Jake Cassman releases debut album ‘Idling High’

Jake Cassman has spent more than a decade forging a unique sound that takes elements of indie rock, power pop and Americana. A California native who cut his teeth during seven years in Boston before returning home in 2018, he’s grown into an artist whose work feels both intimately personal and thoroughly widescreen. Since releasing music in 2013, he’s toured the country, performed everywhere from small rooms to grand stages and earned a stellar reputation for turning his experiences into anthemic and affecting musical moments.

His songs capture facets of real life, delivered with a magnetic energy that distils his contrasting West Coast openness and East Coast aesthetic. His artistic vision started to take form after he left an Ivy League school to follow music full-time, supporting himself through duelling pianos gigs, busking and writing songs. His previous project, Drunken Logic, toured nationally and contributed the fiery “What A Beautiful Morning!” to the anti-Trump compilation 1,000 Days, 1,000 Songs, joining the ranks of artists like R.E.M. and Death Cab For Cutie.

Outside of band life, he’s written and acted in musical theatre, performed improv and sketch comedy with Second City Hollywood and also produced episodes of the Vulture podcast Switched On Pop. These experiences, all wide-ranging and unconventional, helped shape an artist who approaches songwriting with keen observation, humour and care. Now teaching music by day and performing across the world whenever he can, Jake Cassman continues to build a life defined by creativity and community.

This year marks Cassman’s true arrival under his own name with the release of his debut full-length record titled Idling High. An emotionally charged body of work, it captures his struggles with depression, stagnation and self-esteem through a lens of incisive wit and heartfelt candour. Penned and recorded after returning to California, the album blends threads of country, indie pop and classic rock into a superb eleven-track outing that captures the perfect snapshot of his musical world.

Gently drifting into focus, the opening track “Controlled Burn” softly builds from airy instrumental textures towards a charming country scene where the strums of acoustic guitar and sweep of atmospheric slide guitar cast a dreamy soundscape as Jake’s expressive voice floats above. Gliding with compelling melodic leads carrying poignant lyricism, it’s a stunning slice of timeless Americana that’s meaning and memorable in equal measure.

“Thanks for Waking Me Up” jumps straight into an uptempo rock n’ roll sound that rolls with punchy drums, crunchy guitar tones and belted vocal lines. Peppered with the bouncy flicker of bright piano and cut with infectious vocal hooks, it’s an epic jam that’s energising, infectious and highly original all at once. “Asking for a Friend” sees Jake lean into his more playful side, crafting an upbeat sound of grooving indie pop stitched with lighthearted lyrics to deliver a moment of levity on the record.

Songs like “Anna, I’m Not Interesting” present a delightful display of his progressive folk stylings with a delicate blend of organic instrumentation, crisp percussion and alluring vocal performance spinning tender melodies. “Can You Be OK?” serves up a catchy country pop experience brimming with grooving rhythm, slick instrumentation and overlapping vocal lines.

The lead single “October Burning” offers a poignant reflection on California wildfires and the broader loneliness epidemic, laying down a dazzling showcase of his profound lyrical writing and knack for pairing emotive context and engaging sound. Closing the album with “I’m Still Here,” Jake delivers a soulful finale to conclude his sensational debut album with a spectacular moment of anthemic gospel-tinged country. With Idling High, Jake Cassman opens a thrilling new chapter with a magnificent release that’s sure to win over fans across the USA and beyond and we can’t wait to see what he’s got in store next.

Listen to Idling High below