Before dropping his debut solo single Jackson August started the band NONEWFRIENDS, co-writing music for the band, and playing the guitar and saxophone too. Living his dream of being the new Arctic Monkeys, August developed a knack for delivering exhilarating live performances that left audiences begging for more. Now he’s venturing out to create his own singular sound, one that’s not defined by those around him what’s his and his alone. This is exactly why his debut is so personal.
7ELEVEN is about the fears of growing up. Waking up one day and realise you’ve gone from a wide eyed 18 year old ready to see what the world has to offer you, to a 22 year old who’s seen the dazzling lights of the city fade into a greyscale blur. Like this transition, this debut is raw and imperfect but in the best way possible. It perfectly articulates the chaos that comes with this transitional period, never being sure of your next step, consistently scared about everything, and seeing parts of your youth slip away. The production and vocals are on point for this, but the lyrics raise it to a whole new level, , “22 but I miss 18 / Was the city always this dull? I just can’t recall / And I hope my friends still love me / I’m finding no one seems to really care at all.”
This track might be called 7ELEVEN but I’d definitely give it an 11/11.