Written by Natalie Silva
Chicago is heating up, and so is Jack Brereton, as he releases Jenny + Ash with Earth Libraries Subsidiary. You may have seen Jack play before, as this wickedly talented musician has been known to hit the drums for artists like Elizabeth Moen and fill in for a number of other Chicago legends. So, it should come as no surprise that Brereton is putting out another indie rock album under his own name, and it’s nothing short of fantastic.
“G+T” kicks off the album as a sure-to-be fan-favorite. It’s fun and upbeat, but it’s also a precautionary tale that sets the tone for the album. Without context, the iconic line “slamming gin and tonics like a superstar” may sound like the start to a summer anthem, but in reality, Brereton wrote the song about a father who is unhappy with his place in life, hoping his daughter doesn’t follow in his footsteps. It’s the perfect introduction to this story-of-an-album, and it’s certainly one you’ll come back to. With a seamless transition from “G+T,” comes “L.A.,” where synth and a steady drum beat fill the background of this tale about moving. Here, the lyrics touch on the discomfort of change, missing old habits, and with the help of others, finding solace in the new. For me, the most shocking part about these first two songs is that neither one of them was released as a single. While both of these tunes could easily stand alone, they are stronger as pieces of a story, and this fact alone quickly establishes Jenny + Ash as a no-skip album.
The first single released from Jenny + Ash was “Firestart.” Brereton mentions that where “L.A.” was developed for character introductions, “Firestart” dives into the motive and backstory behind said characters. With verse one of “Firestart” coming from Jenny’s point of view, the second coming from Ash’s, and the chorus interchanging between the two, this song perfectly encapsulates the conversational feel that makes the album so unique. It also ends with a loud drum crash that seems to mimic the end of something: a fizzling out, or a crash and a burn. And with that, “Firestart” does everything Brereton intended for it to do, and more.
A highlight of the album comes shortly after in “Clean Again,” with a quick shoutout to Chicago and the Empty Bottle, the location of the Jenny + Ash album release show. OG Jack Brereton fans will be quick to recognize the song that follows as a remake (so-to-speak) of the standout track from Songs For My Steamroller, “Driftsnow.” This new version of the song, “Driftsnow 2,” is a little more melancholic, and it’s always fun to compare and contrast an artist’s old and new work to see the evolution of their music. My favorite song off of the record, “Roof Rack,” is clear and to the point with lyrics “I don’t want your pity applause as I sit on the roof rack of this car, luggage you chose to drag along.” The use of the word luggage instead of baggage creates more physical imagery to match the title of the song, while keeping the lyrics an allusion to the popular metaphor “emotional baggage.” The whole song is just a punch to the gut in the best way possible, and it’s fair to say that most people have lived this narrative at some point in time, whether it be in a romantic relationship or otherwise. “I can jump at any time, but I’m still holding on/holding on to something that I hold on.” The song “Father” rounds out this, as I will coin it, “sad middle chunk” of the record, by calling back to lyrics from “G+T.” The song starts with “If you want me I’ll be drinking at the bar, but I don’t want to see your face when I’m there.” It completes the storyline in a cyclical manner, unveiling all of the messiness that the upbeat nature of “G+T” couldn’t. Where you can listen to “G+T” without really realizing what it’s about, there’s no getting around the meaning of “Father.” In my opinion, this song is the keystone of the album.
The last three songs of the record seem to fly by. “Holly” is sweet, with beautiful phrasing. It’s one of those “sunshine and rainbows” type of songs where it almost sounds like you can hear the artist smiling as they are singing. The subsequent song, “Long While” really threw me for a loop with the creepy, dying, animatronic chatter overtop. It sounded like it came straight out of a horror movie and it definitely brings you back to the reality of the storyline, where after cheery “Holly,” you realize that not everything can be “sunshine and rainbows,” at least not all the time. “Iron Key,” the last song on the record, is where you hear a shift from the mention of the character Ash, to Ashley. Surrounding the narrator and Ashley’s discussion about their relationship is a faint chatter that simulates sitting in a coffee shop. There’s a feeling of defeat and acceptance in this song, as the combination of the song’s lyrics and the voices layered on top seem to exhibit the realness of having problems that seem very life-stopping, while the rest of the world goes on. It’s the perfect outro to this album and this story.
With this record, Brereton gives fans about a hundred puzzle pieces, and it’s up to the listener to put them together. And, while I’m sure there is a “right” way to do so, the album is enjoyable even if the listener never connects any dots. Jenny + Ash is an album you can listen to over and over, and discover something new each time…making it high on the list of albums you definitely need to listen to.
Jenny + Ash is out now on all streaming platforms and you can find the most updated information about Brereton’s live performances on his Instagram @unclemirin.
