The name Jackson Scribner is synonymous with precociousness—among Americana tastemakers and indie folk listeners alike. The Texan released his self-titled debut at twenty years old, drawing rapid acclaim. Recorded during an impromptu two-week stint in the studio and comprising the first songs Jackson ever penned, that album revealed a young songwriter’s distinguished instinct. Jackson Scribner’s highly anticipated sophomore offering, Depression Kids (due out September 19th on State Fair Records), retains the veritable troubadour grit that can’t be taught, while benefiting from a slower, more considered process.
Jackson grew up in rural Melissa, Texas, immersed in the country tradition; his dad managed bands including Somebody’s Darling and John David Kent. Jackson picked up the guitar around age nine with the hope to emulate modern idols of his own—Shakey Graves, Gregory Alan Isakov, Kings of Leon. Playing became a soulful practice, while writing remained an abstract aspiration, though Scribner didn’t envision either as a professional pursuit.
Jackson’s songs tend to contain vivid settings and memorable characters, often presented with the poetic epicness of a tall tale. Jackson’s voice is the driver—a warm coarseness that may call comparisons to CAAMP’s Taylor Meir, or a tenderized Tyler Childers. On Depression Kids, he’s backed by fuller, more rock-leaning band arrangements than ever before, a development he attributes to collaboration. “This time in the studio, I wanted everyone to feel really free to do their own thing, bring their individual them-ness to the part they were playing.” In addition to Jackson and Levi, the album features Jeff Ryan (St. Vincent, The War on Drugs, Daniel Johnston) on drums, Jerome Brock (Cryptolog) on guitar and keys, Kim Herriage (Songhoy Blues) on pedal steel, and Tony Hormillosa (Pleasant Grove) on bass. The songs have a heartening, homespun quality still, but it’s easy to imagine their provenance shifting from the front porch to the garage.
“One lesson I learned while making the first record is the power of stepping back and letting a song be what it’s going to be,” Jackson says. The tracks populating Depression Kids gracefully straddle a narrow line—between universal, human complexity and the heart-hitting simplicity that makes a song stick. “You can keep changing something forever, but then it never gets to be a song.” It’s tough to know whether Jackson’s ability to end the process at its best point is a matter of natural knack or hard-earned insight. In all likelihood, probably both. After all, precociousness with time, is simply wisdom.
Today, Glide is excited to premiere the standout track “The Forest,” which is a true alt-country gem brimming with twangy pedal steel, moody vocals, and sweeping, atmospheric power. You can hear plenty of the aforementioned influences in this song, but Scribner also doesn’t get caught simply trying to replicate someone else’s sound. There is a richness in the expansive textures of the song and the drama that Scribner is able to lay out with his vocals and the simple yet catchy and impactful chorus, as if he is laying all of his emotions on the line. If “The Forest” is any indication, we should be seeing plenty more of this rising talent over the next year.
Jackson Scribner describes the process behind the tune:
“‘The Forest’ was just 3 verses for a long time, with a short chorus that repeated ‘oh my.’ While recording the song, our producer (Stuart Sikes) told us the song needs a chorus, a real one. Levi and I sat down and wrote the chorus within the next 15 minutes and we felt great about the way it turned out. Kim (pedal steel) laid down a steel part that blew us away, and the song really took shape from there.”
LISTEN:
