Burgess is a Storyteller

As a follow up to their 2012 album, The Pollies have released their second album, Not Here. Their newest installment showcases a musically matured side of The Pollies, demonstrating that a lot can happen in three years. The album exceeds expectations with its lyrics and lead singer and songwriter, Jay Burgess’s ability to translate stories into song.

Starting off the 10-track album is “Jackson,” a song with some history to it. The song is about a lesser known Civil War hero, Jimmie Lee Jackson, a man who peacefully protested and marched through Selma, AL, but was still shot to death by the police in front of his mother. In an interview with Glide Magazine, Burgess talks about his creative process with writing the song. “This song is an exception to the way I usually write. It started with words. No progression, no melody. Just a story. All and all, it hasn’t change since the day I started writing it.”

The melancholy mood continues with the next song, “Lost.” This song is about losing love and having to pick up the pieces and move on. The feeling of being lost in a situation like that is relatable to many. Lines like, “And I’m not giving in,” are also relevant, with many who have been in situations like that, feeling ready to give up, but then pushing through it anyway. The lyrics float along with the beat in perfect harmony, in such a way that gives the sad song a hopeful feel to it.

There are a few more tracks also about relationships. Track four, “She,” is remorseful in a way, talking about a relationship that didn’t work out. It entrances from start to finish. Track six, “My Darling,” is also about a failing relationship, yet has an entirely different feeling than “She.” Even though a relationship is ending and someone is leaving in “My Darling,” there is an optimism that carries through the song, as if everything is going to be alright.

There’s a distinct difference between the beginning and end of Not Here. As the album progresses, so do the emotions tied to each song with the music feeling more upbeat the longer you listen. “Jackson” and “Lost” are slow and reflective. Track three, “Paperback Books,” is nostalgic, reminiscing on memories from Burgess’s teenage years with lyrics like “drinking beer out of bottles and reading paperback books.” The tone starts to pick up with track five, “Threw it Away,” and picks up even more with the poppy up tempo beat of track seven, “Games,” which has a 1960s feel. “Losers,” another pop-sounding song details how the struggling life of an artist isn’t always understood by family.

From song to song, Jay Burgess shows off his storytelling talent. With music in general, many albums have a select few songs that are top contenders for singles or fan-favorites, as well as songs that come across as filler pieces for the record. However, that isn’t the case with Not Here—each song belongs. The Pollies have crafted a nearly perfect album, one that makes it almost impossible to choose a favorite track.