If I started off this article by saying that I’ve been a North Ave Jax superfan since the jump, I’d be lying. Sure, I’ve covered his stuff before and thought some past singles were solid. But if I’m being honest, I originally was only going to cover this project because his manager and I are friends.
I’ll give you a second to blab about me having an iNdUsTrY bIaS or whatever your other grievances are. However, after listening to Jax’s debut LaZy, but i have goals, I realized I had read Jax all wrong.
Before this project, I thought Jax was your run-of-the-mill white rapper who MIGHT have a chance at dropping some catchy TikTok songs that get added to the universal fraternity playlist (as a senior in college, I’ve noticed that every frat seems to have the exact same playlist).
In reality, the 10-track project is everything from introspective to gutwrenching at times, with tracks like “Awful”. The lead track sees Jax struggling with the repercussions of problems he caused and beating himself up for his inability to solve them. This track was easily my favorite on the album because of how agonizingly honest it was.
Throughout the project, the Vermont native flexes everything in his arsenal including thoughtful lyrics, catchy hooks, vivid imagery about his struggles and triumphs, and an ability to integrate his R&B, Rap, Pop, and Punk influences into something unique.
On top of the project, Jax teamed up with frequent collaborator Kelly Butts-Spirito for a mini-documentary that details both Kelly and Jax‘s ascent in the span of 6 months. What I love about both the doc and the album is how intimate it feels. Jax really lets his fans see every part of him unfiltered.
Check out the project below.
