Autumn is in full swing, and with it new decorations, activities, and of course, playlists. Fall has always been a reminder of change, and every year as I watch the seasons shift, I often get nostalgic for the autumns I’ve experienced before. Luckily, I’ve discovered that the perfect soundtrack for a nostalgic fall is Jake Minch’s debut album, George. Despite being a massive fan at the album’s release in July of this year, I’ve found that the album has only gotten better and more fitting as the weather has begun to turn. Each track perfectly encapsulates the reflection, emotion, and occasionally comfort that comes with the changing seasons.
“Nostalgia Act”
The album opens with an incredibly soft and almost acoustic introduction, gentle guitar strums and slow drums. “Nostalgia Act” is exactly what it sounds like, a trip back in time to Minch’s past, setting the perfect tone for an album that values nostalgia the most at it’s core. As with all other songs written by Minch, it’s honest and vulnerable, as Minch reflects on a return to his hometown and his former life within it, through the lens of a conversation that could be held with an old friend.
Standout lyric: “I didn’t come here to play hometown hero / I’m in this state for my check, then I’ll walk.”
“Drawing a Tattoo”
“Drawing a Tattoo” feels like a time machine to every coming of age moment you’ve ever experienced. In a pseudo conversation with an old friend, Minch recalls specific moments of their relationship that shouldn’t feel relatable to the general listener, and yet always do. This song acknowledges the solemn feeling that accompanies leaving an old life behind in pursuit of more, and how sometimes that means changing relationships and dynamics. Forgetting who you used to be in small ways, both good and bad, and watching people you loved make choices you never saw coming.
Standout lyric: “White room, blue curtains, two plastic bags / You were the hardest that I’d ever laughed.”
“F****d Up”
This is undoubtedly one of my favorite songs on the album. After hearing “Fingers and Clothes” live, I assumed there was no way it could be matched. However, when I first played “F****d Up” on a cloudy morning drive to work, my jaw remained dropped from the first line to the last. As proven in nearly every song in this album, Minch has a gift for nostalgic storytelling. When listening to this song, I almost feel like I’m listening to a friend recount his relationship drama, while simultaneously finding his mistakes and lessons relatable while remaining incredibly specific. This song is catchy, quick witted, and memorable. It’s slightly upbeat while not being too fast to be included among so many slower songs.
Standout lyric: “She says: I met you in the middle of a gold rush, I can get any guy I want / Go find yourself a girl like me and call me back when you give up.”
“Fingers and Clothes”
The lead single on his album, “Fingers and Clothes” is a standout. Personally, I could only describe this song as gut-wrenching perfection. The song perfectly encapsulates the feeling of reminiscing on a relationship held at a young age, that first time developing an obsession with someone else and the knowledge that they feel the same, the way everyone can tell what’s going on. It’s a love letter to the early days of a relationship and being too inexperienced to know how to treat each other well, but trying your best anyway. Minch compares this feeling of a crush to sharing a cigarette, the smoke “sticking to your fingers and your clothes,” in the same way a crush can be so potent and obvious. The genius of comparing these two sensations is not lost on me. This song is nostalgic, relatable, and beautifully composed, with a catchy chorus and verses that will send any listener plummeting head first into reminiscing their early relationships. I was lucky enough to see this song performed live before its release, at an Alix Page show in New York City. My best friend had to deal with my tight grasp on her arm, as I freaked out from seeing two of my favorite artists perform one of my favorite songs. It was an unforgettable moment, and I’ll associate this song with it forever.
Standout lyric: “Four years and you’re still not over it / For something that was shorter than a cigarette.”
“Dad’s Song”
In a beautiful dedication to his father, Minch reflects on his father’s impact on his life and what he wishes he could tell him after his passing. This song makes me tear up every time without fail, is is a beautiful and humble recollection of mistakes and triumphs. This song is so deeply personal and emotional, and incredibly well written, with every lyric feeling intentional and impactful, no space wasted.
