A New Jersey native and up and coming singer, David W. Jacobsen released an album called, “Not What I Meant” on July 9.

Jacobsen said, “I am an independent, solo acoustic, singer/songwriter who recently released an album of original music. The album is a collection of songs mostly centered on melodic, acoustic guitar playing with lyrics that range from poetic, to quirky, to sarcastic. A main theme is failing to communicate, and it deals with misunderstandings and their lighthearted or heartbreaking repercussions.”

According to iTunes, his music is folk music, and I would have to agree. One of the tracks, called “Christmas Break”, evokes the image of piles of powdery snow and children in hats and mittens. However, the song’s true meaning is hidden beneath a cheery and upbeat melody. This song is about breaking up, although the reasons are a little more complicated than that. Much of Jacobsen’s music is written in this manner. His meanings are hard to decipher through the jumpy tunes he strums on his guitar.

This 12-track album is worth a listen. Each track seems to show a different emotion. Whether it be sadness, happiness or anger, there is something on this album for everyone.

Overall, I think music is suitable for people who like to figure out the meanings behind songs. The melodies that are used are fun to listen to. I could study to this music or just listen. It’s versatile. I would not recommend this selection of music to anyone who is not a fan of country music, as this album tells a story much in the same way country music would. But, do not let the word “folk” scare you away. This genre of music has many merits, like the ability to make you laugh out loud with its wit and sarcasm, as this album did for me.

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