Jackson Scribner - Depression Kids (2025) Hi-Res

While Jackson Scribner’s sophomore release likely won’t elicit cries of “Judas” directed at him, his move to a fuller, more electric sound warrants attention, just not the kind that involves booing.

Arriving four years after his eponymous debut, “Depression Kids”, expands the mostly acoustic sound of that album without detracting from his earnest vocals and insightful lyrics. While his songwriting remains honest and authentic, the added instrumentation and arrangements succeed in fleshing out the songs and adding interesting textures to the overall sound. The result is a warm-sounding album featuring an accomplished core of musicians whose symbiotic playing throughout helps fill in the spaces between Scribner’s words and makes for some perfect moments of musical interaction.

The opening track, ‘Mr. Moon’, begins with a gently strummed electric guitar and some heartfelt vocals until a minute or so in when the rest of the band come in and the song really begins to build momentum. With nary an acoustic guitar to be heard, this is the first indication of Scribner’s evolving sound and ultimately sets the tone for the rest of the album. Here we get to experience for the first time, the splendid interplay between the electric and pedal steel guitars and it really is quite enthralling. The playing not only elevates the song, but adds a wisp of sadness to Scribner’s introspective lyrics dealing with solitude and late-night reflections: “I wish I could say I was happy to see / You again my oldest friend how convenient / That you’d come around when I’m feeling down / It’s just like you to make me feel so grey and blue / Oh so grey and blue”.

The waltz-like title track feels a bit more familiar with its acoustic guitar intro and some emotive singing. As Scribner has noted, the song emerged from his own personal struggle with mental health and the lyrics formed from a collection of personal notes expressing all the different ways he felt about depression. The simplicity of the words makes them no less sincere, while the band adds a slow groove to the song as Scribner repeats, mantra-like, “Depression kid / Depression kid / Depression kid / Good luck kid”.

The album moves along unhurriedly, but with a unified purpose. It’s an album that works well as a whole and should be absorbed all at once. Any risk of the songs blending into sameness is quashed by the supporting musicians, whose inventive playing always keep things interesting. Scribner notes that for this record, he encouraged collaboration amongst the band and gave them the freedom to bring their unique talents to the songs, and it pays off in dividends.

Scribner refers to himself as a “visual writer” who typically finds inspiration from images, real or imagined as evidenced in the aching ‘Train Song’, maybe the sweetest song on the album. It’s a folky-sounding track featuring prominent acoustic guitars, close harmonies and even a mournful harmonica solo near the end. Do we need another train song? Well one listen to this beautiful track where his Scribner gently sings, “There it goes a whistling / Sounds so sweet I could hear it again / Sure be a shame if we fell out / Along the tracks with the runaways”.

The album ends with the lovely ‘Month After Month’, an atmospheric ballad that slowly unfolds until it ends with nearly three enchanting minutes of a plaintive repeating guitar pattern, interspersed with steel guitar and keyboards. As the song closes, a sustained organ note slowly fades away, creating a feeling of closure, or of something ending. It’s a fitting end to a very fine album.