A Folk-Punk Anthem For Our Times

Stephen Jaymes, the enigmatic LA-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, returns with a powerful new single, "Last Predictable Summer."

Renowned for his unique blend of folk and punk, Jaymes delivers a song that is powerfully thought provoking given the current times we are now living in.

From the opening notes, "Last Predictable Summer" hooks you with an infectious beat, setting the stage for Jaymes' signature gritty voice to deliver a potent mix of urgency and irony. The essence of fleeting normalcy amidst growing chaos, perfectly encapsulated in the line, “After this, everything’s gonna burn.” This forewarning, wrapped in an upbeat melody, creates a striking contrast.

Jaymes tackles environmental destruction, societal complacency, as well as political unrest with the swagger of a defiant rebel.
A particularly impactful verse states: “The people seem to want a man / Who wants to kiss the people goodbye / One whose bible is upside down / One who doesn’t understand why.” This nod to the current political climate adds an ironic depth that is hard to match.

"Last Predictable Summer" draws parallels to classics like R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World as We Know It" and Prince's "1999," yet it carves out its own niche in the protest-driven folk tradition. The way Jaymes brings danceable beats to such thought provoking messages makes it a standout track.

Born north of Detroit, Stephen Jaymes grew up in a musically diverse household, with his father playing 1960's and 1970's folk and his older brother introducing him to new wave and punk acts like the Ramones and Elvis Costello. At eight, his school bus driver salvaged an acoustic guitar and taught him how to play the songs he was listening to.

He then went on to hone his songwriting skills while attending Harvard University, performing sharp-witted They Might Be Giants-esque songs about topics like relativity theory. However, he was also privately writing sincere songs influenced by Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan. After graduating, Jaymes moved to Prague and busked in the streets with other expat songwriters, teaching himself to fingerpick the early Leonard Cohen catalog in a rented room.

Eventually Jaymes moved to LA, where he performed regularly at cafes and picked up a loyal following before going on a self-imposed hiatus from public performance. Last summer, he solidified his reputation as a gifted singer songwriter blending the traditions of folk and punk by releasing a trio of breakout singles and captivating videos, carving out his niche as “a punk poet and a post-apocalyptic hippie” (Modern Mystery).

And as the world teeters on the brink of collapse, Jaymes invites us to dance our apocalyptic fears away while we still can. His distinctive voice, reminiscent of icons like Iggy Pop and Lou Reed, carries a raw intensity and melodic charm and a lyrical style evocative of Leonard Cohen and Phil Ochs, which is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant.

As the final hours of predictability tick away, Jaymes beckons us to join him in a dance of defiance and acceptance.

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