B-Side Guys

Jessie Schupbach’s “Sane” is a gossamer thread of vulnerability woven through the tapestry of modern Americana. This Midwestern troubadour doesn’t just sing; she exhales stories that settle like morning dew on the heartstrings of anyone who’s ever felt adrift in their own skin.

The track, recorded in the unassuming sanctuaries of Hopi Lane and Not Mushroom Studios, carries the authenticity of small-town America in its very fibers. Schupbach’s voice, a instrument of disarming honesty, floats above a gentle current of folksy instrumentation, at once fragile and resolute.

“Sane” is a lyrical tightrope walk between despair and hope. Schupbach’s pen sketches a portrait of internal turmoil with lines like “Feeling wired and I wanna stay awake / Can’t control when I’m feeling worth my passion.” The struggle is palpable, the exhaustion tangible.

But it’s in her chorus where Schupbach truly shines, invoking elemental forces as allies in her quest for equilibrium. “If I let the rain fall it could unearth a blessing / Fire burning could melt away the pain,” she sings, her voice a prism refracting raw emotion into something approaching serenity. This isn’t just songwriting; it’s alchemy.

The influence of Sarah Jarosz’s storytelling precision and Nickel Creek’s harmonic sophistication is evident, yet Schupbach’s sound remains distinctly her own. There’s a Sheryl Crow-esque accessibility to her introspection, making even the most personal admissions feel universal.

As the song progresses, a metamorphosis occurs. The initial resignation (“What if I just stay gone, pull myself away from everyone’s arms”) gives way to a cautious optimism (“I can feel it in my veins, I don’t wanna run away”). It’s a journey from isolation to connection, from stasis to movement.

“Sane” is more than a song; it’s a hand extended in the darkness, a reminder that even in our most turbulent moments, we are not alone. In a world that often feels like it’s spinning off its axis, Jessie Schupbach offers us an anchor – not in false certainty, but in shared vulnerability and the healing power of nature itself.

This track isn’t just a standout in Schupbach’s repertoire; it’s a beacon in the landscape of contemporary folk-pop. It reminds us that sometimes, the path to sanity isn’t about changing our circumstances, but about changing how we perceive them. And in that realization lies a profound, quiet power.