Run Home Jack

“F.Y.H.T.”, short for “find your happy thought”, is the invigorating new single from North Carolina’s Run Home Jack, a rock band formed as a passion project in 2017 by its key members vocalist and guitar player Jersey Neese playing alongside powerhouse drummer Harold Godwin. The single release from their soon to be released second EP Part 2: I Tried is accompanied by the band’s first video clip, an energetic depiction of the band’s current lineup performing along with guest Wes Lauterbach with the sort of abandon any rock fan hopes for from a band. The package deal of the single release and video will capture a lot of new fans, undoubtedly, for this North Carolina unit and greatly increase their profile. I think that’s a beautiful thing.
It’s beautiful, as well, how the handful of musical strands running through this tune merge with such impressive effects. Though I am sure the song was thoroughly rehearsed and plotted out before being committed to recording, “F.H.Y.T.” crackles with the kind of chemistry I’d expect from veteran rock bands rather than a group that’s only been playing together since 2017. The sparks thrown off of this performance and the utter confidence Run Home Jack exude suggest that the musicians entered the studio with a firm vision of what the song needed; it doesn’t sound like a track requiring rethinks or multiple revisions.
It’s difficult to measure what sort of impact the musical guest Lauterbach, a member of another North Carolina band Lowborn, has on the track except that his contributions certainly don’t diminish its value. Lauterbach’s talent is unquestionable, however, as anyone familiar with his writing and Lowborn’s music will attest and he meshes well with the other musicians. Jersey Neese’s charisma and vocal skills, however, carry much of the day for Run Home Jack. He brings a ferociously passionate approach together with a surprising shot of emotion coloring every line, especially the chorus. He sings in an unbridled style, but always exercises a degree of control over his performance that helps further shape the song for Run Home Jack’s audience.
It’s a telling modern touch how the arrangement focuses on delivering punchy riffs and dispenses with time tested elements of rock music like the obligatory traditional guitar solo. Run Home Jack, instead, aims to hit listeners right between the eyes with a warm chunky guitar sound and pulverizing yet intensely rhythmic percussion patterns engaging me physically from the outset. “F.Y.H.T.” brings you into their musical world from the first, veering from percolating verses into a blasting chorus along with an intense bridge, and newcomers will be hard pressed to find many flaws, if any, with Run Home Jack’s approach.
The new single poises the band to earn status as one of the rock genre’s most promising young outfits. Instead of serving up a dose of the familiar for fans of the style, I think “F.Y.H.T.” finds its footing with some nods to tradition given an uniquely individual spin separating them from the pack. It’s an excellent way to discover Run Home Jack and, as an early taste of the aforementioned second EP to come, promises the new release will elevate them to a higher level than they have hitherto known. - Vents Magazine

Run Home Jack are the latest memorable musical act coming out of the Carolinas, in this case the Greensboro area of North Carolina, and the first single “F.Y.H.T.” from their soon to be released second EP Part 2: I Tried will go a long way towards establishing them as one of the premier indie rock bands recording and performing today. Led by the duo of drummer Harold Godwin and singer/guitarist Jersey Neese, the band opens the single with simmering energy and clipped yet powerful guitar riffing sure to grab your attention from the beginning. They are joined for the performance by Lowborn guitarist and songwriter Wes Lauterbach and his addition makes the song stick even deeper in the audience’s consciousness. They have a winner on their hands with this single and it’s sure to get their next EP release, Part 2: I Tried, off to a gripping start.

The song inspired the band’s first video as well. The video clip for “F.Y.H.T.” doesn’t fall prey to any of the customary theatrics muddling rock videos since the medium first gained popularity; instead, Run Home Jack keeps things simple with a spartan approach emphasizing the energy they bring to bear as live performers. One can easily imagine the footage approximates, in some respect, what it must be like to see them live, though the lack of a live audience to feed off of likely means we aren’t even seeing them at their best in this admittedly already fine clip. They exude both raw rock energy and more than a little personality, particularly vocalist Jersey Neese, and the professional polish of the production more than does justice to the equally fine recording. Guest Wes Lauterbach fits right in with the band in this footage.

