Dear listeners and readers of Soundville,

Today, when the world is shaken by conflicts, hardships, and an endless stream of news, Jacob Tell offers a cozy corner of peace and serenity to the world with his debut album ‘Hard To Be Human’. Eleven original songs about love, performed with soul and care, allow you to escape this world for about an hour and feel heard and understood once again. Oh yes, that’s exactly what filled my mind and heart as I listened to the album. In ‘Hard To Be Human’ I heard something truly familiar and pure, you know, without the false glamour, fakes, and frightening cleanliness of sound. The world is tired, the listener is tired, and the songs on ‘Hard To Be Human’ sound with refreshing beauty and create a safe space. You can let Jacob Tell’s music into your evening or day and find in it a corner of understanding. Alongside Jacob Tell, ‘Hard To Be Human’ was produced by Don Douglass and distributed by Ekletrik Rekordz. And the knowledge of how the musicians’ inspiration and their understanding of sound intertwined while working on the release is priceless.

‘Hard To Be Human’ is the debut work of Jacob Tell. His first loud statement to the world about himself as a talented musician whose music finds hidden paths to the hearts of listeners through gentle chords and a languid, soulful vocal. Dear readers, believe me, for a debut work, ‘Hard To Be Human’ is a major release, thought out to the smallest detail, which will undoubtedly win over a wide audience. I think now is the perfect time to set aside your tasks, turn off the news feeds, and let Jacob Tell’s music play in your headphones. I suggest you listen to the brightest and most captivating tracks from the release ‘Hard To Be Human’ that truly won me over!

The album opens with the blues-rock song ‘Hard To Be Human’. Jacob Tell’s vocals are bright and groovy, sounding sensual with deliberately complex harmonies and vocal techniques. This is also the central track of the album, shaping the release’s interesting concept. I can’t help but highlight the stunning guitar riffs and the groovy bass rhythm. It’s incredibly catchy! The next track, ‘Zero Street’, running 7 minutes and 3 seconds, makes me reconsider everything I knew about storytelling and light blues. You know, in ‘Zero Street’ Jacob Tell sounds like a storyteller who knows the secrets of this world and highlights them through experimental harmonies that sometimes gently diverge from the vocals like soft silk. I like the light sound of cinematic rock and subtle alt experiments. There is something fascinatingly dark and passionate in ‘Zero Street’.

But don’t worry! In ‘Cracks Appearing All Around’, a light Americana melody dispels the haze of nocturnal melancholy. Jacob Tell’s vocals are once again light and airy, dancing among a bright rock melody. Maybe it’s because of how sensual and cinematic Jacob Tell’s music sounds. I can easily picture him on stage performing ‘Cracks Appearing All Around’. Perfect! Then in ‘Cool As A Customer’, light electronics merge with acoustic guitar riffs, once again forming a new cosmos of sound. This track sounds like the night, like a conversation we usually leave unspoken, but Jacob Tell speaks about it out loud, filling the lyrics with philosophical reflections and allowing us to look back at the world around us.

I’m in love with how the guitar in ‘Hard To Be Human’ always sounds different. There’s something special about it. I especially can’t resist replaying the tracks ‘Slips Too Easy’ and ‘Trad Wife’. These are minimalist pieces that stay in your memory for a long time and are connected by a shared mood and deep themes. Jacob Tell’s vocals sound very close, almost live, making it feel as if he’s singing just for you and me. The album closes with the track ‘Names of the Dead’, leaving behind a very calm, thoughtful mood and, you know, a sense of hope. Inexhaustible. Passionate. A hope that allows you to keep moving forward and take that very step that leads you toward your goal. Maybe it’s the waltz rhythm, the gentle strings, or Jacob Tell’s airy vocals, but I felt heard when I noticed that the lyrics speak about familiar themes. Incredibly cool!

You noticed it too, right? Oh, this is a wonderful album, ‘Hard To Be Human’, highlighting important events and stages of life, and after listening, the title itself can be interpreted both directly and as an invitation to sit and reflect on what truly lies behind it. The purple color and the overall design of the release enhance this conceptual wave. Be sure to add your favorite tracks to your playlist and follow Jacob Tell, because even more releases are on the way — ones that Jacob Tell and his team are working on right now!

Hey Jacob Tell! Thank you for releasing such wonderful music. I got incredible pleasure listening to the album ‘Hard To Be Human’. I really liked the dynamic of the sound from fast, unstoppable, almost reckless to slow and contemplative. It reminded me of life itself, when at first we rush forward, and only later, with time, we find our quiet harbor. Keep making more of these amazing releases. I’ll show your album to everyone so they can listen to such great music too. I love it and want more!

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With much love,
Soundville