Alternative singer/songwriter Jackson Scott has returned with his long-awaited third album, Everything Is Ephemeral, out now. A masterful marriage of psychedelic rock and dream pop, the thirteen-track offering is peppered with Scott’s classically introspective lyricism and fresh sonic soundscapes. It works to encapsulate the fleetingness felt in all of life’s moments, with each song painting a different stroke of shoegaze perfection. Fans of Deerhunter, My Bloody Valentine, Massive Attack, and Mac Demarco, will gravitate towards the sound.
Based in Pittsburgh with simultaneous roots in North Carolina, Scott has been an innovator in local DIY scenes for over a decade. His debut album Melbourne was met with praise from well-respected journalists to instantly devoted listeners, landing him a record deal with Fat Possum at only twenty years old. He has been featured in the likes of The Fader, Stereogum, DIY Magazine, Impose, NME, Brooklyn Vegan, and NPR. His sophomore feat Sunshine Redux traversed even deeper into experimental psychedelic fuzz.
Everything is Ephemeral is as much a call back to Scott’s self-made origins as a departure into a new phase of his artistry. Most of the tracks began as beats, which he built off of with expansive songwriting, 60s-inspired guitars, and hypnotic vocals. He shares, “I was channeling a lot of UK influences, especially a lot of 90’s groups like Massive Attack, Oasis, and My Bloody Valentine.”
Sonic cohesion abounds throughout the album, which was Scott’s goal. Despite offering a myriad of escapes, the tracks span a dense 31 minutes, completely immersing the audience without losing their attention. “Lazy Left Eye,” a sharp and slow opener with reverbed vocals, melts perfectly into the harsher, drumbeat-heavy “Skyscraper.” The album runs as a relentless cascade, bleeding into one big sonic moment.
Tracks like “Ribbons” offer a lighter, sweet feel with 60s-inspired guitars in the same vein as “Oceanic.” “Popsicle” begs to be played in the back of a coming of age film montage, wistful and airy. The title track is, fittingly, instrumental, enveloping the listener into Scott’s world.
Highlight track “Medication” is based around those same MPC beats. “The beginning of the night, I don’t need much more, I just want to feel like I did before,” Scott sings as an electric guitar drones on and the layers slide into the same hazy vibe of a substance-induced high that can’t last forever. “Trying to hold onto the fleeting nature of a good hedonistic experience, knowing that it ultimately will end eventually,” he reflects.
Everything Is Ephemeral is the ideal amalgamation of Scott’s experiences in the music industry, a reversion of sorts to his roots to produce his best work yet. “It’s also about personal transformation, ascension, and gratitude,” he shared. “This life is a gift. Sometimes I take that for granted but it is important to me that I remind myself just how incredible it is to be alive.”