Jaymes Young Releases Deluxe Edition of “Feel Something”

Jaymes Young Releases Deluxe Edition of “Feel Something”

On January 27th, acclaimed singer-songwriter Jaymes Young announced that he is releasing “an expanded new edition of his breakthrough 2017 debut album, Feel Something.”

Young has risen to fame swiftly thanks to his song “Infinity” smashing through the charts. “Infinity” has inspired a viral TikTok challenge, and it has also been used by Britney Spears “to soundtrack her massively viewed New Year’s IG post celebrating her freedom from conservatorship.” For the deluxe edition of Feel Something, Young has included three new songs: “Happiest Year,” “Nothing Holy,” and a stripped down piano version of “Infinity.”

To start, “Happiest Year” is a mournful track about the end of a relationship. There are lyrical moments that make the relationship seem toxic (“You hurt me pretty good, too”), but the tone of the song makes it seem like the speaker of the song is more regretful of his own actions (“I never should’ve said goodbye,” “I’m sorry for the ways that I used you,” and “I want to go back”) than upset over the mutual destruction. With minimal instrumentation, Young allows those lyrics to come to the front and get the point across. It also shows that he can sing. The vocals on “Happiest Year” are excellent.

“Infinity – Piano Version,” much like “Happiest Year,” is centered around the piano and Young’s vocals. There are moments with drums and bass on this stripped back version, but Young wanted to showcase his voice and lyrical capabilities a bit more than the original recording lets across. This piano version of “Infinity” is honestly a bit more powerful than the original. The new production allows the song to feel a bit more haunting and cinematic, and when the strings come in at the end? Chills.

Finally, “Nothing Holy.” Of the three songs, “Nothing Holy” has the busiest production. It also happens to be the newest of these three songs – “Happiest Year” was first released in July of 2019 – but I don’t think that had any effect on the production decisions. There is a massive tonal shift between those first two songs and “Nothing Holy,” but the difference in sound isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, “Nothing Holy” will likely keep Jaymes Young in the public consciousness precisely because of this tonal shift. The production on “Nothing Holy” is dark and moody, the kind of music you would hear while walking through a smoke-filled alley in the rain. It isn’t quite as cinematic as “Infinity” or “Happiest Year,” but because of its lyrical content, it feels more sonically relatable. It’s interesting to see these differences, and I’m certain that Jaymes Young will continue to surprise us as his career keeps going.

Jaymes Young is doing some interesting things, and I’m excited by the promise shown on these tracks in particular. He wrote, recorded, and produced Feel Something entirely in his bedroom, and this is an incredibly good sign for those who feel like they might not be on pace for creative recognition because of how they’re creating. Just keep doing it. Eventually, the right people will notice.
Check out the deluxe version of Feel Something below, and be sure to watch the lyric video of “Nothing Holy” above! As always, let us know what you think!