Album Review: Kara Jackson – Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love?

Honest, intimate and delightfully poetic

Why does the earth give us people to love? gives a brutally honest insight into the pitfalls of what it means to be human. In intertwining love and loss, Kara Jackson contemplates the beauty and sacrifice that comes with human love in all its forms. In covering a range of topics, from drugs to death and heartbreak to love, she establishes an inviting array of topics and sounds, creating an all-encompassing embrace of relatable, honest music.

With most songs beginning with a simple guitar pattern and slow sultry vocals, Jackson creates a sense of intimacy with listeners, further laying on the honesty of her sound. The atmospheric instrumentation layered on through strings, heavy bass tones and digital production featured heavily in “free” or “lily” add depth and complications to provide elements of conflict amidst the intimacy of her vocals and lyrics.

The opening track “recognized” heavily embodies the themes of the album. In discussing the lengths to which people seek recognition and validation accompanied by chromatic runs, raw vocals and clashing sounds, Jackson explores the inconsistency of human experience. These eerie, uncanny sounds continue throughout the album. With clashing harmonies in “brain,” screeching violins throughout “rat,” and overwhelming bass sounds in “Why does the earth give us people to love,” Jackson paints a strategic picture of imperfection amidst the intensity and beauty of human emotion.

That said, these musical clashes and overbearing instrumentation could also be perceived as off-putting and overwhelming, diminishing the meaning of her music and lyrics with an irregular sound. Further, her slow, eerie vocals, though effective in the overall theme of the album, feel slower and dragged out, with 3 songs being over 7 minutes long. Thus, whilst she writes poetically and has intention with her production, this album risks becoming a more uncomfortable listen for some.

The ending of the album with the reprise of “recognize” and the final track “liquor” make the album seem a bit incomplete. Though the reprise of “recognize” is laced with harmonies and production as opposed to the raw uncut sound of the opening track, it’s ending on an imperfect cadence causes even the reprise to feel unfinished. The final track “liquor” explores the effects and causes of alcoholism in the wake of heartbreak, ending the album on a note of uncertainty with the lack of a happy ending. In choosing to end the album as such, Jackson once again emphasizes the uncertainty and imperfections of humanity, allowing her album to reflect on the realities of human experience.