Jacob Dunn is a self-described cosmic-Americana artist based in Southeastern Ohio. Their new upcoming album Kinda Like A Dream opens with “Charades”, a sagacious single which questions our very experience of reality.
Electric guitar hits blend into a full and spacious instrumental that gradually layers like a hearty shepherd’s pie, with a single distorted guitar ushering us into Dunn’s sonic world. The soulful hits on the back beats establish a noir groove within seconds. An intricate plucked melody then segways us into a broader, wavering sound that expands with an unreserved drumbeat. But this is no lighthearted auditory entrée… Quickly, the feeling of a Hadean time loop is evoked. First, it is tranquil like a dream (but then a shadow creeps in). Longingly, he tells us about his serene visions. Then a subtle wail shimmers through Jacob Dunn’s voice as the ray of sun turns into a shaded feeling of disquiet. It is as if the heartfelt tenor of Gary LeVox has met the depth and hybrid influences of Gram Parsons.
Today, Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of “Charades,” a tune that is immediately catchy while simultaneously carrying the heaviness that life inevitably brings with a pained, soaring guitar solo. The track continues to move forward with its push and pull motif… dreams vs. reality, serenity vs restlessness… eventually leading into an ethereal vocal stack of “oo’s” that fades away, mysterioso. As a whole, the poetic verses of “Charades” flow effortlessly into waves of raw, mournful, and vocalesque guitar solos throughout the piece. As it comes to a close, “Charades” imparts smoky soulfulness inside a collage of painterly sounds, which then ends its long, yearning narrative with a single inquieted bleeping distortion.
Dunn describes the inspiration behind the tune:
Charades is a much older song. I wrote it back in early 2019 and it really came from just a general frustration with the world and specifically the events that were happening in the states at the time. All the disconnection and desensitization to the things that happened was a big part of it too. I started to notice how much of the heaviness and horror in the world was being outshined by convenience and entertainment. There’s a lot we’re influenced by without taking a moment to think about what it all means, and we often just see what we wanna see. It’s much easier to pretend everything is fine than it is to figure out how bad things are and face that. I think an individual needs to look a little bit more introspectively to really understand what is happening around them, and self-awareness is supremely lacking in our society. That’s really what these songs are about. They’re about realizing your struggles, your regrets, and the mistakes you’ve made and facing them whether you’re afraid or not. It’s dealing with things that we don’t want to deal with, but we know we have to if we want to move forward.
Listen to the track and read our conversation with Dunn below…
Why did you choose to release your upcoming album on Halloween? Which song(s) do you feel best fits the holiday?
It was really just good timing, to be totally honest. The holiday didn’t have any impact on these songs or what they’re about. They were written about 3 or 4 years ago. I do really get into the holiday, though, and I wanted to share what I had created with people on a day that was already enjoyable. So, I just thought why not make it a little bit more fun, maybe? But it wasn’t anything that played a part in writing the songs. I will say that “Charades” feels like it has a bit of tension to it that could fit the mood of the season. I couldn’t imagine it being in the “hack and slash” part of a scary movie, but maybe an angsty intro for the one character who might actually survive to the end.
What is your favorite part of being interviewed as an artist?
I enjoy talking about music in general, as most musicians and music lovers probably also do, but it’s nice to be able to share some of your more nuanced thoughts that go into what you create. It’s fun and sometimes difficult to vocalize those internal thoughts in a place outside of the song that you’ve written. I think it forces me to also take a deeper look into the work I’ve done, which is cool. Sometimes, when I contemplate more on what I’ve written a song about, it helps me to understand myself a bit more too.
Where in the U.S. are you (and the members of The Blackbirds) from, and how has your respective location influenced your artistry over time?
I’m originally from Meigs Co., Oh and I grew up right along the river in a town called Pomeroy. We’re all mostly from the Mid-Ohio Valley, which is the area around the southeastern part of Ohio.
This EP was actually recorded without the band, though, and I played all the instruments on each song. I’ve had these songs with me for quite a while and, with them being a bit of a different sound, I wanted to really follow through with the exact sounds I heard in my head. Living here over the years has played a big part in the way I think about writing and an even bigger part in the sound I’m searching for these days. Seeing the rough ways people live in this area, and how much they struggle, and how little help they get is often on my mind a good bit. That constant thought in my head has me looking for a different sound that feels more honest to me now. I’ve changed a great deal but most of the area hasn’t, so I’m looking forward to sharing these new sounds with folks.
