During my winter break, I’ve had time to indulge in my hobbies, one of which is listening to music. I enjoy expanding the types of music I listen to and an artist who has piqued my interest as of late is Jesse Welles. Welles has started to gain popularity due to his bold statements and blunt messages he sends through his songs on all platforms including but not limited to, TikTok, Instagram, and Spotify. One of the most recent EP (standing for extended play) releases that have been released by Welles is “All Creatures Great and Small”. The EP centers around the environment’s condition, humans, and a variety of creatures. The first of these tracks is “Bugs”.

Bugs

Beginning, “Bugs” was first seen as a single and short Tik tok, Instagram, and Youtube prior to the release of “All Creatures Great and Small”. However, there is not a large difference between the single release and EP release. “Bugs” has a similar feel to a children’s song, it has a silly and “bouncy” feel. 

The thing that stood out to me the most was the “Bzz” bridges, my reasoning for this standing out is that Welles tends to have a very serious tone in a large majority of his prior releases. This “Bzz” comes off as out of character for Welles especially since it is the first song of the EPs and contrasts strongly with his other messages/songs if you were to listen to his other work before listening to “Bugs”. 

Trees

Up next on the tracklist is “Trees”. Welles’s message in this track is to show appreciation for trees which usually go dismissed. Lines such as “You tell me your favorite, I’ll tell you mine. I like the tall ones, short ones, ones with great big roots,” illustrates Welles’ appreciation for nature and its variety. This track has a slow relaxed feel while still being slightly witty similar to his previous work. This can be seen in the line “Tree’s probably smarter than me and you”. The overall message of this song is to show how useful trees are for everyone and everything whether we, the listener, realize it or not. The general feel and tone of the track are enjoyable and I find myself singing the song throughout the day.

Turtles

Third on the EP is “Turtles” which covers the variety of abilities turtles have. Although the majority of people may view turtles as just slow creatures who are in need of help, Welles paints turtles as independent and determined animals. 

One of my favorite factors of this track is the lines “Turtles, ooh-oh-oh Turtle time” leading into a harmonica solo. I find this lead-up and solo to be very charming, and special, and serves as sort of a sparkle to the song to make it stand out giving it a quirk in a sense. This track is calm and informative about the struggles and strengths of the turtles’ everyday life.

Previously I viewed turtles mostly as sensitive and in danger but listening to this track has shown me that turtles are more than just their struggles. Not only are turtles more than their struggles, but they also need the same resources as us although they may physically look different turtles are just like everyone else as said by Welles “They need clean water and clean air, About the same things as we need up here.” I see that this track can help others be more open-minded to turtles and value them further than just struggling animals.

Squirrels

Fourth on the tracklist, and my personal favorite, is “Squirrels”.The overall composition of the song is incredibly enjoyable evoking an energetic and busy feeling with the quick pace of the guitar and chime of harmonica popping up throughout the song. This rhythm paired with the lyrics paints a picture of curiosity and adventure perfectly encapsulating the jumpy and fast life of a squirrel. Similar to the previous tracks “Squirrels” describes the intricate lives of squirrels, although we may only see the for short amounts of time they are just as equally busy, enthusiastic, and passionate as humans. We can see this theme of animals serving a purpose for themselves and the world, along with themes of appreciation and equality between humans and nature all throughout “All Creatures Great and Small”. Although squirrels may seemingly be lost as described by Welles Squirrels “You ain’t ever gonna find all them nuts. All froze up in the middle of the road. Can never decide which way to go.” They still continue to live on and find joy in their lives similar to humans finding happiness while passing through hardships. I find this song to be enchanting with its usage of different techniques while Welles backs up his vocals with his guitar to mimic a squirrel’s chattering of teeth. This extremely unique variety of sound makes this song stand out the most to me along with the announcement of squirrels besides the chattering. Not only did this song stand out to me, but it also got me to look more into the vast sounds squirrels make and why they do it.

Autumn

Fifth on the track is “Autumn” which was released alongside “Bugs” as a single before its release on EP and similarly to “Bugs” does not have any major differences between its single and EP release. Generally, the feeling I got from this song was a comforting and warm home feeling matching perfectly with the title. A slow yet quick pace of the guitar also produces a feeling of progression and confidence. I can also sense a scene of close connection and familiarity with lines such as “I wish you could see what my eyes see. As the summer slips out of view. Time’s gonna take me, baby, just as I am. It’s autumn here, how about you?”. These lines remind me of wishful thinking that you could spend a moment with someone dear to you when seeing a beautiful sight. This song also serves wonderfully as a representation of “The Road Back” similar to the way the hero’s journey usually flows. The journey painted by Welles is full of appreciation and new information. 

For example, the references to past tracks such as “As the squirrels squirrel away what they can for each day. For the old man is getting along” and ”The bugs of the summer grow quiet with wonder” wrap up the lessons learned and new experiences made throughout the story told by Welles. 

Whales

Concluding with the EP is “Whales”. Overall I find the choice of animal for concluding the song of the EP as a whale to be very fitting with the themes of open-mindedness and equality towards nature. Whales tend to symbolize peace and wisdom, and with further research, I have found that turtles also serve similar symbolism. These common characteristics and tiny details shared between tracks make the wrap-together of the EP between the closing song and the previous track all the more effective. With the messages of sensitivity towards whales’ purposes and environment, we can deduce that Welles truly wants the listener to take something away from the EP and see that it is not just music but a representation of everyone and everything’s struggles and that humans and nature are not as different as we think. Not only can we acknowledge each other’s similarities, we can also acknowledge the responsibilities we as humans have. Welles questions what will happen if we let nature go to ruins as seen with these lines “If the rivers turn to mud and blood. And cease to be, and naught to run. And the ocean loses all its air. And turns to plastic everywhere. To where will all the wisdom go?” This usage of rhetorical questions serves as a way for the listeners to think of their actions on a greater scale, not centered just on themselves but also on the beauty of nature although we might not completely understand it.

Conclusion

Ending the EP I would give the story/overall theme a 10/10. These themes match perfectly with his previous work and the pre-established messages he wishes to send with his art. The new direction of tune and delivery is new and almost breathtaking. I find it incredible how Welles impresses me with each new release and I can’t wait for more. In the meantime, I plan to listen to more releases and review them at a later date. Not only do I plan to listen to his online releases, but I also plan to see him live. Jesse Welles has certainly caught my attention and I recommend him to anyone open to new perspectives on the environment, the current changes within the world, and people who are fond of folk/punk music.