Austin Price, Editor in Chief
David. W Jacobsen is a singer / songwriter that continues to add onto his extensive musical collection with his recent album release, A Tree Falls. This album debuted on December 3rd, 2024, a year after his previous album, Music for the Masses, was released to listeners.
Click here to read my review of Jacobsen’s previous album, Music for the Masses
When given the opportunity to listen and review another one of his albums, I immediately jumped at the chance. I adore music and coming from a family of professional pianists and singers, I have a deep appreciation for music used as an artistic forum for expression, investigation, and reflection. The process of creating music, from writing the lyrics to making edits in post-production is an immense task, and one that each artist approaches differently. When I first listened to Jacobsen’s work last year, I instantly felt unique aspects of his music shown through unfiltered lyrics and explicit notes. This same feeling overcame me when listening to A Tree Falls.
Personally, I believe music is often censored way too much. Honest reflections on mental health, global conflict, political issues, and religious connotations are minimized by the music industry to keep up with the sensitivity of audiences and to increase their approval rates. I enjoy honest artists. I enjoy the bombastic attitude of Jacobsen’s music and the unapologetic outlook he has on life. Because of his unfiltered presentation, A Tree Falls continues the legacy of art without restrictions, evident in his previous work.
A Tree Falls is an album made up of 7 songs, with a full running time of 32 minutes and 59 seconds. The album is primarily made up of piano centric ballads, complete with humorous dialogue and elements of pathos. A Tree Falls is an album about being ignored. According to Jacobsen, the primary question that the album asks is "If a tree falls in a forest … does anyone give a @$#!?". Throughout the different tracks, a unanimous answer is given. The answer is no. If a tree falls in a forest no one gives a @$#!? And no one cares.
With the album proposing a bleak answer to a popular question that all of us face in our lives, it instills listeners with both hope and with reluctant resolve on the challenges of life. The album introduces a menagerie of situations in which we ask ourselves, “Does anyone really care about me?”
The opening track, “No Expectations” reveals the relentless self-doubt and questioning we face when being abandoned or ghosted in a relationship. Jacobsen sings with tones of expected disappointment, demonstrating the exhausted cycle of one-sided relationships. It shows the toll of neglected and unrequited feelings of love that we find in romantic situations. When reflecting on this track, Jacobsen demonstrates the awful truth that connections fray over time. This could be caused by distance, time, or various levels of dedication to the relationship. But, no matter what the cause, it hurts all the same when we lose those connections that once fueled and inspired us.
The next song I’d like to dissect is track 5, “Don’t You Call Us”. This is my personal favorite track of the album, mainly because of its relevance to today’s job market, but also because it pokes fun at the ridiculous process of job interviews and rejections. In addition, this track is a reenactment of situations I have faced in my personal life and was something I needed to hear.
“Don’t You Call Us” is about the outdated procedure and generic rejection shown to hopeful applicants for jobs in today’s market. Nearly halfway through the song, Jacobsen reads a paragraph out loud to listeners while the initial instrumentals remain consistent. The process for creating this song involved the examination of various, real job rejection letters that Jacobsen has received throughout his life. This level of vulnerability enhances the relatability of the song with listeners. Jacobsen says “I took multiple rejection letters and combined them. Every sentence was taken almost verbatim from an actual rejection email.” Spoken with false sincerity and artificial cheerfulness, Jacobsen reads the rejection letters, mimicking the attitude of hiring managers and business heads.
My favorite part of the song comes right after Jacobsen’s reading of the letters, and that is the sympathetic words of support, spoken by others to try and comfort you when you don’t get a job. Rather than read these programmed responses himself, Jacobsen gave the phrases to his wife to recite, giving her a special appearance on the album. This was a personal touch that showed the support Jacobsen’s wife has for his musical career, and parodies conversations many of us have had.
The final track of the album, aptly titled “A Tree Falls”, is over 13 minutes long, and is a raw representation of the struggles many artists face. Jacobsen says, “This is a song for anyone whose artistic aspirations are unrecognized, unfulfilled, and likely to remain so.” Jacobsen conducted this track using a variety of inspirations, but a major one was Harry Chapin's 13-minute epic, "There was Only One Choice." Both Chapin’s song and Jacobsen’s track show the crippling challenges artists face. While they are fueled by creativity, they are sustained by recognition. Sadly, most artists are not properly recognized, making an artist’s dream a discouraging nightmare.
Something I love about this final track is that it’s realistic. It’s angry, frustrated, desperate, and melancholy. It shows the grim reality many artists face, without censorship or placation for the audience. This is what makes Jacobsen’s work so insightful. It approaches both the highs and lows of life with the same amount of energy and attention.
A Tree Falls shows the shadows of society. The shadows of rejection. Something we can’t escape, and something we hate to confront. Jacobsen’s album allows listeners to meditate on their own experiences, and the nuances of their lives. While our situations differ, we often experience the same feelings of rejection, loneliness, jealousy, and sadness. However, Jacobsen presents these feelings with neutrality showing the validity to the mixed emotions of humanity. A Tree Falls is an anthology of poetic pieces and life lessons and can be appreciated by anyone who’s ever lived a normal life that offers both ups and downs. It gives validity to dark feelings we have, showing authenticity and humility.
To listen to A Tree Falls, visit the following links: