Jesse Welles - All Creatures Great and Small
In a modern time of constant uncertainty, an uprise in classism amongst other persecutions, and general panic, folk singer/songwriter Jesse Welles emerges as the possible second coming of Bob Dylan. During Dylan’s peak, he embodied the term ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’ through his songs that were politically charged and relevant to ongoing turmoil; mostly holding themes of anti–war and pro–civil rights, which were hot button and significant during the 1960s and 70s. For Welles, he has a similar approach to the utter chaos that is The United States currently and that’s been pretty clear throughout his past two albums, both of which were released this year. His debut record, Hells Welles, emerged in July whereas his second album, Patchwork, was dropped in late September. Both collections are on–the–nail political with elements that ring uncanny to Dylan’s such as the consistent factors of anti–war and violence ideologies but Welles brings things a step further with his own opinions on aspects such as the war on drugs, genocide, mentall illness, religion, etc. With his newest EP, a 6 song assortment titled All Creatures Great and Small, listeners can find this same commentary with a much folkier presence to it that honors the roots of the genre.
All Creatures Great and Small opens up with Bugs, one of the two songs off the EP that was teased as a single first. At a first glance, Bugs is fun and almost childlike in its approach to lyricism as it depicts the common comparison between insects and man, specifically the fact that insects live simple lives with no worries whereas humans do not. This is backed by the fourth verse, in which Welles’ sings “I don't know what the mantis is praying for but he's probably just thanking the Lord that he don't live in a home and he don't got a phone and he don't sit around all angry and bored. He's just a bug. Buzz on”. Upon further inspection, however, one could find the conclusion that Bugs is actually pretty political–minded. It’s certainly anti–violence and pacifistic at its core given the lines “Well I have a reason, I know why. Don’t do it just so they'll die. If you're gonna kill a bug, don’t do it just because. I like bugs and I'll tell you why. They’re alive and so am I” and it even takes a jab at the 1% and its conniving businessmen with “There’s a couplе of bugs to try to stay away from. Mosquitos, ticks, business flies, bugs in suits, bugs in ties”. It’s a very well balanced opening number that doesn’t hit too heavy with its meaning but it still manages to slide hints in here and there to warm listeners old and new up for what’s to come.
Trees makes up the second track, picking up with that similar ease that Bugs has. “Greed is a weed and it takes more than it needs” is the song’s most powerful line, as Welles appears to use trees and their symbolism of wisdom and time to convey messages that commentate on the greed pandemic. A consistent motif throughout All Creatures Good and Small is the factor of nature and how vital of a role it plays. This is big in part to why Welles’ music sounds so Dylan–esque or like something out of the 1970s because of its true–to–itself folk elements; folk notoriously is based around nature and culture and this focus dates back to the beginning of said genre. Welles has managed to nail this even though he is only thirty years of age both in Trees and elsewhere.
The third track, Turtles, may be an analysis that was brought about from the “Save the Turtles” pop culture movement of 2019 though Welles has yet to confirm or deny this inspiration. Turtles are one of the many species that humans have harmed and put at risk, which is apparent as Welles sings “You ain't gotta be a turtle park ranger to tell that the turtle might be in danger. We're gonna need to make some changes around here”. Even more so, the song points out how invasive we as humans are to animals, dictating their livelihoods and habitats when we shouldn’t quite have a say; “They don't need you and they don't need me telling them where they got to be.”
Squirrels follows up Turtles, and it is a much more baseline song that reeks of minimalism. Its lyrics don’t pose any specific commentary that’s heated and it really does seem to be a song about…squirrels! Now, I’m sure that’s not totally the case given Welles’ track record as a songwriter but this piece is definitely one that’s more difficult to dissect for meaning and depth due to that straightforward nature. Only one thing for certain can be pulled from Squirrels and it’s that “It’s a big squirrel world, we’re just livin’ in it”.
The second single released before the ultimate EP, Autumn, discusses the bitterness of time and its passage with seasonal elements that give it a much warmer feeling to combat the dark reality. “Never have I ever wanted to measure the time like I want to do now. As the goldenrod fades and short are the days, I wish I could pause 'em somehow” He says in the second verse, following up with “But I haven't forgotten, it wouldn't be autumn if we weren't between seasons of life”. The entire piece is a great overview on evanescence that ties into the imagery of fall, a season that’s historically symbolic for change.
Whales brings All Creatures Great and Small to its demise and what a hell of a demise it is. The song’s main focus is zeroed in on whales, obviously, and their wisdom that comes from age and their boundless exploration of the raging seas (“The whales know things you haven’t seen.They’ve felt the weight of centuries. The whales go places you don’t know. They ponder depths beyond below”). Again, the song analyzes the harm we have done to specific species but in comparison to Turtles, Whales takes it a step further by really highlight the whole idea of “what if” in its third verse; “If the rivers turn to mud and blood and cease to be, and naught to run and the ocean loses all its air and turns to plastic everywhere, to where will all the wisdom go? The whale carries within her soul. Will man continue on to rage, neglect the oceanic saints? The whales, what will become of all the whales?”. Welles makes sure to humanize them, too, “Constellations guide them on, souls aligned with moon and stars. Whales feel joy, whales have pain” to further develop empathy within listeners.
In a nutshell, All Creatures Great and Small is one gigantic narrative on our planet, its inhabitants, and how we have treated them over the years. Welles’ songwriting ability is absolutely next level and that’s especially showcased in this new EP alongside his twangy instrumental styles that ring similar to Stephen Stills, John Foggerty, John Denver, and of course, the timeless Bob Dylan. After the release of All Creatures Great and Small, fans can expect to find Jesse Welles on the road in 2025 while he tours cities such as Durham, Philadelphia, Chicago, Nashville, and more. As of publishing, all dates are sold out but waitlists are available for each show on top of resale tickets. Welles has also released a new song not included on the EP titled United Health, sparked by the recent assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.