Emerging Nashville-based artist Jacob Kulick just introduced his latest musical endeavor with the single “Motel 6,” accompanied by a striking video directed by David Patino. Released today, on February 16th, the track encapsulates a unique blend of urgency and nostalgia, masterfully weaving finger-picked acoustic guitar with the ethereal flow of keyboards.
Originally written back in 2019, “Motel 6” comes from a deeply personal space, reflecting Jacob’s journey of embarking on a new life chapter driven by a sudden love affair. His narrative extends beyond the music, delving into the essence of transformation and the significance of transient homes during pivotal moments, including the trials of touring and the solitude of the COVID-19 pandemic. This release sets the stage for his album “Nostalgia Is a Thing of the Past,” slated for a May 31 release via ENCI Records, promising a dive into the human condition through Jacob’s engaging hooks and transparent lyrics.
We had the chance to sit down with the artist to talk about the inspirations behind the upcoming album, how the production process changed his perspective on music, and how cross-country moves impact his life and music alike.
1. What inspired your new album’s title Nostalgia Is a Thing of the Past?
The album title has a few meanings to me. First, Nostalgia is one of my favorite feelings in the world, and over the past year it has been more and more difficult to experience the older I get. Nothing feels as familiar as it once did when I was first starting to make music. I started to think that nostalgia was becoming “a thing of the past,” meaning I may not experience it again in the same way. Second, this album is a collection of songs from up to 10 years ago.
These are songs I wrote in college, before I started my solo career, and all the way up to the present day. So this album actually became nostalgic for me with the material and also with the sound of the album as a whole. Lastly, I liked the wordplay of the sentence, as Nostalgia is quite literally a thing of the past.
2. How has your sensorineural hearing loss influenced your music, especially in the context of this album?
Since I was born with it, I never experienced the world or my music with “typical hearing”, so I am not sure how it affects my music besides the fact that I always want to FEEL the music and I want to sing LOUD. It was my goal to make the whole album with a full live band just like I used to when I first started playing music to remind myself of why I love live music and singing over a full band.
3. How did co-producing the album with Søren Hansen influence its sound and production?
When I moved to Nashville, Soren was one of my first friends here, and he is also my label-mate. I told him I wanted to make an album that was heavily influenced by Tom Petty, very organic and acoustic, but still centered around my vocal and lyrics.
He immediately got it and suggested using Elle King’s band; Paulie DeVincenzo, Joey McClellan, and Dave Scalia to live track everything without a metronome, and let the songs create themselves, and that is exactly what we did. It is the least produced album I have ever made, and it is purposely just that. Soren and I worked so well together, and he is a wizard in his own right.
4. What were the challenges and rewards of adopting a less hands-on approach during the production of this album?
The challenges ended up being the rewards as well. I am so used to fully programming all of my music, whereas this album I was able to produce without having to engineer or sit at a computer, which gave me so much more creativity and freedom. I was able to trust Soren with his processing, production, and engineering, and for him to really understand the songs and what they needed.
Giving more control to other players and to focus more on myself as an artist and the message of the songs was a challenge that ended up being the most rewarding. Luckily everyone in the room understood all the aspects of this album, from the sonic bed to the messages of the songs.
5. Looking back on your journey from Pennsylvania to Nashville, how have your roots influenced your music career?
Everything I write about comes from my roots, my upbringing, and my journey of trying to figure myself out. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, I was very secluded and introverted. I spent most of my time outside with nature, questioning everything around me and my experience, and telling it all to my notebook and my guitar. Nashville is so supportive of this kind of music, and I finally feel fully embraced in what I create with my guitar, my melodies, and my lyrics.
I still write the same way I did when I started in PA, and I will bring that with me everywhere I go. No matter what I create, there’s always a little folk, country, and introspection in it, and that is directly related to my roots in northeast Pennsylvania. Nashville seems to be the right place for me right now, and I hope this album takes me to see the rest of the country again soon. My roots have influenced my music career in that way the most; wanting to venture out and grow.
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