Standout lyric: “I wanna tell you that after you left us / I made a life of the things that I’m scared of.”
“Unicef”
“Unicef” begins with a slow piano intro that instantly sets the tone for the rest of the song. Another masterclass in nostalgia and growing pains, “Unicef” is a reflection of what it means to make mistakes and learn from them as you grow and change. The best part of this song is its gradual increase in tempo, which gives me chills every listen. It feels like finally accepting yourself and the people around you for who they are, and knowing that sometimes people make terrible decisions because they’re young and don’t know any better, and that’s okay. By the end of the song, drums and guitar in full swing return to a soft piano outro, and any listener will feel like their heart has been ripped out of their chest.
Standout lyric: “Predetermined weakness you didn’t know was there / You weren’t mean on purpose, you were scared.”
“First I Was”
Incredibly self aware, “First I Was” is a deep self reflection about who Minch used to be and who he has become, another raw and real song among this album of overwhelming honesty. Minch reflects on who he was within a relationship, and who he was before he became the person who hurt someone he loved as bad as he did. While sharing who he was in the past, Minch has the gift of maintaining honesty while taking accountability, not drowning in self pity over how he has changed, but recognizing it and reminiscing on it without trying to cause harm or make excuses.
Standout lyric: “You know me more than I do still, and it only haunts me now / Baby, you can be the talker, I have given you my mouth.”
“Say Uncle”
The most upbeat song on the album, I have a soft spot for “Say Uncle”, a song about Minch trying to get a guy to admit that he is also into men, and, in turn, into him. The song is fast paced and rumbly, with incredible drums and guitar that almost make me want to dance. A break from the slower, more serious songs that this album is full of, “Say Uncle” leaves me rooting for Minch and feeling much more playful than the others. While being much more lighthearted, “Say Uncle” is still full of incredible lyricism, specifically in the bridge, that I was instantly obsessed with upon first listen.
Standout lyric: “And now I’m nothing but a soldier / I live in your bedside drawer.”
“Changed Things”
This beautiful song about Minch’s sibling relationship with his sister is another favorite of mine on the album. Minch writes about his changing connection with his sister as they grew up together and dealt with grief and coming of age alongside each other. It’s touching and will make anyone with a sibling specifically feel seen. Every listen results in my childhood being played back in my mind like a movie montage, flashes of growing up with my brother and becoming more and more aware of the world around me.
Standout lyric: “I was lying over nothing, you were honest to a fault, and it changed things.”
“For Leaving”
A blatant apology written into song, “For Leaving” is another slowly paced and beautifully executed account of Minch’s regret leaving a relationship the way that he did, begging his former lover to forgive him for how he ended things despite how vulnerable it appears. The drums in this song have a particular impact on me, like direct shots to the heart as Minch delivers painful lyrical blows one after another. This is absolutely a song that could be screamed out of the passenger seat window on a therapeutic autumn drive.
Standout lyric: “You were like an angel, all emaciated / Dressed, singing to me out on the fire escape.”
“A Mistake You Only Make Once”
A short intermission before the final track, “A Mistake You Only Make Once” is discordant speech over a gentle acoustic back track, which may seem random, but is an intentional one minute of pure nostalgia that encompasses the exact energy this album is trying to replicate.
“Twice”
Minch closes his debut album with “Twice”, a perfect selection for the culmination of an emotional masterpiece. “Twice” reminisces on a past relationship. The song is played mainly on piano, an excellent choice for its melancholy energy. This song could be on any sleep playlist, as soft as a lullaby, but its softness does not distract from how harsh the lyrics could feel to someone who finds them relatable. A gentle and truthful end to an album that will send any listener emotionally reeling, “Twice” wraps up Minch’s vision with a bow, and sounds like the exhaustion that accompanies feeling the sheer amount of emotion packed into George’s twelve tracks.
Standout lyric: “I was never gonna love you right, but I loved you more than I ever had yet, so if you’re drinking I’m drinking.”