Jesse Welles puts it all together on "Patchwork"
American folk singer and songwriter Jesse Welles’ chilling vocals and sagacious lyrics take the listener on an immersive trip through his mind on his 2024 album “Patchwork”.
Making music for over a decade under many different names and bands, Welles hit his first wave of recognition as Jesse Welles earlier this year for his satirical protest songs about the state of the country, earning him comparisons to the likes of Bob Dylan and John Prine. This followed up to his July 2024 release, Hells Welles.
Unlike Hells Welles, “Patchwork” is a darker, more serious turn, shifting from comedic social commentary of the country to a grave, introspective view of his mind and what’s going on in his own backyard.
Welles’ lyricism on “Patchwork” is complex and thought provoking, taking simple phrases and wordings and making them deep and ruminative. His metaphors can easily be viewed as surface level at first glance, but with deeper analysis can create their own meanings within themself. That lyricism combined with the raw vocals and perfectly stripped back guitar allows the listener an intimate look into Welles as a person, almost as if each song was an entry in his diary.
An all time favorite track of mine is “See Arkansas”, where Welles describes his journey from Texas through Arkansas, seeing the poverty and corruption in the place he grew up, leading to him questioning his faith. The use of the dark tone of his voice and guitar which is a common motif in this release instead of what had previously been Welles’ typically cheery sound, can only be described as making the listener feel as if they are on a neverending hike through a beat, rundown town.
Another favorite track is “That Can’t be Right”, where Welles acknowledges that the world is changing as he gets older, and looks back on what he’s done, struggling to come to terms with the fact that there’s nothing he can do about aging. The melancholic tone along with the imaginative metaphors create a world of despirited attentiveness to repressed, fearful feelings regarding the future.
Overall, “Patchwork” is a great change of pace not only from the other music that has been coming out recently, but a change of pace from Welles’ earlier music in general. His brilliant storytelling abilities along with his talent of writing the most beautifully catchy melodies on guitar makes “Patchwork” a great choice for anyone who’s into folksy, indie music.