The past is not secured to a single spot. It bends and twists, advances, and recedes. Within us, it lingers, shaping our mannerisms and nuances, guiding the decisions we make and the advice we give. Fragments of our past are collected in memories and, like pictures on a wall, decorate our minds, existing as doorways into what’s been left behind.
But, like everything else, memory fades. The pictures get covered in dust, swapped for new ones, and some fall to the floor, being swept away forever. As memories fade, the once-familiar collapses, and new forms of comfort emerge, a complex and challenging process we must all learn to navigate.
In his debut LP, Lived In, Vancouver-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Weil examines the circumstance of being partway through a lifetime and noticing these changes in himself and others. The album blends intimate observations and personal reflections, delving into the intricacies of “lived-in” lives, weaving together the collective and the individual.
After years of crisscrossing North America, Europe, and the U.K., playing in bands such as Sam Weber and Luca Fogale, Jacob found himself with a collection of his own songs ready to be recorded. So, with his band and producer Sam Weber, he traveled from Los Angeles to Tornillo, Texas, spending five days at the legendary Sonic Ranch studio. Here, during marathon live-band recording days, they created Lived In, aiming to capture the magic of their mistakes and impulses without allowing any one idea to feel too precious.
The record, produced by Sam Weber, draws on many cultural influences, though it mainly fits into the indie folk, alternative rock, and pop genres. The album’s production is fast, innovative, and intelligent, and the songs are filled with strength, grit, tenderness, courage, and nostalgia. And, like a string of images, Jacobs leads us through observations and experiences that have lead him to where he is now.
Throughout the album, we encounter a series of moments and characters, each connected by a sense of continual self-discovery. We’re offered structure only to have it disappear moments later and spill into something new. But, maybe that’s what it means to have a life that feels Lived In. In the end, Jacob Weil shows us an acceptance of the way things are, whatever that is, and leaves us with an appreciation for the weight of our memories, experiences, and the passage of time.