Neese’s singing will hit you right between the eyes and engages you mentally and physically. He sings with a level of commitment impossible to duplicate and it’s stark testimony to his connection with the material, but Neese wisely refrains from ever overplaying his hand. Instead, he wins you over for a time-tested reason above all others – you never doubt he means every word coming out of his mouth. The lyrics are unlike most entries in rock music, past or present, thanks to the positive exhortation built into the writing and it has an inspiring surge even in the words that will likely leave you pumping your fist in the air.

This is intelligent and take no prisoners rock music for a modern audience. There’s no cookie cutter blues rock here, no self serving guitar solos, and every note and dynamic shift seems geared towards serving the song rather than getting the individual members under the spotlight or over with the audience. Run Home Jack knock “F.Y.H.T.” out of the park with resounding skill and power and it’s an excellent harbinger of what we can expect from the upcoming second EP Part 2: I Tried. These North Carolina based musicians are sure to get a lot of praise for the quality of this single and their future work and deserve every word of it. - Too Much Love Magazine

Greensboro, North Carolina’s Run Home Jack will garner a lot of well deserved attention on the backs of their latest single, “F.Y.H.T.” (an abbreviation for “Find Your Happy Thought”, culled from their upcoming sophomore EP release Part II: I Tried. The band’s core members singer/guitarist Jersey Neese and drummer Harold Godwin are joined by guest Wes Lauterbach from the band Lowborn and the collaboration results in one of the more combustible rock efforts in recent memory while never succumbing to the standard litany of clichés often dragging down similar work from their contemporaries. Run Home Jack touch on familiar genre motifs and sounds while refurbishing them with their own identity in a way certain to grip modern audiences.

Neese has an interesting voice. In some ways, it’s a prototypical rock vocal with muscle to burn, but he couples raw lung power with a satisfying amount of emotive finesse largely due to his ability to convincingly inhabit the upper end of his vocal register without betraying even a hint of strain. His vocal bray reaches its zenith with the song’s chorus and he unleashes an impassioned reading of the lyrics that never risks overwrought histrionics. Instead, it feels and sounds like it should – the climatic knockout punch from verses explicitly building towards those moments.

Godwin’s propulsive drumming is busy without ever being gratuitous. He also exhibits an inherent understanding of how the percussion dynamics can influence the trajectory of a performance and his choices in this area enhance an already hard-hitting track. The strong riffing and rhythm guitar work driving the song forward alongside Godwin eschews any six string heroics; you won’t find any gratuitous guitar solo in the middle or near the end of the song, a thoroughly modern choice for a rock band and a welcome respite from the masturbatory self-indulgence often marring otherwise first rate rock tunes.

You can’t help but applaud the positive message underlying the songwriting. Run Home Jack, unlike many modern and older rock bands, doesn’t feel any burning need to weigh down listeners with hackneyed or melodramatic despair and darkness. Instead, they urge the listener to embrace the best within themselves and hold onto it despite whatever life may throw their way and, moreover, they convey those sentiments in believable fashion rather than sounding forced. The minimalist video accompanying the single’s release is, likewise, worthy of our applause. Run Home Jack reject any needless tinsel in favor of a straight forward clip depicting the band doing what they do – generating tremendous energy for the viewer and playing to the camera, albeit never in a hamfisted fashion.

