There’s something so tender and nurturing about Jack Elliot‘s newest song ‘Can You Hear The Music?’. This inquisitive track is a refreshing reminder that when we strip back the layers of production, digitised beats and trend-following melodies, we can better expose the human experience and further enhance our own moments of self-reflection.
Hailing from Lund in Sweden, Elliot, recorded this serene song live with just acoustic and bass guitars, allowing the intimate act of songwriting to be better preserved. It’s sounds almost like stumbling upon the page of a forgotten diary; the thoughts from long ago are as fresh and relatable as the day they were committed to paper.
We really couldn’t help but be drawn to this emerging artist’s unfiltered authenticity, reminiscent of songwriters like Nick Drake or Elliott Smith. It’s not only is the track’s emotional vulnerability, but also its non-linear structure which possesses that timeless quality. This fine balance between past and present has no doubt been emphasised by producer Joakim Lindberg, whose minimalist approach gently illuminates the flickers of hope and despair contained within each note.
From the respectful production to the live recording to the sincere songwriting, everything about ‘Can You Hear The Music?’ has been constructed with such care. It’s that attention to detail that makes this track so special; it’s a reminder that even in simplicity, there can be depth beyond measure.
You can listen to ‘Can You Hear The Music?’ in our Folk This Way playlist.
Follow Jack Elliot:
UNRECORDED 