The new single from Athens four-piece Jester is a study in contrasts. For those familiar with the punchy, emotive alt-rock the group churned out on last year’s Not Coming Home EP, lead track “Fix” will feel warmly familiar. It’s a catchy, hooky-heavy anthem with just the slightest hint of Southern twang—the sort of earnest jangle-rock that still fares exceptionally well in the Classic City. Indeed, the mix of breezy melodies and bouncy energy has served the band well, enough to land them a string of sold-out gigs at the 40 Watt. But of the single’s two tracks, it’s the sweeping, piano-driven ballad “Know I’m Not” that resonates the most.
For Jester, wistful appears to be a matter of degrees. Even their liveliest cuts carry some measure of nostalgic yearning, but the single’s B-side leans harder into that sense of plaintive longing. It’s a fairly hefty gamble; there’s a real danger that the song’s arena-sized ambitions would come across as plodding or overwrought, but the performance is genuine and heartfelt. Much of the credit goes to frontman Tommy Trautwein (vocals/guitar/keyboards), whose dynamic vocals do much of the heavy lifting and carry the song forward with measured grace. Overall, it’s an impressive display from a band who appear to be on the rise, and who are keenly aware of what their audience expect.
“These two tracks are special to us,” says Trautwein. “We have been playing these two at our live shows for some time now, and they’ve always been the ones we felt the fans connected to the most. From a songwriting perspective, these songs are dear to our heart and we are so excited to finally have them out in the world.”
Listen below.
More Info
Web: bandnamedjester.com
Bandcamp: bandnamedjester.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @BandnamedJester
Instagram: @bandnamedjester
SoundCloud: @bandnamedjester
Twitter: @bandnamedjester