Run Home Jack, first formed in 2017, have claimed an identifiable sound that never smacks of imitation and are successfully building on the buzz generated by their debut three song EP Part 1: Be Kind while still remaining faithful to the initial impulse behind their formation. This is an entertaining example of what young rock bands are capable of and gives lie to the idea and this genre is moribund and consigned to endless repetition. “F.Y.H.T.” is an excellent introduction to the band for newcomers and will reassure existing fans that Run Home Jack’s exponential growth will continue unabated. - Skope Magazine

Hailing from the Greensboro, North Carolina region, Run Home Jack began in 2017 as a side project of sorts for its key members Jersey Neese and Harold Godwin, but it’s quickly taken off as a viable vehicle for their songwriting talents to flower in a way they may have otherwise never experienced. It’s labeled as alternative indie rock and the last two words are accurate, but it’s worth disputing if the music is truly alternative. The lack of a guitar solo stands out, but their latest single “F.Y.H.T.” is a solid hard rock song obeying many laws of the form while still forging its own identity. It’s also the first single from their soon to drop second EP release, Part 2: I Tried, a release that seems ready to take the potential so apparent on their debut EP Part 1: Be Kind to a higher plane than they have known thus far.

The song features a guest musician. Wes Lauterbach from the band Lowborn joins the band on guitar for “F.Y.H.T.” but never draws attention to himself unduly and, instead, focuses his attention on playing with Run Home Jack as another member of the band. He strengthens an already memorable track thanks to his guitar work and the added intensity it brings to the table will definitely find favor with many listeners. The peak moments in the track are, undoubtedly, the chorus and bridge respectively, but the verses do an exemplary job of ramping up the audience’s expectations for those moments when they arrive.

Jersey Neese brings the heat as the band’s lead singer. His voice is enormously flexible, ranging from understated power during the verses and bridge into raging full on tonsil power during the song’s chorus. He obviously gives every ounce of himself to making the song work for listeners and the work pays off at every turn. He gets under the skin of the song’s lyrical content, obviously a believer in every word, and it results in “F.Y.H.T.” (find your happy thought) coming off as an intensely personal performance nevertheless designed to relate to a wide swath of potential listeners.

Clocking in at three minutes on the nose, Run Home Jack never burns the audience’s patience or attention up during the duration of the tune and, instead, sound resolutely committed to getting this song over as a prime example of what rock music is capable of in 2019. There are no slavish nods to cliché in this track; instead, it’s on fire with impassioned conviction from the first seconds onward. “F.Y.H.T.” will undoubtedly be one of the best moments on the band’s forthcoming new EP Part 2: I Tried and it’s difficult to imagine that this year will eventually come to a close with the song and EP alike not being considered as one of the best rock releases in recent memory. North Carolina is often known for producing memorable Americana styled acts, but Run Home Jack turns such expectations on their ear and instead blazes with genuine rock fire. - IndiePulse Music

Run Home Jack’s “F.Y.H.T.” will blow back your hair and leave you feeling energized there are young rock musicians still out there and capable of composing vital guitar based work. Drummer Harold Godwin gets the track off to a raucous start alongside accompanying guitar flourishes before the song segues into a near staccato rhythm for its opening verse. The terse guitar work has a physical sound, in your face all the while, but the overall production of the song frames it in the best possible way for listeners. It couples nicely with lead singer Jersey Neese’s singing without ever upsetting the balance of the song.

Neese has a masterful approach towards making this song work. His vocals throughout the verses play towards a more emotional end of the spectrum, valuing nuance over sheer lung muscle, but he reserves a more uninhibited approach for the chorus and lets it fly with unrestrained ferocity while still reining himself into the song’s musical limits. His singing talents are more than enough to carry the tune and he proves to have compelling skill for dramatizing the material without ever pushing the song into hamfisted territory.

The lyrics don’t require much in the way of dramatization. “F.Y.H.T.” has a clear cut message that would be difficult to louse up; the title, short for “find your happy thought”, encourages listeners to hold onto the mental space that makes them happiest and refuse to surrender it for anyone or thing despite whatever trials you may face. It’s a welcome message and subject for rock music and hits a positive note without ever sounding too cheesy or corny. Instead, it sounds wholly believable and like Neese is behind every word he sings.

