Jackson Harrison lifted 60s folk pop into a dream-rich haze in Mr. Melody –

Jackson Harrison is one of the few artists who can channel the psychedelic, spiritual warmth of the Beatles without leaning into imitation or pastiche on his latest single, Mr. Melody. With an instant affirmation that the 20-year-old singer-songwriter is an embodiment of soul and spirituality rather than ego and superficiality, Mr. Melody serves as an introduction to Harrison’s angels and devils may care approach to experimentalism. There’s no sense of fear as he allows the rough contours of the lo-fi production to clash against the accordant kaleidoscope of colour built by the psychedelic 60s folk pop instrumentals, filtering light and sound through in hypnotic waves.

It is within the vocals where Harrison stands most authentically, without façade, without pretence. He riffs from the vocal cords, pulling you deeper into the carefree veracity of the release. His voice doesn’t posture or perform; it opens a direct channel to everything that Mr. Melody wants to be, emotionally open, spiritually raw, and sonically untamed.

Raised by his great-grandmother in Athens, Georgia, Harrison grew up in the shadow of addiction. That complicated childhood formed the emotional backbone of his songwriting. Now, recording under his own name, he walks the long line between beauty and despair, following the storytelling traditions of Dylan and The Beatles while grounding his work in the hard edges of modern Southern life. His debut album, also titled Mr. Melody, is a cycle of ghost stories, protest ballads, and spiritual confessions. At the core of his expression is the belief that even after ruin, melody and meaning can rise from the wreckage.

Mr. Melody is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast