Beach Impediment (2021)
Here comes another late contender for best records of the year lists. Gentleman Jesse hasn't had a new album since 20212's classic, Leaving Atlanta. In the nearly ten years since that record came out, I've been hoping against hope that there would be a follow up and it's finally here.
Lose Everything is a very good record. Though it's sonically a different animal from his prior two albums. While it is still rooted in power pop, there's more than a touch of melancholy to these proceedings. Flat out, several of the songs are something of a bummer, even though said bummer is presented with excellent melodies and nice, jangly guitar. But there's a few songs where the production and the mood bring things down a bit, like the one-two punch of "Million Sorrows" and "God Is Blind."
That's not to say Jesse isn't still capable of cranking out some upbeat earworms. The second half of this album is particularly strong with "Hunger," "Come Along" and the title track, "Lose Everything" being as good or better than anything Jesse has previously concocted.
It's not like it isn't easy to understand why folks are down these days. From pandemic anxiety to little things like watching democracy erode, there's a lot going on that sucks pretty hard right now. Lose Everything is kind of perfect in that regard. It's a reflection of 2021 through a Gentleman Jesse album. While I personally like his first album's upbeat vibe a bit better, it's not like I don't understand the value of an album like this. It's definitely a grower as I find more to like about it each time I listen.
Gentleman Jesse - Lose Everything:
https://beachimpedimentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/lose-everything
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