Jason Wade - “A Likely Story”
From Nashville, Jason Wade arrives on our blog with his latest release: “A Likely Story.” It is quite possible that you have already heard this man’s work, as Wade has been providing music via Lifehouse since the age of fifteen, as well as through the indie sounds of ØZWALD. But what he’s done here is a true testament to never being bound by any specific genre.
“A Likely Story” begins with some magnificently intimate acoustic guitar, coupled with a barebones production that sounds as though we’ve stumbled across the voice memos in Wade’s phone. His voice soon joins, confident and controlled as he displays a more folksy side of his craft. The song immediately draws us in as listeners and it is exactly what we needed on this cold, midwestern morning.
At just past the forty-five second mark, the production expands with a more robust arrangement, including an appearance by the bass and drums, which provide a steady rhythm to house the tune. Some delicate synth swells in the background and spacious vocal layering widens the entire sonic space– although the elements increase in their numbers, “A Likely Story” never loses touch with its more lo-fi nature, resulting in an authentic joy to have in your ears.
We loved the sound so much that we took a quick dip into Wade’s previous solo releases, which is where we found the gloriously stripped-back “Chucky Blondin (Acoustic).” And if, for some odd reason, the Phosphorescent/ Mumford vibes of “A Likely Story” didn’t completely win you over as a fan, prepare to lose yourself in the indie-folk-ness of this raw and intimate number. The label on the box might say ‘acoustic,’ however, this is anything but a solo performance. It comes complete with flourishes from a lead guitar, some rounded notes from a vintage-tinged bass, and a spaghetti western-inspired middle eight that will have you returning for seconds.
To place the proverbial cherry on top of this review, we leave you with Wade’s intimate cover of The Beatles’ “Get Back.” Reaching into his folksy bag of tricks, the arrangement is primarily decked out with an acoustic guitar and layered vocals, including appearances from some vibey keys and a retro-imbued electric. Much like the intro of “A Likely Story,” it is not at all difficult to imagine Wade performing this number inside whatever room you might be listening. So, wherever you are, turn up those headphones and join us in getting lost inside of Wade’s remarkable sound.
-HD