Jesse Woods
Get Your Burdens Lifted
Reviewed by Stephen Krock
What is the word for a fully realized, cohesive, yet ultimately dynamic album? Well, in this case, the world is Jesse Woods’ Get Your Burdens Lifted. Seamlessly bouncing back and forth between heavily produced indie pop rock beauty to bare bones folk ditties, Jesse Woods keeps Burdens alive and interesting until the last second. Vocally, it’s no revelation. If you’ve heard Bon Iver, you’ve heard Woods’ voice. It’s perfectly clear and crisp, acting as the glue that holds the potentially disparate tracks together.
There are many talents at work here. Great songwriting, hooks that would catch even the most stubborn of fish, lovely strings, a strong voice. Burdens is another example of an album riddled with nostalgia that remains very current. With a 60’s Beatles/Beach Boys vibe permeating through the more poppy tracks, fans of Mumford & Sons and Fleet Foxes will find plenty to like in the great “Broken Bottle,” the soulful “Elijah,” and the practically perfect “Chain Gang.” The stripped down fare is all fine. They contain the same love and talent as the rest, but aren’t as memorable.
Jesse Woods could easily find his way to mainstream radio. So let’s get to know him now, so we can all say we liked him before it was cool. Like the music snobs we are.
Rating: Bad-ass
