As soon as I heard the opening riff in the new music video for the title track of Beau Jennings and the Tigers' latest album, Heavy Light, I felt transported to the late 90s. It brought back memories of driving around in an early model beater whose door handles only worked from outside. The vehicle packed with friends, the windows rolled down, the summer heat making the vinyl seats stick to everyone's legs, and a Tom Petty CD playing.
However, while Petty helped popularize this 70s AM Gold sound that peaked in the 20th century, he didn't invent it. Once Jennings begins to sing the song's opening lyrics, it's clear that he simply took the base ingredients, a mix of Americana, power pop, Heartland rock, and country; then sprinkled himself into the mix to make something entirely his own.
Jennings is an American singer, songwriter, and musician from Oklahoma whose music speaks to the complicated nature of life. Lyrically, he often explores contrast and duality, as can easily be ascertained from the title track, "Heavy Light." This loudersoft approach mixes seriousness with softness to interpret his vision of the world.
Director of Photography Brandon Waddell beautifully shot the soundstage where the music video takes place. At the same time, the director and editor Jarod Evans kept the production simple by sidestepping a narrative to put the spotlight on Beau Jennings and the Tigers' musicianship and lyrics.
Heavy Light, which was released back in March by Black Mesa Records, is filled with layers of bustling energy and bright tones with themes that touch on our country's current state, Jennings' personal relationships, and the simple burden of being human. However, even when Jennings sings about these heavier topics, their meaning still has a hopeful edge because he knows what good can come from self-reflection and a tiny seed of optimism.
In many ways, he speaks for anyone who is confused and confounded by the seemingly contradictory nature of life in a post-pandemic world. Yet in Jennings' simulation, we all soldier on - assuredly carrying this light with us wherever we go.
