JEMS returns after five years with a new journey and fine-tuned sound that fans anticipated following their debut success. The group’s debut album was described as eccentric, soothing, and essential. With Creed, they embark on a sophomore jinx.
Back Around executes captivating harmonies, daring instrumentals, meaningful themes, and engaging storytelling. Adam Tressler (Aimee Mann, Kacey Musgraves), Adam Christgau (Angel Olsen, Lucius, Tegan & Sara), Francisco Ojeda (The Strike, She & Him), engineer Jesse String (Leonard Cohen, Prince, Nick Jonas), and Daniel Goodwin (Kevin Morby, Bob Weir) collaborate on the album).
Stream Back Around here.
In the summer of 2017, the Alternative Folk trio of Jessica Rotter, Emily Colombier & Sarah Margaret Huff was formed after a cross-country solar eclipse pilgrimage. They found that their voices blended well, creating a unique “fourth voice” that combined their perspectives and influences. JEMS weaves stories, sounds, and raw emotion with rich three-part harmonies and a shimmering fervor.
The 10-song collection starts with “I Was,” beyond Earth’s atmosphere and floats down to our world with a cry of creation and a plea for protection. Moving on to the second track, “Get to Know Ya,” the album is ready to build from an intimate place.
The trio touches on themes of joy and escape in “Gotta Get Away,” finding inner strength despite disappointment in “The Weather,” and sardonic romantic expectation in “Smoking Gun.” This is followed by “Bury It,” a reflection on being true to oneself and the consequences of repressing pain and ignoring inner truth, told in three different narratives. The album steadily climbs a mountain of betrayal with “We Don’t Pray” and concludes with the climactic and haunting “The Hawk.”
The final two tracks showcase quintessential JEMS. “Erased” starts with piercing melancholy and ends with plush harmonies, while “Back Around” offers comfort and a timeless quality, serving as a meditation on finding solace in each other during tough times.
Back Around delivers a timeless feel as the trio mesmerizes with unique arrangements, fulfillment and immortality. The album is the perfect origin point for newfound fans eager to hop on the bandwagon.
