Marshall Crenshaw Brings All-Star Cast to 'Jaggedland'

It was a Top 40 hit 27 years ago, but 'Someday, Someway' is still alive and kicking and so is its creator, Marshall Crenshaw. 10 studio albums later, the singer-songwriter's current release, 'Jaggedland,' finds him forsaking his usual one-man-band arrangements and adding some legendary sidemen to the mix.

Contributing to the album are MC5 co-founder Wayne Kramer, drummer Jim Keltner (three of the Beatles' solo albums, the Rolling Stones, many more), bassist Sebastian Steinberg (Soul Coughing), guitarist Greg Leisz (Lucinda Williams, Robert Plant) and vibraphonist/percussionist Emil Richards (the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra). "The thing about Greg Leisz is that's he's basically on every record that's ever been made -- literally," Crenshaw tells Spinner. "It's incredible. He plays amazing steel guitar and I figured out that it's the perfect fourth instrument for my band."

As for his collaboration with engineer and producer Jerry Boys, who worked with the Beatles at Abbey Road Studios, Crenshaw says, "I fell in love with a record Jerry worked on a few years ago called 'Mambo Sinuendo' [by Cuban performer Manuel Galban]. Sonically, it was a perfect. He was also on 'Mermaid Avenue' by Billy Bragg and Wilco. I got in touch with him and he was really into it. That was invaluable, having someone there to take care of the sonic picture."

'Jaggedland' is available now and Crenshaw will kick off a short tour September 22 in Minneapolis.