Jerry Pines – Heaven

Jerry Pines – Heaven – EP Review

Back when I originally heard the title-track from this new EP by Jerry Pines, I was still heading towards my fourteenth anniversary.  Now that the full record has officially been released and I’ve flown past my fifteenth, it seems like we’re both in a real good place and comfortable in life – so let’s see what else I can tell ya about this Heaven EP now that it’s out there for you to listen to online on the ol’ internets.

I know I’ll stand beside the things I had to say about “Heaven” back February from last year when I originally wrote about this song – and you can feel free to check out my thoughts on this title-track from Jerry’s EP by clicking right here.  Suffice it to say, it’s a welcoming beginning to this lineup of five songs on the Heaven EP, and seems to merge the worlds of sounds between Soul Asylum and Jimmy Buffett quite nicely, yessir.  Pleasant indeed, well-rounded professionally – “Heaven” is one of those songs that you hear & know it couldn’t possibly be offensive to anyone.  If you’re somehow rushing to your stereo to turn this song down, you’re among the hardest of hearts and you should probably lighten up a little.  Pines sounds great, the music is played perfectly, the song is equally enjoyable and memorable – I know it’s the title-track & all, but it still makes for a good choice to have put as track one of his new EP.  Don’t go thinking it’s a given that that’s where every title tune ends up, it ain’t – it’s still a choice as to where any song ends up in a full set-list, but Jerry’s chosen well by having this inviting song right up front at #1.

Dude’s a sweet songwriter when it comes right down to it, and he proves that in the imagery, words, and sentiment of a track like “Sarah, What’s It Gonna Be?”  A genuinely beautiful tune that seems to have found that perfect mix of being laidback, but not too laidback that it’d be ignored, know what I mean?  It’s increasingly tough to make a great love-song stand out in this world with all the music that’s out there, but in my personal opinion, sincerity always rings true.  I feel like when you put your heart into something you create in the realm of art & music, someone out there is sure to notice it – and if you’re lucky, several someones.  The point is, Jerry puts himself in the right position to succeed in that regard by not overlooking anything when it comes to the details in a song like “Sarah, What’s It Gonna Be?” – he has a clear direction & idea with this tune, and follows it right to the letter.  I love the vivid poetry in his words, the smoothness in the bass-lines, the inherent charm in Jerry’s vocals – and he’s added some significant small details that provide maximum results in this tune as well.  Things like the piano echoing the vocals, the pedal steel guitar drifting in the background, how the music reacts with an icy sound when you hear the line “winter tells the water when to freeze,” and the way Pines sings the finale of this song with a lil’ extra sauce for ya…all these things add up to a really great listen.  All-in-all, it’s a track that’s about loving the people we love while we got the chance & opportunity to love’em like we should…I think it’s a relentless gorgeous song to listen to – “Sarah, What’s It Gonna Be?” is stellar.

That being said, if you’re asking me, Jer @ SBS – what’s THE single of the bunch on the Heaven EP, I think my answer probably becomes “Dark Circles” pretty quickly.  This is where Pines will take that downhome Dave Pirner-esque sound he’s been rockin’ with, and gently shifts it further towards the underground of the Alt-90s/Country combination, into something that resembles a tune you’d find on Golden Smog’s Down By The Ol’ Mainstream.  Which, incidentally, is an album I still play loud & proud to this very day.  “You know a song and a friend is all I really need” – you got that right partner, well said.  Let’s be real here…there’s something remarkable about Jerry Pines and how he seems to have that authentic kind of personality that just makes you wanna cheer for the guy.  Yes he’s one heck of a songwriter & artist and there ain’t no doubt about that either – but the low-key & humble way he seems to approach the art of makin’ music really makes you wanna see this dude succeed.  I very much appreciate the fact that he knows exactly how to make a song complete without overstuffing anything even one iota – I listen to “Dark Circles” and it puts a smile on my face, because it has everything it needs and not a thing more.  Excellent solo, outstanding hooks in the chorus, great breakdown & bring-back…and once again, he’s nailed the ending in a really stunning way that makes it necessary to repeat.  That’s right I said it!  You might FEEL like it’s something you WANT to do, but trust me when I say, you actually NEED to.  Jerry’s written a fantastic set of songs on the Heaven EP that all deserve multiple spins, and “Dark Circles” is certainly included in that assessment…the main hooks & chorus of this song are as subtly addictive as it gets, and guaranteed to entice you right in.  Before you’ll know it, you’ll be several spins deep and never wanting to stop, because like I said, you’ll feel like you NEED to hear it again and again.  As for the cold Canadian moon – well sir…I suppose I probably don’t notice it as much because I live in Canada.  I won’t dispute that tiny detail because I feel like I need a sweater every time he sings that line, so somewhere at the heart of it all is at least a kernel of truth that resonates with me.  Overall, “Dark Circles” wouldn’t just make a great single, it’s a genuinely brilliant song altogether.

