingle. I was a “fuck it” kind of time in my life and I needed that change.
Before I knew it I had a good agent and I was enrolled in classes and auditioning and living that life. It all fell into my lap. Then it took me a little while figuring that it wasn't quite for me, but I guess that is the nature of a thing that chooses you and not you it. It's hard to ever know if it is really right. I am grateful for that step in my life, as it led me to me to my current existence, which is one that I have whole-heatedly chosen for myself.

Where did you record “Stray Ashes,” and how did that experience differ creatively from recording “Not Even in July” in an old church?
I recorded “Stray Ashes” in an old log home in North Argyle, New York. It was in the spring of 2011, and I could swear that it rained every single day. I was there alone and I worked on it daily over the span of a few months.
It was different from the last record in that there was no time constraint and no other people were around or involved in the recording.

You’ve said that you feel like a tourist in your native Montreal. With history in California and Brooklyn, and mountain life seeming to suite you well, where do you find the most inspiration for your music?
It's hard to say. I can feel comfortable in very different settings. I think that inspiration comes from experiences, ones that are rich, and those, for me, can occur anywhere. I tend to feel more agitated in the city and more grounded in the wilderness, but I haven't quite figured out where I am more inspired or happier. I haven't figured any of that stuff out.