JACKSON ATKINS "BOOTSTRAPS" REVIEW
Jackson Atkins has a voice that feels like home, and a style that makes you want to buy a pickup and a black lab and just drive out West.
It is quintessential folk country music. Simple, twangy, and with deep relatable lyrics that reflect actual personal struggle and growth. By the time the album is over, you feel like you know Atkins pretty well, despite having never even met them. The songs are all personable, familiar, and they call out to the pioneer within you.
A lot of these qualities are things you just don't see very often in music anymore, because being this genuine is a unique quality that doesn't pay as well as being popular; which is a reality that limits many artists these days in a way that doesn't seem to affect Atkins here. This whole album sounds like it's straight from the heart, and is a thousand times more respectable and enjoyable for that alone. For example; in the song “Mpls Nice” of his previous EP “Mercy,” Atkins seems to tell a tale of personal struggle about social anxiety in group settings, and the difficulties of keeping up with relationships due to so much pressure being allocated towards social connectedness; which is something that tends to affect most, if not all people these days in some manner or another. Sometimes you just wanna shut off and spend some quality time on yourself, I don't think anyone would disagree with that. There's a line that goes: "There's craft beer on tap, but I think I'll have a soda and find a corner table booth to hide. Trying way too hard to be nice." Which immediately made me think of a dozen times I've done the same exact thing. Sometimes you just aren't feeling it, and y'know, that's just life.
The album really shines with the accompaniment of the harmonica on a few of the tracks, which really drives home that classic folk feel, and captures the from-the-heart and reminiscent qualities of folk country music quite perfectly. The simplicity of the melodies makes every song kind of catchy, which is an admittedly hard thing to accomplish across an entire album; and despite the songs having no percussion element whatsoever, I still find myself tapping my foot along the whole time.
Atkins has a knack for space, and makes a guitar and a voice (or harmonica) go together like the sun and the moon, each filling their own spot when they need to, and always giving you something beautiful to appreciate.
Between the warm familiar voice, relatable lyrics, and soulful harmonica; this EP makes you feel like you're living the simple life on the prairie. It just feels good.
Jackson Atkins:
Just me! He/him
(Melodic Noise) How's your day going?
(Jackson Atkins) Not too bad! Enjoying the cool breeze coming in. I'm not much of a summer person ha.
(MN) What is your formed/origin story?
(JA) I've been writing music since I learned some chords on the guitar when I was thirteen. Since then, I've played in lots of bands. While I love being in a band, I also write songs that are more personal and tend to be quieter so I've been doing solo stuff off and on over the years. Recent events have given me more time to focus on this.
(MN) Genre?
(JA) I think the best descriptor would be folk.
(MN) Label? (If so, how did you get involved with them?)
(JA) I'm a free agent.
(MN) What is the story behind the album's name?
(JA) The name Bootstraps is taken from the first song, Bootstrap Blues. The song is about being totally lost and hopeless, and how the idea that you should just pull yourself up by your bootstraps becomes a kind of cruel joke at that point.
(MN) Lyrically what stands out on the album?
(JA) I tend to write sad songs, but I think some humor shines through on some of these songs.
(MN) What was the inspiration behind the album?
(JA) Getting older... how we get used to things, but they never really get easier. I used to be pretty melodramatic and self-destructive... now it's like "Okay, I'm still here. What do I do now?"
(MN) What do you hope people take away from the album?
(JA) I think the best thing music can do is make us feel less alone, so I hope it does that.
(MN) Is there something that connects the songs together?
(JA) There are definitely some common themes. Alienation and doubt, mixed with a kind of good-natured pessimism. Ha.
(MN) Are you locals or transplants?
(JA) Minnesota born and raised.
(MN) What are some of your influences and Minnesota influences?
(JA) That's easy because Bob Dylan and Charlie Parr are both from Minnesota.
(MN) Who are some of your favorite current Twin Cities artists?
(JA) I play in a punk band called Super Flasher so I suppose I gotta mention that. I love the energy behind some of these younger bands like Butter Boys and Rhino Shrine.
(MN) What is your favorite venue to play and see shows at in Twin Cities?
(JA) 331club hands down.
(MN) What can fans expect when they come to your shows?
(JA) I'll be there and try my best.
(MN) Do you have a favorite or crazy memory of playing a show?
(JA) In 8th grade, my band played a Blink182 song at the school talent show. We lied and said we wrote it. Still feel guilty about that, but I'm sure Blink doesn't mind.
(MN) Who are your dream tour-mates?
(JA) Touring can be stressful, so I'd definitely want to go with somebody very chill. Kurt Vile comes to mind.
(MN) Other hobbies?
(JA) I'm kind of boring lately - reading books and walking the dog are my main hobbies.
(MN) What do you like about living in the Twin Cities?
(JA) There's a certain kind of fortitude that goes along with living in Minnesota - the winters are cold and long. But when it's nice out, we sure take advantage of it.
(MN) Is there anything that sets the Twin Cities scene apart from places you've toured?
(JA) It's hard to compare your hometown to places you've only visited, but we've got a great community and a lot of great venues.
(MN) What are your favorite places to grab food or drink in the Twin Cities?
(JA) For bars, I gotta say Mortimer's, Palmer's, and 331club. Taco Cat for tacos and Pizza Luce for pizza. The Loon Deli on Lyndale makes a mean veggie burger.
(MN) What are the your plans for the future?
(JA) Write more music. Hopefully play shows again at some point
(MN) Is there anyone you'd like to thank or shout out?
(JA) Matt Ernster - he recorded the EP and also did the sketch that ended up being the cover art. Plus he's just a swell guy.
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RReview by: Theodore Stai, Writer @TheKingsRest
Interview and edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner @PlaylistTC
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