Jeremy Parsons Finds Truth and Redemption on Life
Jeremy Parsons has always been a songwriter who favors honesty over polish, truth over theatrics. With Life, his five-song EP, he offers a song cycle that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. Written during the disorienting days of the pandemic—when tours vanished, the news grew darker by the hour, and solitude forced reflection—this project distills the turbulence of those years into songs that ring with clarity, wisdom, and heart.
The opening cut, “Tickin’,” is the EP’s compass. Its premise is simple: time is always moving, always escaping, always demanding we make something of it. But what makes the track powerful is Parsons’ delivery. He’s not scolding or sermonizing; he’s gently urging, nudging us to recognize that every tick of the clock is an invitation. His voice has a natural, lived-in quality that makes lines like “It’s not wasted if you choose to learn” feel like advice from an old friend.
“The Garden” grows from even deeper soil. Parsons’ father was a horticulturist, and here that legacy becomes metaphor. He asks what’s thriving in your life, what’s withering, and whether you’re nurturing the right seeds. The gentle tempo, conversational phrasing, and rich imagery make it one of the EP’s most memorable tracks. And when Parsons sings “I hope that means you are too,” it feels less like a lyric and more like a genuine check-in. It’s rare to hear such unguarded empathy in modern country-folk music.
The centerpiece is “Who Was I,” Parsons’ reflection on his younger self. At 25, he was a wanderer, living for the night, testing his own limits, and failing to measure up to the expectations of family or society. He admits to chasing dreams and self-destruction in equal measure. But instead of glorifying those years, Parsons lays them bare with a mixture of regret and gratitude for survival. His unflinching admission—“Sometimes I wonder who’s chasing who, me or the dream”—perfectly captures the duality of ambition and self-doubt that haunts so many artists. This is the song that will likely resonate most with listeners who have stood at a crossroads and asked themselves the same question.
“Humanity” shifts the focus outward. Written in response to the social unrest and divisions of recent years, it takes a broader lens to the fractures in our culture. Parsons warns against judgment and arrogance, noting that without empathy, we risk losing our humanity altogether. What could have been a finger-pointing protest instead feels like an appeal—a reminder that we always have a choice in how we treat one another. His tone is resolute but not bitter, calling for compassion in a world often starved for it.
The closer, “Life Worth Dyin’ For,” ties the collection together with grace. This is Parsons’ thesis statement, the song where he declares that a life rich with love, laughter, mistakes, and perseverance is the only kind worth living. It’s uplifting without being saccharine, grounded in reality yet still aspirational. The melody is warm, the lyric direct, and the sentiment timeless.
With Life, Jeremy Parsons has crafted a project that reflects not only his journey but also the shared struggles and hopes of his listeners. It is introspective yet accessible, humble yet profound. In a time when so much music chases trends, Parsons delivers something far rarer: sincerity. And sincerity, when coupled with craft, never goes out of style.
–Robert Mann