Girl at the Rock Shows

Jordan Carr’s new EP’ Bender’ is not new. It’s been out for a little while now, but I’ve been resistant to checking it out. Why, you may ask? Honestly, I’m still not done obsessing over his 2021 album ‘Rail Vodka.’ I know that that was just a three-song release, but, honestly, it was just so good, and I’m just not ready to move on from it yet. That being said, this new EP has been on my to-do list for some time, and today is one of those days where I’m trying to cross things off of that list, so I need to get over my own brattiness and see if Jordan has nailed perfection again with this new EP.

This EP opens with “Party Town, U.S.A.”. In true Jordan Carr fashion, this song instantly hits you with raw, heart-on-sleeve-styled vocals and a classic rock n’ roll vibe. Think Bruce Springsteen with a bit of a less glamorous life and a bit more booze. The signature raspiness of Jordan’s voice helps usher you into a world where the Gaslight Anthem is on repeat while his genius lyrics make you fall in love with him and feel like he’s that long-lost friend that you are just spending some time catching up with. On top of all of that, there’s a very triumphant energy with a retrospective vibe to this track that will capture your soul. For an opening track, “Party Town, U.S.A.” gets its claws in you so perfectly and makes you so excited to check out the other three songs on this album while already dreading the end of this surely all-too-short EP.

Jordan’s unique storytelling really comes into the spotlight in “Ronnie.” This song tells the story of growing up, but in a way, only Jordan Carr can. He talks about the drugs, the drinking, and the realization that we are getting older and, eventually, can not continue doing all of the things we have been. It’s a raised glass to the turbulent nights of our lives but not a judgment on them. I feel like in this society, we all shame ourselves for those messy nights. Those nights we “out drink the midnight sky,” but Jordan is here to remind you that these nights are just part of life and something to look back on and not be ashamed of, but instead realize that they were those nights when we felt alive. Clearly, this track spoke very deeply to me and will absolutely become a staple in my daily playlists.

I’m unsure what being a “Neapolitan Man” means. I mean, I Googled it, and apparently, it’s “a man who is from or lives in Naples, Italy,” but I don’t think that’s quite the correct usage when it comes to “Just South of Heaven.” Regardless, it’s something I want to be. This third song on ‘Bender’ continues the trend of talking about lost nights and how they make a person, but it has a slight tinge of heartbreak behind it, making it feel completely different than “Ronnie”. Heartbreak isn’t quite the right word to use here, but I feel like there’s a bit more depth to this song that brings emotion closer to the forefront. Don’t get me wrong, this is absolutely another anthemic jam that is ready for a long car ride with the windows down.

Who doesn’t wish they were or were with Zack Morris? Come on, he was the coolest kid in all of Bayside High (and if you don’t get that reference, you may be too young to listen to some of the themes of this album). This final track is the first time where you get to feel the weight and beauty of Jordan’s more tender side. This is a stunning song that instantly hit me right in the gut. Lines like “I always imagined marrying you” followed closely by words like “Some plans fell through”, this track drops the triumphant “cool-guy” vibe that is Jordan Carr and replaces it with a raw vulnerability. It caught me off guard but also made my eyes twinkle in a way. Although this wasn’t quite what I was in the mood for as I try to get ready for my show tonight, there’s no denying that this is going to be one of those “late night whiskey drinking” kind of songs for me and the way the song ramps up and you can hear Jordan literally breakdown towards the end of this track is truly beautiful.

Okay, no surprise here, but Jordan Carr has done it again. ‘Bender EP’ is a genius work of art that will make you want to sing, dance, shout, drink, and bawl all at the same time. It’s four songs of pure lyrical genius and memorable but approachable instrumentation. The best way to put it is that this album, although super short, is pure perfection.

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