JR JR – Back To The Land

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On the latest offering from indie pop rock band, JR JR, the band sets the tone early on “Domino” that opens with the all-too-relatable lyrics of, “The world is a commercial for things I shouldn’t buy / Some days I can’t tell what’s dead from what’s alive.” The depth the band goes into on Back To The Land only speaks to the true artistry that JR JR put into their music on a daily basis. For those unfamiliar with the band, they are comprised of the duo of Daniel Zott and Joshua Epstein, and they used to be called Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (simplified to now JR JR). After their last LP, the sprawling 2019 double album called Invocations / Conversations, JR JR hone in on their songwriting with a concise ten-track effort on Back To The Land. Throughout the latest record, JR JR go through a lot of themes, topics, and thoughts that are brimming with great musicianship and insight.

After the aforementioned opener of “Domino,” the band quickly get into a comfortable groove on the bar-themed “Salty Dog.” The band set the scene by explaining, “The Salty Dog is calling / It’s been far too long / Since all of us were in there / Drinking something strong / And they don’t have karaoke / But we were fine without / Half of you is in there / Waiting to get out.” The song is largely about taking time for yourself and learning to let go of the things outside of our control. “Free My Mind” picks up the pace a bit, with plenty of summery vibes, and gets back to the style the band experimented with on their 2020 EP called August & Everything Prior. The two vocalists harmonize with ease and it makes for a pleasing song in the set.

On “House Beside”, JR JR daydream about living next to celebrities as they croon on the initial chorus of, “I wanna buy that house beside / The one next to, the one beside the one next to / The one beside the one next door to / The one behind the house that Prince grew up in / If being close to greatness makes me feel less temporary,” to come to terms with their status as an indie band comfortable in their own skin, if not a bit starry-eyed for their quest for more. “As I Walk Along” is an acoustic-driven song about the observations we make as we venture outdoors. In the second verse, JR JR observe, “Teach me stillness as the grass is frozen in the morning light / Encourage like the tree that stands alone / Show me limitations like an ant crawls on the ground / And to let go of memories like they’re melted snow.” It’s a nice compilation of thoughts paired with the crisp songwriting that fans have come to expect from the band.

”Sunburn” has a nice pop bounce to it as they open with “Got that sunburn on my shoulders / Can’t get it staying in my room / Got that sunburn on my shoulders / Outside working in the roots,” as the band continues to connect with the outside world that ties in well to overall theme of Back To The Land. The album’s best song happens to be the lead single and title track that plays out like a campfire classic. The shimmering chorus adds in some cool keyboards and other atmospheric elements as the two vocalists sing, “If I were you, I’d get back to the land / And claim it for myself / Wherever I stand / Carve out a piece for you / Next to a piece for me / No need to name it anything / Let it be / Come on and hold me hold gonna grow so fast / Only will I ever ask.” The song shows that JR JR haven’t lost a step, and are more than capable of crating a perfect pop tune.

”Stuck In My Mind” features a memorable refrain of “Singers sing / Players play / No one’s king / So they say,” that brings all eyes onto the current U.S. political situation, while “Cory Cory” is an ultra-short song that ponders, “Cory Cory, did you sell your soul again? / Sometime long ago I used to think / We’d always be friends / Now in your darkest hours / I’m afraid that you’ve lost your powers / If not, where’d they go?” It’s nice that JR JR still value key relationships, and their thoughts drift towards maintaining these key connections.

Everything builds up to “The Best Song In The World”, a sprawling quest of looking for a way to stay relevant in the crowded indie rock scene while still staying true to ourselves. The band shares, “They say that all great art is about mortality / But more than anything else / It’s always the sex that sells / Sometimes you might have to try / To swing below the belt,” as their lyrical commentary makes for another memorable closer in their discography.

There is plenty to like about the direction JR JR went for on Back To The Land, an album fully enriched by warm lyrics, solid instrumentation, and a connection to the world we all live in. And for now, that’s the mark of a true artist willing to dig into what makes us all human and wanting to see better days ahead.

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