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7df47kfW84pmmf4uhjk2nI

Neese is joined on guitar by Lowborn’s guitarist and songwriter Wes Lauterbach and they produce a thick, impressive guitar song between the verses and during the song’s chorus that accentuates the exultant character of the performance. Run Home Jack avoids any of the cliché guitar moves common to rock acts of the past, an obvious nod to the alternative side of their musical character, but their chops are abundant nonetheless. The explosive rhythm guitar playing popping out of this song from the beginning is a big reason why it will prove so successful with its target audience. Drummer Harold Godwin, however, makes a mark as well with his attack style and precise tempo changes. He understands how to milk the track for every ounce of its potential drama and elevates the tune several notches.

Run Home Jack has earned a great deal of well deserved attention on the back of their debut and the new release seems poised to expand their renown far and wide without ever subverting what motivated them from the first. The sheer joy of writing and performing they experience comes across during every second of this three minute song and they bring the type of energy to rock music that it deserves while avoiding all of the attendant clichés. It makes for one hell of a listen. - Mobangeles

Track Review: “F.Y.H.T.” by Run Home Jack.
Run Home Jack. have released their latest single, titled “F.Y.H.T.”

The song begins with a hard hitting intro with some catchy guitar riffs and energetic drums. During the verses, the instrumentals take a bit of a step back, allowing the vocals to take the reigns. The huge chorus is where the instrumentals show off a lot more once again, and the vocals get louder and harsher, with the vocal performance blowing me away from first listen. The bridge features Wes Lauterbach from LOWBORN, whose voice fits perfectly on the track, and the section that follows hits just as hard as the intro.

In Conclusion…

From start to finish, “F.Y.H.T.” is a catchy and anthemic track, and it’s such a memorable single for Run Home Jack. - Dissonants Magazine

Following the release of their “Part I: Be Kind;” EP, Run Home Jack. have released its sequel, titled “Part II: I Tried.”

“Lifeguard” brings catchy composition right away through the melodies and riffs in the hook found in the intro. Harder hitting instrumentals and raw vocals put on a raw, emotional and overall captivating performance in the verses and the same can be said for the performances in the very catchy chorus that really grabbed my attention on first listen. “Forget” instantly brings a darker tone, shown from the guitar parts in the intro to the similar melodies in the verses, where the vocals really shine. The drums, bass and more guitars kick in and help build up the song to its more hard hitting sections, where the raw vocal style found in the last song returns in another emotional performance found in the huge chorus and ending. These vocal performances perfectly show the emotion in the song and get that emotion across to the listeners very well.

The second half of the EP begins with the single “F.Y.H.T.,” which is also a bit darker, and brings a lot more energy. The softer verses have intriguing and slightly darker melodies similar to those in the verses of the last track, and those catchy melodies and the equally catchy riffs accompanying them build the song up very well to another massive chorus where the raw vocal style returns and shows off yet again. LOWBORN’s Wes Lauterbach features on the track, and his voice fits perfectly and works very well with the voice of this band’s vocalist, and the bridge brings a balance of softer and louder sections before it’s followed by a breakdown that gives the instrumentals their chance to shine. Closing out the EP is the five-minute long “C X I I I,” which begins on a very different note in comparison to the previous three tracks. It’s a lot slower, led by piano at first, and the vocals are a lot softer, but the longer notes in the vocal and piano performances make those performances more intriguing and captivating as you can’t help but continue to listen in anticipation for what happens next. The lead piano parts come in a bit later on, and the drums get added in not long after, making the song a bit more upbeat and really buidling it up during the second pre-chorus and chorus. That chorus is another hard hitting one, bringing much louder vocals and instrumentals than what the song had before this point in it, and the song continues to stay this way for a little while up until the bridge. The bridge is kind of like the song itself as a whole – it starts out softer and then gets louder, but it does so very quickly, and once the louder half of it comes in, the vocals put on a powerful performance that really impressed me on first listen, and the instrumental section that immediately follows it does the same thing before the song concludes with piano parts, similarly to how it began.

In Conclusion…

Run Home Jack’s latest EP reminded me of how much I loved this band’s music and why they stood out so much in the first place. There’s many captivating and pretty impressive moments to be found on “Part II: I Tried,” and it makes a powerful sophomore release overall. - Dissonants Magazine