Showcasing a sound that succeeds across both cinematic folk expanses and hooky indie-pop charm, It Would Be Enough is the new album from Common Jack, the project of John Gardner. The album traverses a broad emotional landscape, from the tender, heart-on-sleeve intimacy of “Reprise,” with its warm brass swells and affectionate vocal crescendos, to the melancholic introspection and melodic defiance of “Let It,” where heart-tugging strings meet soaring harmonies. Gardner’s lyrics navigate loss, longing, and resilience with poetic precision, while his arrangements consume across an array of delicate piano, shimmering guitars, and layered vocals.
An illuminated, climactic sound emanates on opening track “Reprise,” where interactions between stately piano and trickling guitar meld into warm brass and “you are the sun” affectionate vocal power. “I am carving my initials into trees, so you can remember me when I am gone,” Gardner’s vocals stir, alternating between subdued reassurances — “you are not alone” — and swells of bursting emotion. A theatrical, tonally dynamic showing, “Reprise” commences the album in riveting form.
The ensuing “Keep It Easy” embraces a more chugging, debonair rock allure — pairing lyrical desires “to be free” amidst a crunching guitar progression and woozy backing vocals. The chorus dazzles in its “got this feeling” classic-pop stylings and overall uptick; the progression from sturdy guitar pulses into soaring, hook-ready textures is accomplished with seamless precision.
“Your Side of the Bed” continues the enthralling songwriting, haunting in its piano-set balladry and “I was a fool, reaching for you” professional yearning. “Your side of the bed is still warm,” the vocals heart-achingly let out, compelling with flourishes of synths and strummed guitars, for a gripping sound fondly reminiscent of The Divine Comedy — particularly as the lovely brass hits. “On My Mind” then arises with contemplative intrigue, lyrically exuding a sense of feeling lost while “you’re on my mind” — shimmering and smitten in its comforting strums, twangs, and amiable vocal breeziness.
A more folk-ready prowess unveils on “To Live is to Lose,” where themes of insatiability combine with weeping strings and gentle guitars; the string elements conjure a Pachelbel-like feeling in their romantic, heart-tugging infusions. “Now I know to live is to lose,” the vocals let out with melancholic stirring, consuming in portraying how different paths diverge from decision-making in the context of relationships. The beautiful “Let It” is another gem, particularly in its vocal harmonies and relatable grip. “The world has a way of making you feel smaller by the day, if you let it,” Gardner’s vocals shine, with a sharp “I won’t let it” subsequent defiance. The album consistently enamors in its range of melodic vocal layers and hooky structural emergences.
It Would Be Enough is a thorough accomplishment in songwriting and timeless pop/rock cohesion from Common Jack, who will be playing an album release party at Sleepwalk in Brooklyn on November 17th.
