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Catching the eye of a stranger in public can lead to an emotional entanglement that stabs into the heart. Or, if you’re Jesse Garwood, it can inspire a new single.
The Milwaukee-based singer-songwriter channels a lot of pop-country influences into “Writing on the Wall,” which is an introduction to her album Cloudy Skies. There’s a sprinkling of Shania Twain on the track as it transmits a strong sense of yearning through the lyrics while robust instrumentation holds firm in its makeup, with each element pushing forward to one bright end.
The recording process at Cherry Pit Studios in Menomonee Falls — with Garwood on vocals/guitar, plus Isaac Bond on bass and Adam Blackwood on drums — went smoothly, save for Garwood needing to go on vocal rest for days afterward. But you can hear that effort and energy as she sings:
You looked nice and looked twice
It’s looking like I’m playing it cool until you come over here
To my side with your ocean eyes
To drown away the background noise and a couple beers
The song was fueled by an experience Garwood had two years ago after an intense breakup. One night, she found herself face to face with “someone incredible,” and the two bonded over a similar love life and similar fears when it comes to romance.
“I was so dedicated to being single and figuring out how to pursue music that I was totally caught off guard,” she remarked. “He’d mentioned that although the ending [of his relationship] was sudden, he could see the writing on the wall. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the wall I was staring at was much different.”
It's a moment that challenges the heart to think clearly, which can be painful and lead to a lot of realizations that maybe people don’t want to come to:
Your green sheets, in them I can’t sleep
They’re just not as soft as you right next to me
But it’s strange, they keep talking
Asking me if you and I should just see where this leads
The desire to explore and crave somebody oozes out of Garwood’s writing, with the instrumentation only enhancing the feeling. Combined, they create a country-rock staple with bright guitar licks that make the body sway and a rhythm section that holds its ground, allowing the improvised melodies and vocal harmonies to add so much texture to the music. It all culminates in a rich but bittersweet finish, stemming from desire:
Well, who am I to talk
It’s 6 a.m. and I’ve been staring at the writing on the wall
Counting stars each time the ceiling falls
Cuz babe, you’ve got it all
Babe, you’ve got it all
Love is about burning or being burned. For Garwood, as worried she might be to fall in love one more time, it's an aching feeling that’ll eat away at the soul until it’s faced.
If you feel like you need to let your heart sing, listen to “Writing On The Wall” using the player at the top of the page and live on 88Nine throughout today (6:30 and 10:30 a.m.; 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.). You can also catch Jesse Garwood celebrating her new album’s release — and recording a live set — at Falcon Hall on July 31, with locals Ila Rose & The Smoothtalkers opening the night at 7 p.m.
Jonathan Joseph is a Milwaukee-based multimedia journalist and the associate digital editor for Milwaukee Magazine. Contact him via email or find him on LinkedIn.