OWN-10:
Zack Kouns
Michael Jackson: "I Just Can't Start Loving You"
Released June 21, 2009
12'' Vinyl LP & MP3: $15.00
S&H $4.00 US/CAN or $6.00 International

LP shipped within North America $19.00 LP shipped internationally $21.00

Digital Download Available: $8.00

Having issued a myriad of albums through labels such as Teenage Whore and Clinical Archives, Michael Jackson: “I Just Can’t Start Loving You” is Zack Kouns’ first LP release through Ownness.

Michael Jackson: “I Just Can’t Start Loving You” came about as a result of Kouns’ ambitions to compose an album specifically for the King Of Pop which ”would reflect upon [Jackson’s] bizarre and esoteric personality since it remains largely absent in his work, and as it appears he is unable to write anything for himself that isn't pathetic and impersonal.” Understanding that he had no means by which to directly contact Jackson in order to make an offering of the composed songs, Kouns instead took the liberty of performing and recording “I Just Can’t Start Loving You” on Jackson’s behalf.

Zack Kouns.

Kouns completed Michael Jackson: “I Just Can’t Start Loving You” in two weeks during early September 2008 at his rural Ohio home on a newly acquired Tascam 24 track recorder. While known for the multifarious nature of both his intense solo performances and emotionally charged studio compositions, Kouns admittedly describes this body of work as largely at odds with his other output to date:

“It was compulsory to make it at least somewhat distasteful, otherwise I wouldn't have adhered to the concept of making an album that Michael Jackson could perform. I used synth sounds that I personally would consider distasteful so I could achieve a "synthesis" between my own particular predilections for sound and the aforementioned King Of Pop.”

The album resulting from Zack Kouns’ pop sensibilities combined with subject matter “that popular music generally focuses on (love, loss, violence) but [written] in such a way that it didn't make real live human beings puke their guts out” is one in which beauty, tragedy and menace are inherently and inextricably intertwined.

On the topic of the ultimate manifestation of Michael Jackson: “I Just Can’t Start Loving You” states the album’s composer, “?????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????”

OWN-10 is limited to 330 copies containing both black 180-gram vinyl and a download code for high-quality .MP3. Highly appropriate artwork by Kristine Breen.

Zack Kouns and Rory Hinchey will tour throughout ten European countries during summer 2009. Full details available at http://www.ownness.org

Track listing:
1. The Kids Are With Their Dad This Weekend (2:56)
2. Desperation Is Coveted (6:52)
3. How Could He Hurt That Little Child? (6:05)
4. A Little Radio Wave (3:48)

5. Oak Bark (4:30)
6. The Way You Make Me Feel (6:01)
7. Punishment (4:09)
8. God Loves the Little Children (4:06)