Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
Singer/songwriter Jared Justen started his path as a civil engineer at the University of Minnesota. While also a prolific poet in his spare time, he would stick to his new year’s resolution of learning guitar, and gradually further his understanding of how to implement simple, yet complex techniques into his songwriting. This October, the Minneapolis native will put out Wolves Teeth, based on the success of his 2018 debut, Sky Align. Commenting on the process of the previous album, Justen stated,
“My approach to this record was more about singing and simplifying the guitar work. I was aiming to give it a more popular sound.”
Similarly, Wolves Teeth retains a distinctive guitar-oriented indie-folk sound – taking cue from such acts as Riverside, Anathema, and especially Jose Gonzalez, one of Justen’s foremost influences – as well as a thematic expansion of his experiences with mental health. The new album centers around Justen recalling a bleak time of his early adulthood. Having suffered through a pronounced bout of anxiety, he began equating the battle against his fears to “facing the teeth of hungry wolves.” It is this extent of heart-on-sleeve that punctuates the authenticity of his music, and without a doubt, a substantial follow-up.
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