The journey singer/songwriter Joshua Jesty embarked on back in the beginning of 2014 is coming to a close. After releasing 3 EPs that consisted of 29 songs, the Cleveland local is preparing for his final release show on Friday night at Mahall’s 20 Lanes for the 4th, and strongest, installment It’s Your Fault Everything’s Alright. “It’s a relief and it’s also a little sad,” said Jesty of completing the EP set. “It took me a few EPs before I actually believed I was going to pull it off, and by the time I really got in the groove it was over […] it’s nice to listen to all of these [EPs] back to back and know that personally I kept stepping up my game with each one.”
Throughout the release of each project, there is a noticeable change in tempo as each EP chronicled a specific timeline in Jesty’s life. The melancholy Wasn’t the World Supposed to End? portrays a darker time when Jesty felt valueless and alone. However, as Jesty’s life turned for the better in love and music, his connectedness with the world spilled out little by little in each release until it culminated with the advent of It’s Your Fault Everything’s Alright. Quipped Jesty, “I’m grateful this EP collection doesn’t chronicle it going the other way. Though I suppose to experience that all you have to do is listen to them in reverse order. It’s not satanic messages if you play them backwards–it just gets awfully depressing.”
“It’s Your Fault Everything’s Alright is really about finding someone who you want to blow the world up with.” said Jesty. With notable songs like “I’m On High”, “Bad for Me”, and “When It’s Gone”, Jesty mixes sunny guitar riffs with snappy drum beats that electrifies the soul and reawakens your outlook on life. Jesty completes his nearly 2 year long project with the hopeful “Here”. “A few of the songs on this EP are songs that I had written a few years back that I felt deserved a place on a proper release and I think they fit really well. I know the right ones made it to the record.” said Jesty of how he went about choosing the right songs for this final installment.
There are a few wishes Jesty has for his music and its influence on people. “At the end of this 2 year experience I know I haven’t seen the last storm and there will be terrible things ahead, but I also know I enriched my life and hopefully a few others’ along the way by being passionate and following my heart and doing what I knew how to do well, and pushing myself to be better. So if people hear that in the music and are inspired to do the same themselves, I’m all for it. If they just hear a song of mine and want to dance to it, that’s an honor as well. All I do is write from my heart, make my voice honest and let the listener do what they want with the song.”
While there was an ever-rotating list of contributing musicians who lent their talents to Jesty’s project, there are a few he couldn’t do without: Longtime friend Nathan Bocchincchio, the string talents of Andrea Belding Elson and Tara Hanish from the Cleveland indie rock band Seafair, Mike Miles on guitar and Ray and Russell Flanagan.
After this extensive project has ended, does Joshua Jesty have anything left in him to share with the world? “I picked up a guitar yesterday and a song fell out within minutes. I’ve got a bunch of plans musically, but I think I’m going to take my time before I belch out something like “I’m going to make a 17 record set about the death of the american mall”.
Take your time, Joshua. We’ll be waiting.
To celebrate the release of It’s Your Fault Everything’s Alright with Joshua Jesty, come to Mahall’s in Lakewood, Ohio at 9 p.m. Tickets are $8 and you get a free copy of Jesty’s latest EP with admission. Jason Patrick Myers and The Quickening will kick off the show. You can also buy his 4 EP set on his Bandcamp page.