The latest release from Jacob Rountree and his band is a multidimensional, eclectic, and wholly immersive journey into a deeply engrossing world of folk and all its elements. The Bozeman based artist has already achieved local stardom and recognition for his work but As I See It should see him position himself to a larger audience who will be ready and willing to start taking in this remarkably diverse and strangely haunting record into their playlists with welcome arms. There’s an innate passion towards all the work that Rountree puts out, a keen emotional touch that you can’t help but get wrapped all around in as you start to weave in and out of As I See It.
Right from the onset of ‘Set A’Fire’, it feels like you’re being hurled into some sort of darkness. The tone is ominous, but not in a scary or disturbing way. It feels bewitching, an enchanting beauty that pervades over the arrangement, compelling your every bit of being to be set alight, to come alive. But the songs rarely sound similar whatsoever. ‘Definitions’ feels a bit more haywire, a slight bit more cacophonic and detached from the easy listening of the opener. The lyricism here is driven by a narrative, a distinct storytelling approach that Rountree excels in.
The band’s work across this record is simply sublime. Cole Thorne brings a supple and soulful voice alongside a distinctive tribal energy on the percussive elements. Alex Speed adds third part harmonies and everything from diverse sonic guitar textures to angelic sustain, to enchanting solos that soar above the mix. Lastly, Andrew Olivo glues the rhythm together with the irresistible bass lines that get the audience moving.
On the whole, ‘As I See It’ is much more than the sum of its parts. It ‘s a cohesive and expedition esque collection of folk pieces that blend together and also stand out as their own parts.