"Peace of Mind," the leading song on Matthew Ryan Jacobs's new self-titled EP, takes us on an emotional journey. This five-song collection marks a significant change, as the songs are darker and feature more complex sounds. Jacobs wrote and recorded the project over the course of a year. It shows how he combines folk, Americana, indie rock, and country sounds to create a sound that is both rich and personal. "Peace of Mind," on the other hand, is the EP's emotional heart. It is deep and wide in a way that isn't obvious.
The song starts with a simple folk confession that is gentle, probing, and thoughtful. Then it becomes a strong arrangement with guitars that stand out and harmonies that are hard to hear. Jacobs's voice sounds honest, shifting from honesty about himself to softness. He writes about how uncomfortable he is in a way that makes you feel like you're going to hell, and he tries not to let that bother the people around him. Many people can relate to how bad it feels to feel guilty about their problems and how scared they are that others will see that pain as anger or detachment.
"Peace of Mind" really hits home because Jacobs doesn't try to make it sound better. He doesn't say he knows the answers or try to explain things that don't need explaining. Instead, he writes a story that fully accepts the chaos, letting darkness be part of the story without extinguishing the light.
Jacobs isn't afraid to write about dark things in this song and the whole EP. He is very committed to making it a nice place. Every time you listen to "Peace of Mind," it changes and grows, adding new things to your experience.