Recommended Tracks: “Making It Up”, “Small Talk”
Artists You May Like: Mathew V, Vance Joy, Hozier
With a couple more months left in 2021, there is still time for artists to release any and all “quarantine projects” they may have been working on last year. One of these projects comes in the form of Jeffrey James’s new EP, Songs I Found In The Year I Lost. Filling up his time last year with writing and creating instead of touring, the Nashville-based singer-songwriter landed upon three new tracks and two old ones that would make for an enthralling listen. Now that he has had time to fuse these songs together for Songs I Found In The Year I Lost, Jeffrey is ready to take us on an adventure that focuses on relationships, growing up, and positivity.
There is no denying that Jeffrey James has a warm, expressive voice that can replenish the soul. His voice demands attention, whether he is dabbling in the pleasant pop tones that can be heard on “Small Talk” or engaging in moving piano balladry found on “In The Back Of My Mind.” When amplified in a choir setting, as we hear on “Sober,” Jeffrey’s voice shines and adds more value to the emotion that comes through. His vocals were simply made for the cinematic, sweeping gestures found throughout the EP, and luckily, there are plenty of them.
We get a few anecdotes about relationships on Songs I Found In The Year I Lost, each describing unique moments that we all may experience from time to time. With “Sober,” Jeffrey gets into the spontaneity of cozying up with someone when drunk. He sings, “We always say that we won’t do it again, but another bottle and you’re pulling me closer,” before asking, “How come we never do this shit when we’re sober?” Jeffrey also details what it is like to be reminded of a former relationship on “In The Back Of My Mind,” no matter how hard he tries to move on. Even though the track is more downhearted, Jeffrey’s reassuring timbre eases the pain as he sings, “In the back of my mind, you carved out a space / And you come back every time I find somebody else to take your place.” The most amusing of these types of tracks is “Small Talk,” though, which is all about the awkwardness of first dates. The playful tone of the track breaks up some of the more serious songs we hear, as Jeffrey lightheartedly dismisses the whole “getting to know someone” ritual.
The other two tracks on the EP are more about getting through life and finding new ways to carry on. On “Making It Up,” Jeffrey tackles adulthood and the notion of “fake it till you make it.” He shares that things do not just fall into place when you get older, as you assume, and that nobody really knows what they are doing. He wonders if everybody feels this way, which brings comfort to those who wonder the same. The closing track “We Can Be Heroes” is an older track that Jeffrey had before the pandemic, but is very relevant. On this ballad, Jeffrey encourages those to step up when times get dark, either being someone else’s hero or their own. It makes for an empowering end to the EP, strongly representing Jeffrey’s spirit and what his music is all about.
All in all, Songs I Found In The Year I Lost is another powerful addition to Jeffrey’s repertoire. The songs take us on a journey, filled with highs, lows, and everything in between. For those who are not familiar with Jeffrey or has never fully listened to his music, they will be able to grasp the type of singer-songwriter that he is through these five tracks – and hopefully be interested in hearing what else he has to offer. In the end, it was a great thing for Jeffrey to find these songs and bring meaning to a year that was lost on us all.
You can listen to Songs I Found In The Year I Lost on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and SoundCloud.
Read more about Jeffrey James in the interview we did with him pre-EP here.
Keep up with Jeffrey James: Facebook // Instagram // Twitter // YouTube // Website
