Jsev Sounds is the professional name of singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jake Severn. The Florida native, now based in Aurora, Colorado has been making music for the better part of 16 years. He released his earliest material while still in Middle School. In true Indie fashion, he produced and distributed the CDs himself. In 2020 he made his wide-distribution debut with the 13 song collection, “Western Slopes.” That record spanned the universe of DIY Rock, Pop and Folk. The album featured big Dinosaur Jr style slacker rockers, Indie Folk/Pop gems a-la The Shins and experimental organic/electronic hybrids.
“Memories” is the brand new follow-up album from Jsev Sounds, released worldwide to all major streaming services on January 12, 2021. The 12 song LP is a compilation of sorts, featuring mostly acoustic Lo-fi Indie Folk and Rock songs recorded over a period of 7 years. The album is more stylistically consistent than much Jake’s previous work, and that is by design.
I wanted to create a more consistent album because I generally explore different genres. I was hoping this would be a better listening experience.
Jake Severn (Jsev Sounds)
Through the first two and a half songs Severn sticks with a simple solo acoustic singer/songwriter arrangement. On the tracks “No More” and “Shut the Door,” in a mellow, coffee shop style he sings of interpersonal relationships and makes broader philosophical observations. He doesn’t keep it completely acoustic though. Halfway through “Dark” he steps on the distortion pedal for the first of the album’s sonic experiments.
Throughout the rest of the record Jacob alternates between solo folk songs and other creative diversions. “Future” mixes a chill 60’s psychedelic vibe with a bit of Spanish guitar. Songs like “River” and “Change” introduce a full guitar/bass/drums arrangement. At first this gives the tracks an Americana vibe. Then “True” kicks up the volume, at least figuratively. Although still acoustic, the song is a rocker featuring some really nice guitar playing. All over “Memories,” Severn spices up his lo-fi nuggets with crafty fretwork.
Lyrically, Jsev Sounds songs are often introspective and poetic examinations of the human condition. He sings of love and loss. He chronicles despair but also finds a light at the end of the tunnel. For instance, on the album’s single “Hope” he echoes the thoughts of people around the world during the pandemic as he sings, “Would anyone have thought that our friends and neighbors would be so distraught?” It has been a dismal time, to be sure. But Jake also offers a bit of optimistic realism, “I’ve got hope, it only goes up from here.”
Check out “Memories” by Jsev Sounds, below. You can also hear the track “Hope” on the Deep Indie Dive and Deep Indie Songwriters playlists. Follow the links below to connect with Jake Severn and get in the loop on all of his current and future projects.
Connect:
Jsev Sounds on the Deep Indie playlists
