Music by Jeremy finds wit, weight and wonder on ‘Scenes from a Well Worn Path - Side Two’

By the time 'Scenes from a Well Worn Path – Side Two' reaches its stride, it becomes clear that Music by Jeremy is aiming for something far bigger than a conventional collection of songs.

This second instalment of his sprawling 24-track double album continues the journey begun on 'Side One', but feels richer in scope, moving confidently through grief, fear, humour, joy and the strange contradictions that shape everyday life. There's a real sense of curiosity running through the writing, as though each song is less interested in providing an answer than in asking a better question.

Opening track ‘Do Birds Sing the News’ is a strong example of this approach, taking an unusual central idea and turning it into something reflective and quietly affecting. While 'Moving On and ‘Idonella Sakaiensis’ similarly stand out through the ways they combine carefully constructed music with bigger questions about how people live and respond to the world around them.

But what gives this six-track endeavour its real charm is the balance between seriousness and vitality. Even when the material moves into heavier territory, the EP doesn't feel weighed down by it. There's wit here, but also warmth, and a genuine sense of someone still fascinated by life rather than exhausted by it.

With two further sides still to come, 'Scenes from a Well Worn Path' is shaping up as an unusually expansive debut statement. 'Side Two' strengthens that impression considerably, revealing a songwriter with plenty to say and, more importantly, a compelling way of saying it.