Philadelphia singer-songwriter JAWNY, of Honeypie fame, is making waves once again after releasing “Take It Back”, a collaboration with 90’s music star and anti-folk icon Beck–and the product is precisely what you would expect it to be.
Marked by distinct notes of the funky alt-indie style of his original 2019 hit yet undeniably shaped by Beck’s folk and alt-rock influences, “Take It Back” is a tribute to the long tradition of feel-good indie-pop songs whose lyrics contrast the song’s tune with far less upbeat implications.
The song is a re-release of a single off of Jawny’s 2021 six-track EP “The Story Of Hugo”, which was itself intended as a capstone to his 2020 mixtape “For Abby” – meaning that this project ultimately harkens back to the story of a man who was once in a relationship with the eponymous Abby, laments ruining things, and is now desperately trying to win her back.
According to Jawny, “The Story Of Hugo” precedes “For Abby”. He has also touched on the dissonance between the sad subject matter and the upbeat sound himself–in his own words: “So this is like, they’re in love, they go through the breakup, then he’s fuckin’ miserable. They’re definitely not happy Jawny songs. They’re more sad songs. And I think that’s OK. ” “Take It Back” is only the beginning of Jawny and Beck’s collaborations, though, as the indie star is slated to open for Beck throughout his ongoing tour of Europe, with their next performance scheduled for June 18 in London. Tickets are here.
Photo Credit: Brett Padelford
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