Listen: Jesse Marchant, ‘6&5’

Photo by Jen Steele

Brooklyn songwriter Jesse Marchant is preparing the release of his new album, Illusion of Love, which is due January 26th. Today, Marchant is premiering the song ‘6&5’ (listen below). The song’s propulsive rhythm and searing, infectious guitar riff make it one of Illusion of Love‘s most urgent tracks. 

Marchant told Culture Creature that ‘6&5’ feels “quite liberating” because it provides a cathartic release among the 12 tracks on the album. Marchant says: “Maybe some of the aggression in this song was from years that had passed where I was feeling a lot of frustration personally – but then also, the context of the climate of living in America which was so oppressive to everybody, and just seeing it around me constantly in New York City.”

Marchant went on to describe his inspiration for the album title Illusion of Love. “Basically the root of it,” he said, “was from people close to me who had relationships with family members or lovers that were tremendously unhealthy for them, and they were all growing to an age where they’re starting to slowly realize that. For me, it also spoke to the culture at large: American society reckoning with the fact that a lot of the stuff that we embrace and are completely obsessed with are leaving many of us empty. I was tying together – maybe subconsciously – parallels between those things.”

Listen to ‘6&5’ below. Jesse Marchant will celebrate the album’s release on Friday, February 2nd at Public Arts in NYC. Illusion of Love is available for preorder now.