DrewJam new single, "Friends with a Fool," embodies the bittersweet pang of seeing someone you love creep into the embrace of a regrettable decision, and he does so with a soundscape as catchy as it is emotionally charged. Another self-produced gem, this is a brash return for DrewJam, who has slowly been making his mark in the indie-pop-rock world since his first slew of well-received offerings in 2019/2020.
"Friends with a Fool" is that conversation you'd like to have with a friend who's fallen for someone they have no business falling for. The late-night talk you never quite have because the words feel emotionally charged. DrewJam puts voice to that internal struggle with an emotional candor that can hit home and a sound that seizes you by the collar and almost demands to be felt.
It has that pop-rock drive-rich layers of acoustic guitars grinding up against sharp electric riffs but also elegance. The organ and electric piano textures lend a cinematic atmosphere, making the whole song feel like the final moments of a movie whose plot you didn't know you were starring in. And just when it seems to settle into something familiar, the guitar solos come soaring in, unabashedly weepy to match the ache and hope enshrined in the lyrics.
And then the vocals of DrewJam are, of course, passionate, weathered, and human. You know he lived this song, not just wrote it. He doesn't yell; he begs, as only someone who watches helplessly as a friend makes a mistake can in a moment like that. It's vulnerable without being vulnerable, honest without being preachy.
The same has been true of an artist who's quietly grown in craft and confidence. After a soulful lock down-inspired single in late 2024 and a live EP illuminating his talent to slay a stage raw, "Friends with a Fool" feels like a logical and potent next step; it has the polish of experience but the heart of someone who still feels every note.
In a world of overproduction that often covers the emotional pit of the song, DrewJam writes straight, letting the story, the arrangement, and the honesty of the performance do all of the heavy lifting. Whether you've been the fool, loved the fool, or stood helplessly on the sidelines, "Friends with a Fool" will touch you deeply.
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