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Our ability not just to create, but to contextualize our expressions in a meaningful way is one of mankind’s greatest accomplishments and because of that, collections have remained attractive to consumers, manufacturers, and artists alike. But since streaming numbers became one of the most-sought out metrics, musicians have regressed from the full-length physical record model to the sporadic attention-grabbing digital single model of releasing music, so those who share pieces within a plurality deserve praise.
Now, Jamey Cummins is no stranger to LPs nor standalone singles. A student of styles ranging from avant garde to vintage jazz, this Iowa-raised, Austin-based singer-guitarist dropped his debut album Hinterland in 2020, stretched out his schedule with “Turn this Thing Around” and “Toenail Moon” in 2021, returning to long-form with last year’s Electric Spanish and this spring’s Incidentals. At that rate Cummins could’ve easily sated his fanbase for the remainder of the year, but despite entering the dog days of summer, Cummins just came through with a bit more than a sole single.
Today Jamey Cummins and E.M.R.’s Austin Sisler released Stay Connected. At a trim three tunes, the bulk of Stay Connected is its two title tracks, the synth-pop inspired EP opener, and the extended Analog Version centerpiece. It’s pretty common practice to include a remix or two when releasing singles, so major kudos to Cummins for also rounding out Stay Connected with “Automatic from Downtown”. Following those first forays into contemporary pop radio bait and turn-of-the-millennium indie rock, respectively, “Automatic”‘s placement as Stay Connected‘s closer make the EP play like a gradual exploration into the past that stops right in the mid-’90s halfway between X and Wilco for some nuanced garage rock, full of modern production flourishes. All three can be enjoyed in isolation, but spinning it front to back is the best way to Stay Connected to Cummins and Sisler’s collective musical threads and get the most out of this nine-minute journey.
