Jake Swamp and the Pine deliver big on impassioned debut, "Simpson & Banks"
Hitting euphoric highs from start to finish on his debut album, Jake Swamp and the Pine have hit the mark on Simpson & Banks. Please keep reading as we share our thoughts on the record, as well as a much needed background on the band.
Led confidently by Drew Zieff, he’s imparted every piece of his soul and infinite passion for music into his debut record, Simpson & Banks. Backed up by an immensely talented band that includes Josh Gold (production), Don Mitchell (lead guitar, harmonies, banjo, lap steel), Corinna Smith (violin), Francis Hickey (bass), Auyon Mukharji (Mandolin), and Jonathan Ulman (drums), it’s truly a collective project between these musicians that’s brought this beauty to life. If for some reason this is your introduction to their music, we can think of no better jumping off point than with a complete spin of this.
Somewhere between Folk, Indie Rock, and so much more beneath the surface, Simpson & Banks is a 10 track record that clocks in at an even 30 minutes. While it zoomed right by on our initial listen, we couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sensation of optimism and love flowing throughout it all. Considering the amount of work that went into this album’s vision, Zieff actually allowed for this to be more of an “open forum” record, meaning giving the musicians free reign to do what they do best. It won’t be difficult to spot, but there are seriously so many shining instrumental moments here, especially on tracks like “Cigarettes and Coffee”, “Don’t Be Afraid of Sundays”, and the opener “Drive Drive Drive”.
Another major plus is the album’s succinct 30 minute runtime, making sure that it doesn’t feel like it’s overstaying its welcome, but also fully making you want more by the end of it all. Drew lulls you into a daze with his expressive vocals, having you hang on literally every word trying to connect the dots within his stories too. There’s a density about this record that begs you to come back for more, because there’s no way any average listener would be able to take it in on one full listen. We love it and can’t wait for you to dig in!
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