A charged indie rock upheaval, j solomon’s “subway sick” roars with thrilling passion and energy as the NYC artist finds his footing in a catchy, dynamic jam.
Stream: “subway sick” – j solomon
It’s not easy being a small fish in an ever-expanding pond, but for many – especially those living in big cities – part of life is learning to adapt and be comfortable in new situations, and understanding that we’re all just minnows swimming in the endless ocean. Aquatic metaphors aside, j solomon’s driving new single and music video tap into coming-of-age emotions of purpose, place, and release: A charged indie rock upheaval, “subway sick” roars with thrilling passion and energy as the NYC artist finds his footing in a catchy, dynamic jam.
All of my friends stick together
The long way down the road
I find myself at the bottom of
an ever-growing totem pole
I’m not wasting my life
I’m not wasting my time
Growing in a steady line
I’m not wasting my life
I’m not wasting my time
I’ll leave it all behind
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering the Yoni Azulay-directed music video for “subway sick,” j solomon’s chugging (get it, trains?) first single of 2021 and a dazzling rush of fuzzy Strokes-esque guitar rock. Released in late February, “subway sick” follows late October’s wistful standalone single “Winnebago Baby” – another reflective outpouring of intimate emotion and that everlasting search for oneself and one’s place. Both find j solomon at the top of his (still blossoming) game, finding the NYC by-way-of rural Pennsylvania singer/songwriter born Jesse Moldovsky incorporating an increasingly colorful world of feeling and sound to bear in song.
“I wrote ‘Subway Sick’ as a way to document my experience of leaving my small town in Pennsylvania and moving to New York City,” Moldovsky tells Atwood Magazine I initially had a tough time finding my footing and navigating new experiences and unfamiliar places. I was stuck at a creative roadblock for a while until one night on the train uptown I opened my notes app and wrote out “Maybe I’m just subway sick.” The line had been stuck in my head for a few days after and I knew I needed to develop it out into something bigger. I like to think of the phrase “Subway Sick” as a way to describe the feeling of being both physically and creatively trapped in a place you’re not yet comfortable in, which at that point had been New York City for me.”
j solomon’s own emotions come to bear in a feverish chorus full of electric charm:
Maybe I’m just subway sick
Crash at my old place on 2nd and 6th
These rich kid parties make me feel like shit
I just can’t fit in
His words grapple to lay down an anchor as he finds himself in that turbulent whirlwind we call life – ever-moving and seldom slow, especially in New York City. Meanwhile, dramatic guitar and fuzzy vocal effects give “subway sick” a familiar shine.
“Throughout the process of writing and producing the song I had been listening to a lot of Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, and The Districts,” j solomon adds. “I admire their ability to take universal themes and build out these indie-rock songs in a way that makes people comfortable with championing their struggles. I ultimately sought to do the same with “Subway Sick,” and wanted this song to feel like one that people can enjoy at face value or resonate with more deeply. It has felt really great to have the song out and to now be releasing the accompanying visual piece.”
All my regrets start and end with the things that I should’ve done
“Lighten the load off your shoulders, Jesse, try and have some fun”
I’m not in it for that
I’m just trying to get what I want
I’m not in it for that
I’m just trying to get what I want
Maybe I’m just subway sick
Crash at my old place on 2nd and 6th
These rich kid parties make me feel like shit
I just can’t fit in
Maybe I’m just missing home
Spent too much time in different area codes
Big city living and nowhere to go
Could you let me in?
Whereas j solomon debuted only a few years ago with the tranquil acoustic folk seduction “Hazel Eyes,” he’s been on something of a rock bent since unleashing the song “Silence” off last year’s Cobalt EP. “Subway Sick” dives full throttle into an invigorating rock spirit, and the artist’s accompanying music video only adds more color to the mix. Blending the unassailably urban landscape of New York’s MTA subways with the suburbs’ greener pastures, “Subway Sick” strives to find balance amongst two seemingly disjointed, divergent worlds. j solomon isn’t the first to attempt to find harmony between New York City’s concrete jungle and everywhere else, and he certainly won’t be the last; what he’s captured in this song and its visual are a timeless, familiar push-and-pull. Both worlds offer their own allure, and whereas some of us can dive 100% into one or the other, the vast majority need a little bit of both to survive.
Honestly, we’re all a little subway sick.
But that’s part and parcel of trying to make it in the big city – a tradeoff we’d make each and every day of the week.
Stream j solomon’s new music video exclusively on Atwood Magazine!
Oh, don’t you know?
You can’t live life like a kid when you’re on your own
You’re scared of something real
And you can’t change the way you feel
And can’t you see?
You can’t do shit with a liberal arts degree
Who will pay the bills?
You should’ve put the loans to something real
Maybe I’m just subway sick
Crash at my old place on 2nd and 6th
These rich kid parties make me feel like shit
I just can’t fit in
Maybe I’m just missing home
Spent too much time in different area codes
Big city living and nowhere to go
Could you let me in?
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? © Yoni Azulay art © Josh Charow
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