The song I guess I’d have to say I was more on the fence about in some ways was “Joe McCarthy Died Alone” – though it should be noted, I’m in favor of its inclusion overall.  So here’s the thing…ultimately, I think we have to recognize that Jerry’s making music in a style we’re all somewhat familiar with, and no matter what the song, he’s gonna carry that vibe along with him in what he creates.  That being said, there are gonna be some tunes where that becomes more prevalent than others…where the familiarity becomes a more naturally dominating trait – and that’s probably the case when it comes to “Joe McCarthy Died Alone” in terms of its structure and where the harmonies pop up & whatnot.  It’s the kind of track you’ll hear and feel like you’ve heard it in some way, shape, or form throughout music’s history.  There ain’t nothing wrong with that, and not every song we’re even gonna write is gonna recreate the wheel…in fact, for many listeners out there, they truly prefer having some kind of tie-in between something new that they’re listening to and the music they’ve loved in the past.  In that respect, you have to look at this track as potentially very appealing to the folks out there that want something new that’s like something they already know.  Where Jerry TRULY succeeds in the case of this particular song, without any doubt whatsoever, is within his words – they are nothing short of pure brilliance y’all.  Of course, it’ll help if you’ve got some sort of historical knowledge under your belt – but if I’m a Canadian that’s familiar with the impact of Joe McCarthy on American society, then surely there must be a whole lot of people out there that know exactly why that guy DESERVED to die alone, 100%.  “Not a single friend was there to keep him company” is a great line, and a unique concept at that – I think it’s a bit of a stretch to imagine he had any real friends, but I ain’t ruling it out as a possibility.  Let’s be real here – he was an awful man, stood for awful things, and unfortunately, the ripple effect of his actions in politics continues to echo on to this very day in the cold-ass hearts of our worst politicians.  “He never did atone” – and if there’s a crime in this whole scenario (there are actually many) when it comes to McCarthy, that’s probably the biggest one…that dude probably died alone thinking he actually did something good on this planet, when he was nothing but an awkward pimple on the ass of politics.  I love, love, love the fact that Jerry wrote this song with such wonderfully unsuspecting, scathing lyricism, such pinpoint accuracy, and such tremendous insight into one of history’s undeniably darkest times.  So if I gotta trade a song that’s as well-written as this tune is for a bit more of a familiar vibe, I’m here for it.

The Americana-Folk sound is solidly intact as Jerry finishes off his brand-new EP with “Carolina Wren” at the very end.  Interesting & fun fact for the Pop Trivia people out there – the inclusion of “Carolina Wren” is what makes the lineup of the Heaven EP different than the one that appears on the Joe McCarthy Died Alone EP released last year.  I’m not quite sure what’s up with that…could be that Jerry was experimenting with different combinations of how he wanted these songs to sound and how he wanted to release them…but yeah…strange to find what’s essentially the same lineup of songs simply in a different order on a whole other EP from last year out there online.  It’s also noteworthy that “Carolina Wren” ended up being a previously released single back in October of last year, not too long after the Joe McCarthy Died Alone EP came out.  In any event – it’s a really well-written and well-executed song, and a solid inclusion to finish off the Heaven EP.  “Carolina Wren” has a whole collage of lyrical imagery that highlights some of Jerry’s best work in that regard…though I suppose we’re splitting hairs when it comes right down to it, I think he’s a stellar songwriter and never falls deficient when it comes to the level of detail he adds to his words in any tune.  Overall, I feel like Jerry hasn’t given any of us much of a reason to complain about anything at all from the start of this EP to its finish – from the beginning with its title track, to the friendly finale of “Carolina Wren,” you gotta hand it to the man for his professionalism and polishing these tunes up to the finest sparkle & shine.  From its easygoing vibe, to the impressive musicianship & lyrical details you’ll find in every song on this record, Pines has definitely created a sweetly captivating & enchanting lineup of tunes that you’ll certainly want to repeat in-full.  No dead spots, no dead weight – Jerry’s got a great set-list of songs on the Heaven EP that all capture the Americana-Folk sound perfectly, and gives us all a glimpse into the real heart of its humbleness.

Find out more about Jerry Pines from his official page at Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/JerryPinesMusic

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