Track Review: Weight Of The World // Jacob Shipley
Hailing from New York City, Jacob Shipley is a singer-songwriter with a sound lying somewhere between Paul Simon, Phoebe Bridgers and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Formed – can you say ‘formed’ when the act is a solo project? – in 2019, Jacob released an endearing and highly engaging style of folk. Receiving coverage from music blogs like The Other Side Reviews and Ear To The Ground, Jacob is making waves on an international scale. We want to introduce to Mr Shipley with his single ‘Weight of the World’.
The first single in his Quarantine Nudes series, ‘Weight of the World’ is an evocative single looking at the mental health aspect of living in a pandemic. What I mean is, Jacob superbly touches on feelings of anxiety, frustration, confusion and isolation.
“I was listening to a ton of Phoebe Bridgers and The Cure before Covid hit the US. When we were all told to quarantine I retreated to my parents’ house and my anxiety and depression took hold. This song is about feeling overwhelmed by the constant stream of bad news and the loneliness of not being able to do anything about it…and in the end, realising that it is not my duty to save everything – it is only to do what I can.” – Jacob Shipley on ‘Weight of the World’
A haunting tune, Jacob’s simple vocals are carefully complemented by an underlying guitar and synths. While the song’s concept holds much weight, it is the simplicity of the instrumentation that makes it somewhat easier to listen to – even though you might be crying your heart out with each catchy verse.
Side note: The latest addition to Jacob’s Quarantine Nudes series is the single ‘River‘.