Invisible Brilliance: Exposing Jake Quillin's Overlooked Album, Texas Medicine.
I just want to go to bed before I have to get back up at 5:30 in the morning. Instead, it’s a little after midnight, and I’m sitting in the driveway glued to the seat of my truck as "Texas Medicine” plays. No matter how badly I want sleep, I just can’t stop listening. It’s that damn good.
Photo credit: Rico DeLeon
It's my fault I'm in this situation. I knew Jake Quillin was working on his newest album, and he finally released it, but for some reason, I kept putting off listening to it. Now that I'm halfway through the album, I'm kicking myself for taking so long to experience it.
It's seriously one of the best mixes of genres that I've heard in a long time. Knowing that I’m already a fan of Jake’s and I still took so long to listen to this album, it makes me wonder how many others are missing out on this brilliant offering of music? Why is such an incredible album not being talked about more?
Even though there is roughly a five-year gap since his previous full-length album, "Stormy Weather," it still feels as though that span of time simply isn’t enough to warrant the extent of Jake's evolution.
He has skillfully woven together a tapestry of sounds drawn from a diverse range of genres, including soul, R&B, rock, hip-hop, reggae, folk, and Americana (yes, all of those).
When compared to his 2018 album “Stormy Weather” you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking an entirely different artist created “Texas Medicine”. It takes a current Jake Quillin fan to notice the distinct vocal abilities and guitar licks that Jake has showcased over the past several years at live shows.
Even then, much of his previous trademarked sound is tastefully mixed into a new bag of tricks so as not to dominate the song.
No doubt this is in part because of the relationships he’s formed with the famed Dallas recording studio Modern Electric Sound Recorders, as well as his producers Jason Burt and Michael Ferguson.
Photo credit: Rico DeLeon
Once you take the time to learn a little bit about Jake's background, it's no surprise that his sound is evolving and expanding at such a rapid pace. Ever since he made the move from Tennessee to Dallas, TX, Jake has been utilizing the city as his personal creative cocoon while taking advantage of the help and support this community has to offer.
With his newfound friends, he's been writing, performing, and forming connections within the local music industry, all while diligently working on completing and releasing his latest album.
As I delve deeper into the album, I ask myself: What is Jake Quillin's sound? The answer lies in his refusal to conform to the limitations of genre conventions. Jake's artistic compass guides him fearlessly across various musical landscapes. If he resonates with a particular style, he embraces it unapologetically.
On tracks like "Redondo," he explores his hip-hop abilities with laid-back verses, while songs like "The Fear of Everything" stay on the same hip-hop lane but utilize an R&B vocal that hypnotizes and enchants. To my ear, it's very reminiscent of artists such as Andre 3000—cool, calm, yet still poignant.
As you settle into the first two tracks of "Texas Medicine," I thought, "Okay, so Jake's doing a hip-hop album." Then, boom! You get hit with the song "Sweet Tooth" and realize he can still pull out those crooning love-struck R&B moves at a moment's notice.
This is the first track on the album that showcases some of my favorite qualities in Jake's voice. I've had many conversations in the past with my wife about his vocal abilities. He has a voice that tricks you. It's soothing and calm to a point where it sounds and feels effortless.
It's only when you try to sing along with it that you realize his timbre and his control of vibrato aren't quite as easy to master as you might have thought. It’s a very similar phenomenon that he shares with classic popular singers such as Roy Orbison and Willie Nelson. They sound easy to replicate, but there are a lot of complex minutiae happening that help them stand out and cut through the mix of a song.
Wow, did I just compare him to Andre 3000, Roy Orbison and Willie Nelson? well, I guess I did. Moving on.
Another great track (possibly my favorite) is "All is Fair." I consider it to be the perfect blend of Jake's love for R&B while showcasing his producer’s modern mixing and engineering techniques being applied to a classic style of music.
The song tells the story of a spiteful breakup in a crawling half-time cadence. What's more surprising is that it's almost six minutes long, yet it never feels like it drags. It's a true masterpiece of a song that proves if a song is of quality, then no one cares about the tempo or the length of time. They'll just listen.
Jake's willingness to collaborate with other artists is a theme that shines throughout the track list. Songs like "All My Life" lend the spotlight to the incredibly talented Maya Piata for both lead and backup vocals, creating a beautiful and enchanting duet.
Other tracks feature the likes of Suede Jetson, David Ramirez, Keite Young, and Spaceman Jones. Seeing an artist collaborate with so many other strong performers shows that Jake either has no ego about his music or, at least, is able to put it aside to best serve the song he's creating. This type of maturity with songwriting and performing is undoubtedly one of the reasons this album is so successfully diverse.
Photo credit: The Chickering Project.
After having the pleasure of speaking with Jake on our previous podcast interview, as well as getting to watch him perform live, I know for a fact that his love for Jimi Hendrix runs deep.
As I keep enjoying my first listen of the full album my mind starts pondering, "Could this be similar to what Hendrix would have created if he had lived long enough to immerse himself in hip-hop, drum machines, modern recording abilities and the incredible range of modern music we have today?"
I could be wrong, Jake might have had it all along. But to me, he has drifted into new territory and has finally discovered what his "sound" is, whatever that means. And truth be told, it's a lot of things, but I think it's best described as an authentic creative spirit that is unconcerned with musical norms and expectations.
If he likes it, he's going to write and perform it. "Texas Medicine" proves that philosophy.
While his musical evolution may fly under the radar for many, "Texas Medicine" demands attention. It's a sonic missile, propelled by Jake's artistic vision and determination. Regardless of whether you're actively observing the radar, it’s already been launched and is in route.
"Texas Medicine" showcases Jake Quillin's prowess as a boundary-pushing artist. It's a testament to his growth, experimentation, and willingness to defy genre conventions.
By fearlessly exploring the intersections of multiple genres, Jake has carved out a unique and captivating sound. So, pay attention and let the experience of this musical missile find its way into your consciousness.
Travis Wright is the host of the “I’m a fan of…” podcast. If you enjoy music and comedy, be sure to subscribe to the podcast and check out the You Tube Channel. Thanks!