First Listen: Jesse Appelman “Where We Go”

First Listen is a feature where we sit back in a dark room, put our headphones on and push play while regurgitating our immediate feelings & emotions to a piece of work.

Jesse Appelman’s “Where We Go” was an out of left field record that landed in my lap. Upon seeing the shared friends and juggernauts of modern acoustic music lining the…liner notes…I put it on the ‘must dig in’ list and so, here we go.

The record leads in with a self proclaimed “joyful fiddle tune” that serves to give us a proper introduction to what’s to come. And joyful it is. Bouncy and rolling. There is something to be said about the familiarity that darts across your auditory periphery (particularly when it’s an original composition). But, it’s that familiarity and comfort that invites you inside to stay a while. The passing around of the melody giving us the vibe of a well polished campfire jam, but without the bug spray and smoke in your eyes. There is something really uplifting and rousing as the instruments come back together. 

Appelman manages to blend influence and his own voice together seamlessly, weaving back and forth into traditional songs (well known and not so universally known) and his own tunes with an ease and flow that emulates the relaxed patter in his voice on “The Hills of Isel Au Haut”. But they feel so right next to one another. We then dive back into another Appelman original with “Liminal Criminal” (what a name, right?). A minor keyed instrumental that would feel at home on a John Reischman record, with apt energy and vibrancy to keep you hanging on each note.

As much as the odes to his influence are wonderful, its Appelman’s original compositions that shine for me here. I find myself drawn to them in a beautiful way. “Lyell Fork”, being one that forces me into a daydream, eyes half closed and swaying my head to and fro. Not sleepy, but with that same casual, but confident, relaxed state of being.

The musicality here is top notch. The production values feeling organic and alive. And the flow state of the entire record is one that begs you to sit down, turn the lights down low and play the whole things strong.

Something old and something new. It doesn’t really matter. Instrumental tunes intermingling with lyrical songs and gang choruses that feed the energetic movement and flow of the collective recording, like a steady stream through rolling hills and bright sun days. Rich and full and well, just feel good. It feels like my favorite set at a summer bluegrass festival that meets the road between the main stage and the late night campfire. That in between space between life and the weekend escape. A place I yearn for all year long and now I can live it through Jesse Appelman’s “Where We Go”.

“Where We Go” is releasing on February 20th. You can hit up Jesse’s Bandcamp to get in the know, listen to the current 3 released singles and get the record as soon as it drops.