Jordy Searcy

The Under 1M Spotlight this week is Jordy Searcy! This pick is a bit of a throwback. You may know Jordy from his popular song “Love and War in Your Twenties,” but this month he put out a new album called Mt. Tam, and it really brings back the nostalgia of “Love and War in Your Twenties” while also giving us a whole new set of songs to obsess over.

What really stood out to me about the first few tracks on Mt. Tam was how relatable the themes are. Jordy spends a lot of the beginning of the album exploring the comfort that certain people can bring into your life, the anxiety that can come with general life, and the way relationships can completely shift your mindset, whether for better or worse.

Mt. Tam begins with the soft and delicate title track, which feels dedicated to a special person in Jordy’s life who brings him peace and tranquility. Throughout the song, we go through the emotions of traveling for work, loving the experience, but still feeling like nothing compares to the thrill and comfort of being with this person. Moving into “North Star,” Jordy describes similar feelings of relying on this person and seeing them in such a comforting light. We explore feelings of anxiety and what it can do to your mind, but also having a person who feels able to cure it all. Repeating over and over “I will look for you wherever you are,” he seemingly refers to this person as his “North Star.”

Switching up the themes, we focus on someone that is no longer with him in “The Day the Rain Came Down.” In this track, we look back on a terrible day in which this person left him, referring to it as a “rainy day.” Admitting that he is “so scared to lose what’s already gone” conveys this feeling of helplessness where Jordy feels completely out of control in the situation.

We go in a bit of a reverse getting into “I Feel Like Dancing?” The question mark makes the entire feeling confusing, almost as if Jordy is surprised that someone can make him feel this way. That they make him so uncontrollably happy that he just wants to move and be free. The little guitar solo at the end of the track gives a slight Mk.gee feeling, making it sound so retro and Sunday afternoon coded.

Overall, the album gives us these rushing feelings of optimism and appreciation for those closest to you. Jordy tells his audience about the positive things that happen to him when love creeps in: the comfort it provides, the clarity and motivation it gives him. Throughout the album, he puts these loved ones on pedestals, creating this overwhelming sense of gratitude towards them.

If you want to uncover more of the meaning behind Jordy’s lyrics and tones (which I think everyone absolutely should), stream the new album Mt. Tam now!