Songwriter • David
W. Jacobsen recently released his new
independent album “Footprints.” T.
Edwards
Despite enthusiasm,
Jacobsen’s “Footprints” falls
short
By Adam Pringle
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
David W. Jacobsen seems like the kind of artist who would be popular on the coffeehouse
circuit: he plays acoustic guitar competently and energetically, and he performs
folk ditties that are pleasant enough for customers to enjoy while they sit and
drink their overpriced espressos.
However, there is a major difference between watching an artist perform for tips
and listening to 71 minutes of him continuously performing on CD.
There is one thing that becomes apparent over the course of Jacobsen’s
latest album, “Footprints:” a little bit of him goes a long
way.
The New Jersey native has a distinct singing voice that sounds like a slightly
out-of-tune James Taylor with an odd Irish brogue. His voice can certainly
be categorized as “unique,” but hearing him sing for over an
hour is no easy task.
Jacobsen is certainly a singer-songwriter who means well. He is a very
capable guitar and piano player, and performs with enthusiasm and passion;
however,
his songs are not very memorable neither lyrically nor musically. Most
of the songs
on “Footprints” are about life, love and heartbreak, but he
does not say anything new or very interesting about these subjects.
His lyrics seem to be designed to appeal to the broadest audience possible, because
they are sensitive and introspective enough to attract attention yet not too
personal or idiosyncratic so that potential listeners will not be alienated.
His songs may be autobiographical, but they do not come across that way.
Instead, they seem like the kind of generic love songs that could be written
by anybody. Jacobsen is supposedly expressing himself and baring his soul through
his music, but he actually reveals very little because most of his lyrics are
vague and general instead of personal.
The one notable exception is “Christmas in Jersey City,” a
memorable and possibly autobiographical account of how Jacobsen copes
with depression
and heartache on Christmas Eve. This standout track truly shows what
could have been.
There are also a number of attempts at humor on “Footprints,” but
most of these fall flat. An example of this is “Batteries,” which
mainly consists of Jacobsen saying bad pick-up lines in a tongue-in-cheek
delivery that sounds like Jerry Seinfeld.
The chorus is not any better: “I said, ‘Why don’t you come
home with me?’/She said, ‘I’d rather stay home with my batteries.’” He
is trying to be witty and self-deprecating, but these attempts at humor
come across as obvious and forced instead of clever.
Musically, most of the songs on “Footprints” are standard acoustic
folk, although there are a number of tracks that include elements from other
musical styles like Irish folk and early ’80s post-punk. Despite
these diverse influences, the majority of the songs are very similar in
structure.
These songs are melodically pleasing, but they are all seem to run together into
one extended 23-track CD.
There are also a number of ill-advised attempts to deviate from the folk
rock formula that dominates “Footprints.” “Meaning Of Life” features
a whimsical piano line that serves as a nice change of pace from the rest
of the album,
Unfortunately, it is weighed down by Jacobsen’s obvious lyrics, including
the supposedly witty chorus, “You work, you drink, you die,” which
undoubtedly is the “meaning of life” referred to in the song’s
title.
“
Sleepwalking” features a heavily overdubbed Jacobsen chanting Native
American-style while only a cheap drum machine beats play in the background.
“
Forgotten Songs” sounds like it was performed with a $10 keyboard,
and it has a very appropriate title because it is a song that should
be forgotten.
Jacobsen may have studied music theory at the Berklee College of Music in Boston,
but he apparently did not think twice about using a cheap Casio instead of
real instruments to perform some of his songs. Perhaps he missed class that
day.
The one area in which “Footprints” shines is the crisp, clear
sound of the vocals and instruments, which is remarkable for an independent
release
like this. The songs may leave something to be desired, but they are presented
in a polished and professional way.
Jacobsen is an artist who probably cares about his craft. He has been writing
and performing music for over 15 years, and he has released over 10 albums on
his Zbokth Productions label.
If the songs on his latest effort are any indicator,
Jacobson should try to continue improving his songwriting. “Footprints” is
not a terrible album, but it is overlong, sometimes embarrassing and ultimately
forgettable. |
