Hey Jarrod, What’s been happening?
Hey hey, just been in isolation the last week which is a bit brutal. Doing what I can to stay sane.
Ah, strange times we live in.. What have you been listening to?
I’m always trying to listen to new music and keep inspired but my go to albums I’ve had on repeat recently have been; Call Me If You Get Lost by Tyler The Creator, Adolescence by BAYNK, Nurture by Porter Robinson and TWOPOINTFIVE by Amine.
What do you like about those records?
For different reasons I like that each of those albums makes me feel something. I don’t know what the through line between all those albums could be. I definitely find comfort in them all whether it’s the confidence of Tyler, the gentleness of Porter or the fun of Amine.
Congratulations on the music, are you excited to release your EP?
I’m super excited for it to be out for sure. These songs have been around for so long I can’t wait for them to come out so I can put my energy into the next lot of songs!
What was this process like for you?
Super cathartic. A real learning curve for me to see how I can best harness my creativity as well as seeing my sad voice memos become actual songs. That’s been super rewarding.
What do the tunes mean to you?
To me the songs were written to be as emotionally honest as possible. They are not journal entries, they are feelings. They mean a lot to me because they came from me.
There is an ingrained sense of melancholy throughout ‘Carpark Heartbreak’, yet through all the sadness I’m left with a sense of hope listening to ‘Sleeping Bag’. Was there much thought given to the structure/arrangement of the EP or did the tunes just fall into place?
Yeah I definitely wanted to structure the EP to flow and end on a hopeful note. I love melancholy music, I find a real beauty in it but I wanted there to be something that would lift the mood at the end and give a little hope. As sad as the EP can be, I want it to be a healing experience.
I love the interlude too, what was the sentiment behind ‘Table For One’?
That was pretty much just an exercise in contentment. Learning to be comfortable in my own company after the breakdown of a 4 year marriage. Choosing to be alright with where you are is tricky but worth practising i guess.
Another stand out for me was ‘Empty’, it really felt like you really wore your heart on your sleeve with the track. Was it difficult to revisit moments like that? Especially with all the re-listening whilst recording/mixing etc?
Yeah that one is a tricky line to balance but if i’m honest i kind of love it. The writing of any song that gets heavier is usually a cathartic experience. That initial moment of feeling and expressing can be heart wrenching but time passes between the demos to the actual recording/mixing process. I found I’d come to terms with that feeling/moment and was happy to dip back into it to create a piece of music that felt emotionally honest.
Even though the majority of your record Is stripped back, every song is fully realised with beautiful vocals and acoustic guitar. Was this an intention of yours to be so vulnerable in your presentation?
Yeah 100% I always believed that my music would sound like homebrand Passenger and it does!
I’ve always been attracted to music that feels vulnerable and honest.
Will you be playing any shows in the future or are you keeping this strictly a studio endeavour?
Yes I can’t wait to get in on the gig scene. Shows are definitely part of the plan, I’m working on putting together a show that is entertaining and engaging. I don’t want to be pigeon holed to be the sad guy playing acoustic in the back of a cafe.
Any plans on doing some more recording? I know that you are a prolific writer, should we be standing by for a follow up release?
Yes my goal is to have another EP out by the end of the year. I’ve been writing non stop and have a bunch of demos ready to go. All the songs on this EP were written between March and August 2021 and I feel I’ve only gotten better since then. I can’t wait to start work on the next project.
Did we catch a glimpse of your next project with the more electric sounds in ‘Sleeping Bag’?
I hope so! I didn’t have any plans to fill out my sound much at all but as the songs evolved I had so much fun adding elements that I feel made the tracks much more beautiful. I feel like my sound will evolve in that direction for sure.
Check Out Jarrods Debut EP Here