Out of the lush and imaginative backdrop of New York, indie-rock singer-songwriter Jesse Bloodgood produces music that has the essence of being shared between close friends. His artistry has been characterized by the rarest and purest sincerity of voice, one that does not merely sing to you but breathes with you through the trials and triumphs of life. On the 6th of February, he released his latest four-song EP titled “Wishful Thinker,” which has been described as being as visceral as the heart’s quiet and most turbulent places. This is not merely a collection of recordings; it is a masterclass in relatable emotional depth, centered around the grit and the grace of a songwriter unafraid to reveal the cracks. Let me take you through this sonic journey, where every chord strike and every lyric seems to be a step toward some truth.

“Lighthouse night owl” is the first song on the EP. The EP kicks off not with a bang, but with a deliberate hum. You can pick out the distant hiss of a room—a grounding presence that makes the recording feel lived-in and real—before a finger-picked acoustic guitar melody sets up a rhythmic pattern that feels like a heartbeat in a quiet room. The song is a sprawling exploration of the “liminal space” between late-night isolation and the desperate hope for a signal from someone else. The good news is that the character doesn’t just yearn; he finds someone who makes him hate where he is and his life a little less. Musically, I loved how the song oscillated between high and low tempos while highlighting the vocal performance. This song opened the EP wonderfully.

The title track abruptly changes the mood. It begins with insistent guitar chords that soon combine with a strong, resonant low end and pounding percussion. Jesse begins singing with the words, “Every now and again you breathe a really good breath,” in his characteristic baritone, but this time with a more carefully articulated, rhythmic delivery than in the preceding track. The song talks about natural highs in life and appreciating someone who means a lot to you. The character in the song doesn’t just appreciate his partner for her physical looks but also for the way she thinks. The music is far more “front and center” in this track; the drums have a “roomy” punch that helps to anchor the more high-end vocal work Jesse does as the song progresses. The vocal performance is varied, moving between a rugged, textured grit and a sharper, more high-pitched presence. This has a “push-pull” effect on the listener, echoing the inner conflict expressed in the lyrics. It is urgent, honest, and slightly breathless.

The second-to-last song is called “Tell me what you want”. This song is more rooted in a melodic, hook-based style. The song begins with a clean, rhythmic guitar part, which is more “pop-infused” in feel, though still with the edge of the indie-rock sound. The song is about the raw desire for honesty. It is about the moment in a relationship or at a crossroads in your life when the uncertainty is more unbearable than the truth. The character in the song feels the relationship is ending, so he asks her what she wants and promises to give it to her. Musically, the vocal performance is the most impressive element in this song. Jesse sings in a more relaxed style in the verses, making you feel like you’re in on the secret, and then launches into a more melodic, pleading, desperate chorus. The effect on the listener is one of great relatability; it encapsulates the general frustration of wanting to assist or correct the situation but needing to be “let in” first. It’s the most “human” track in the EP so far, with some of the atmospheric layers stripped away from the opening tracks to really drive the message home.

“Cutting room floor” is the last song on the EP. The EP ends with a song that sounds like the “aftermath.” The song begins with a more “minimalist” and slightly “melancholic” piano melody that is very emotive. The song’s theme is a woman who has taken his partner for granted. Jesse’s vocals are most versatile here, with notable changes in tone and pitch as if the reel of the movie was being “spliced.” You can feel the pain and the heartache in the vocal performance. The instrumentation has notable pauses, where the drums beat once or twice, then stop, creating a sense of a ghostly presence. The result is haunting and closes with a sense of closure. The listener is left with the “quiet” after a major life realization, making it the perfect ending to the Wishful Thinker’s journey.

And with the arrival of “Wishful Thinker,” Jesse Bloodgood cements his status as a force to be reckoned with in the realm of modern indie rock, crafting a tapestry of songwriting that is both intellectually complex and emotionally naked. Jesse has a gift for conveying the “hard to talk about” aspects of human experience with a voice that is both his signature baritone-tenor tone and yet somehow both scrappy and controlled. This EP is nothing short of a masterpiece, a collection of anthems that transcends current trends to speak to something far more eternal. Jesse is not simply an artist to watch; Jesse is a star in ascendancy, a presence that is impossible to ignore, leaving us gasping with anticipation for whatever story he wants to tell next.

Stream the “Wishful Thinker” EP on Spotify

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