the folksy charm of "cruel vice"

By Karenna Umscheid

After releasing “bottom of the sea” on November 25, Emerson artist JOBIE has gifted us yet again with another magical single, “cruel vice,” which came out on December 16. 

“cruel vice,” with its folksy melody and charming vocals, is a gorgeous wintertime track infused with both love and loneliness. For many of us, December is a time of self-reflection. Through her lyrics, JOBIE ruminates on herself, her actions, behaviors and thoughts after a year of so much love and music. The chorus goes “Cruel vice / Think I would forget if I was wise,” a simple meditation on longing, hanging on to people and memories with frostbitten fingers. 

The vocal runs throughout the song incorporate so much magic into JOBIE’s consistently powerful lyricism. Her voice is especially gorgeous when she sings “Don’t need to think about it now” as she leads into the chorus. Their voice is exceptionally magical, adding depth to each line and pushing her organic vulnerability even further. 

JOBIE’s vocal skills are soft yet powerful at the same time, carrying her lyrics and melody through gardens of introspection, pulling one mere syllable into lovely musical oblivion. Every time she repeats “cruel vice” it is stunning, and as she sings the first lyric, “It’s pretty simple when you think of it / I’m making faces in the mirror like a kid,” she paints the scene with vivid clarity. 

The clapping in the background, accompanying the acoustic guitar strumming, invigorate the song with so much love. The narrative of the lyrics is sad, but the production encourages JOBIE to believe that she is not alone. 

Surrounded by gorgeous instrumentation her vocals dance under trees layered in snow and laced with yellow holiday lights. The acoustic guitar and light percussion is like the reinvigorating warmth of running your hands under hot water after they have been frozen from the cold. “cruel vice” is wintertime warmth, the heat that seeps longingly into the cold, the silver shimmers hovering over blankets of snow. 

JOBIE’s music is consistently stunning, her vocals always glow with magic, supported by the fun folksy production. But most impressive is how honest her lyrics are. Every single she releases is more vulnerable and gorgeous than the last, a demonstration of pure artistry. With the makings of a passionate, genuine artist, JOBIE’s talent is truly here to stay. 

JOBIE’s album releases January 6th, which at the WECB live show on December 12, she said will be “my own personal insurrection.” “cruel vice” is available on Spotify.