Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Jess Jocoy’s music is inspired by the sweeping panoramas she grew up among. With a rich voice and an eye for detailed storytelling, Jocoy is one of the finer songwriters coming out of Nashville. Like everybody else, Jocoy’s grind of touring and songwriting was brought to a halt, resulting in her recent EP Brighter Eyes. The 4-song EP provides a series of sketches that remind us of the key lesson many of us learned during the past year: slow down and hope for the best.
Sonically, Jocoy revels in big ’90s country textures, adding a touch of gravitas to her songs with earthy string arrangements and textured percussion. It’s really a continuation of her stunning album Such a Long Way (featured on episode 113 of the Adobe & Teardrops podcast.) No matter what, though, storytelling is at the heart of Jocoy’s music. “Brighter Eyes” boasts a beautiful, sweeping pop melody and weeping steel guitar and strings, brimming with wonder at the world and grief for the things that pass, as all things do.
The standout on the collection is “Mansion on a Hill” (included in my Tuesday Teardrops Spotify playlist), a gorgeous story of a life well-lived, if not quite meeting all the hopes and dreams of its occupants.
Rounding out Brigher Eyes are “Constellations,” a beautiful summer-inspired tune of living in the moment and appreciating it for what it is. With lyrics like “Drawing constellations/don’t feel the need to name them,” Jocoy illustrates with ease how to find your place in the world and enjoy it. By contrast, the album ends with “Winter,” a confessional outpouring of the narrator’s self-doubts. However, couched in three songs about bravely doing the thing and seeing it through, we leave knowing that the song itself is cathartic, a release of a given moment in time. Listen to the EP on repeat, and you’ll feel the gradual swing of the seasons, reminding us that nothing is permanent except the cycles of our lives.