Jules Paymer’s new four-track EP, Trouble, is an evolution in Jules’ songwriting and sound. This EP still has a hard edge and emotional trauma-dump vibe but they’ve matured and it has a feeling of coming out on the brighter side of things. The music is lighter, softer and more pop sounding than anything in Jules’ past catalog.
“Over The Moon” has a plucky beat over an inner monologue about dating but when a relationship ends, “Nothing Lasts Forever” is born and it’s hard getting over a bitter-sweet ex. Or worse, things turn dark on the wispy ballad “Mean It” about overcoming an abusive relationship. Guitar and drum-heavy beats paired with alarms gives the self-sabotaging anthem “Trouble” a chaotic sound. Jules is never afraid to overshare and although a lot of their themes are dark, this EP has hope after the fall.
Jules teamed up with the website Even to allow fans an early listen of the EP, options to purchase other BTS exclusives and two bonus tracks, “For The Record (Demo)” (in my gay opinion, the best song on the EP) and “I’ll Get High (Demo)”. I loved the early listen but was disappointed in the lack of downloadability, so not great for fans who like to buy and own music, it’s just a rental.
