Listen to “Track and Field” by JJerome87 (alt-J’s Joe Newman)
Joe Newman of alt-J steps out as JJerome87 with “Track and Field,” a dreamy snapshot of two college kids falling in love on the athletics track, like a sunlit ’90s movie montage. It’s the second single from his debut solo album The Canyon, out June 26 via Mushroom Music/Virgin Music Group, recorded in L.A. with producer Carlos de la Garza.
Newman nods to Gerry Rafferty’s “Right Down the Line” and a Patrick Stewart viral video in the lyrics, with Motown-dusted melodies and heavenly backing vocals that beg for car singalongs. The grainy archival video celebrates women athletes across decades, amplifying the track’s nostalgic, euphoric vibe.
The Canyon draws from Newman’s life as a new dad, weaving cinematic vignettes of fatherhood and L.A. moments—coyotes, Canyon Coffee, his daughter peeking on the artwork. If this is the starting line, it’s a run worth chasing.
Listen to “Track and Field” below:
