@amelia.moseman (words)
@colekincart (photos)

Hey Cole, what was that show we went to the other night?

Oh, oh, it was that guy with the bird!

No, that’s Jake Finch. Wasn’t it that guy who had just made it to the play-offs?

No, no, that’s Jake Clinch. You’re thinking of that guy who squeezes just a little bit.

Not Jake Pinch. I’m thinking of the guy who got fake punched.

Jake Flinch?

That’s not it. Was it the guy who’s heart grew three sizes that day?

Can’t be—that’s Jake Grinch. I know, I know. You’re thinking of the guy who tightens things up.

I’m not thinking of Jake Cinch. I’m thinking of the 22 year-old singer-songwriter from Connecticut who just released his debut album, George, and stopped by Schubas on Monday night.

Ohhhhh, that’s Jake Minch!

Jake Minch is more than just a rhymable name and a pretty face. He’s a talented musician who writes deeply intimate songs on the art and grief of Growing Up. He has amassed just short of a million followers on TikTok, touting this charm and vulnerability through clips and sneak peeks of songs off his debut album, George. 

The album was mainly recorded in LA with the help of some of the region’s best and brightest: Tony Berg (Phoebe Bridgers, Taylor Swift) and Mike Mogis (Saddle Creek, Bright Eyes) on production, with contributions from Mason Stoops (Ryan Beatty, Lizzy McAlpine), Sam Wilkes, and Alix Page. Minch’s blunt lyrics are backed by brilliant compositions of intricate melodies, expertly rising and falling with the rollercoasters of figuring yourself out. The tracklist lives mostly in the past: growing out of old friends (“Drawing a Tattoo”) , reliving past relationships (“Fingers and Clothes”?). the grief and confusion of losing a parent (“Dad’s Song”), sibling relationships (“Changed Things”), relieving past relationships (“Twice”)—you get the gist. Hell, the first song is titled “Nostalgia Act”. It’s an autobiographical album-metaphor about trying a new place, questioning a lot, and coming out on the other side.

At Schubas on Monday night, the mid-point of the George tour, Minch’s internet fame was very evident. Seemingly every track Minch played, the crowd knew, and sang, every single word. From my POV, the angelic chorus accompanying every song is something that could be capitalized on—maybe the next tour is “Jake Minch & The Sopranos”?

In that vein, much of the show felt reminiscent of worship. The pace of the setlist, the innocence of the crowd, the somewhat-forced vulnerability, and the brazen presentation of youth were all things I had experienced in one other place: church camp. Take that as you will, but I mean it as a testament to two things: 1) Music moves people in a multitude of places and spaces 2) Minch’s music seems to have a cathartic and hypnotic power. Despite my hatred for excessive singing at a show (if I wanted to hear you sing, I would buy tickets for your concert. It’s free to just mouth the words.), I can respect the unity and belonging that comes from group karaoke. By laying his misfortunes bare for us all, Minch opened the space for others to bring their hurt, their pain, and their joy to the table.

Despite the weight of his lyrics, Minch was relatively soft-spoken. He mumbled and bumbled his way through the set, carving out a jagged line between connection and oversharing. (To go back to the crowd for a moment—they ate up every last word of it) Minch has this combination of relatability, charisma, and authenticity that is particularly endearing among a class of internet musicians. Credit where credit is due for making music that resonates with a Schubas Tavern full of people, even on a rainy night.

With only an album, an EP, and 22 years of life, on his rap sheet, Minch is only just getting started. There is more music to come as sure as there is age, and there will be crowds waiting to sing-along and even mosh. Come one, come all to the church of Jake Minch.

You can listen to George wherever you stream your music, or catch Jake Minch and his band on the final stops of this tour:

August 25 /// Velvet Underground /// Toronto, ON
August 27 /// The Middle East – Sonia /// Cambridge, MA
August 28 /// Baby’s All Right /// Brooklyn, NY