Jubal Lee Young “Squirrels”

Downhome truths and shaggy dog tales with front porch tunes.

“Squirrels” is Jubal Lee Young’s second album release in as many years, and he sees it as a companion piece to 2024’s “Wild Birds Warble”. There is a significant difference, though, in that “Wild Birds…” only contained one self-penned song, and was predominantly a tribute to his father Steve Young’s influence (Young senior had written songs for the likes of the Eagles and Waylon Jennings, and was a significant figure in the ‘outlaw country’ movement of the 70’s).

“Squirrels”, meanwhile, has an abundance of original tracks, with Young stating eleven are recent songs written as “a late bloomer. And I would say slow learner, but it’s more of a thorough, deliberate, plodding sort of learning process.”

Now in his 50s, Young has found himself in a place where “I feel more confident and comfortable in my own skin than I ever have”, and this is reflected in his new music. “I don’t feel like any of my past albums misrepresented me, but I think there was often a sense of pressure involved in the background that coloured them.” It is a feeling that many other artists will likely recognise.

So, what of “Squirrels”? Well, the first thing to say is that this is a record that is very easy on the ear. Any listener whose tastes run to the natural sounds of the likes of Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss, Old Crow Medicine Show, etc. is likely to find plenty to enjoy. There is a raw, old-time, often Appalachian sound, which is prominent, from the back porch to the hoedown, with a bit of western swing groove thrown in for good measure. Acoustic instruments abound, with acoustic guitar and fiddle front and centre. 

The other thing that quickly becomes apparent is that Young is a very fine writer of lyrics. He has a keen eye for the big picture stuff, but demonstrates it through the wry observations of his characters, and he is similarly nuanced on personal relationships, whether romantic or family. Take ‘Hand Painted Portuguese Punch Bowl’, where the aforementioned item becomes forever entwined with his grandmother’s life, and subsequently her memory.

Then there’s ‘Wild Your Tamed Heart’, a love song of experience, where the protagonist has learned enough to know what he should offer a partner, in a way which is lyrically so beautifully constructed, and framed within a lovely melody, too.

“I don’t take prisoners anymore / I’ve grown and changed my ways / Since my own captive days – and I want to wild your tamed heart”

He’s not afraid to grasp the odd political nettle, either. Witness ‘Weird’ …

“Don’t you think it’s a bit peculiar / Ain’t it beyond belief? / Try to give a poor child a free lunch / They’ll make you feel like a thief / But if they want a billion dollars to build a wall – Suddenly money ain’t no problem at all”.
Quite.

Despite this, Young describes the album as having some “silly songs”, which nonetheless he feels “especially proud of”. These certainly capture every bit as much of the human experience as the more earnest ones, and perhaps even more so. The likes of  “Squirrels”, “IDGAF” (meaning “I don’t give a f…”), “Parts”, “Don’t Be a Dickhead” and more, all have the kind of down-home humour combined with wisdom that you might find over a beer in a country bar with a smiling local, or at the most boisterous large family gathering after a few drinks have been taken.

So, “Squirrels” is roundly recommended, a joyous ride from start to finish, that leaves you feeling a little richer at the end of it all.