JERUB - CARRY THE LOAD
Carry The Load is the latest EP from Nigerian-born, Nottingham-based artist JERUB. Adding to a collection of truthful tales in previous EPs Feel It (2021) and Finding My Feet (2023), Carry The Load seeks to extend JERUB’s impactful and insightful indentation into the music world.
‘Father’s Intro (voice note)’ is a beautiful introduction to the 7 track record. It begins a prevalent theme of sentimentality that JERUB has mastered effortlessly, without sounding cliché. JERUB’s father provides understanding undertones and sentiments to remember, as though he was our father figure. He notes, “Remember that you’re never alone,” and, “We are proud of you.” It is 40 seconds of comfort and something many can rely on in times of self-doubt or worry.
Insightful indications of maintaining positive mindsets are frequent throughout Carry The Load. In each song, JERUB conceptualises different feelings and situations that all of us will experience at some point. Primarily, he discusses feeling like we’re carrying a huge weight on our shoulders, as well as feeling like we’re alone in doing so. ‘Carry The Load’ and one of the singles ‘Gonna Be Okay’ approach this theme perfectly. The title track empathises with “feeling the weight of the world,” and being unable to “shake these expectations.” ‘Gonna Be Okay’ encourages with lines like “don’t you dim your light,” and “let go of your doubt.”
Another concept present is relationships and the external factors that can affect these. The versatility within JERUB’s writing allows lyrics and ideas to be malleable and aid in exploring different scenarios. ‘Hometown’ and his other single ‘You and I’ both reflect on relationships via stunning songwriting and mesmerising melodies. ‘Hometown’ talks of dealing with a run-down routine of the same places and same people, “my heart wants something new.” ‘You and I’ states, “I’ve always been afraid to show my feelings.” This admission is a testament to what many of us, especially men, will have faced countless times. This fear of feeling and showing those feelings is a detriment to relationships of all kinds.
The concepts and themes are an obvious linear likeness across this EP, but so are JERUB’s vibrant vocals. As he accompanies a fluctuation in tempos, his voice soundtracks and vocalises everything that others will have thought about. This continues into the final two tracks ‘Feel Alive’ and ‘Soon - demo’, the latter being a bonus track. The penultimate tune ‘Feel Alive’ is the most upbeat in terms of momentum, but this doesn’t take away any of the sentimentality you can hear elsewhere. It speaks about risking “it all just to make me feel alive.” Like the entire album, this song would sound incredible live.
The final track ‘Soon - demo’ is raw and the unpolished sound drives and demonstrates authenticity, something JERUB has secured as a staple in his songwriting. From start to finish, JERUB has given fans atmospheric songs that genuinely belong in a film soundtrack, especially ‘Carry The Load’ and ‘Hometown’. If you’re a fan of Cat Burns, Tom Grennan or James Arthur, then you’ll love JERUB, and you’ll adore Carry The Load.
Morgan Hermiston
★★★★★