jake minch's "how many" (colorized)

By Ellie Abbey

Singer-songwriter jake minch (stylistically lowercase) released his debut EP, how many, on Oct. 20, 2023. Every song included in this project is filled to the brim with imagery and strong visual language. These six photos are meant to reflect those lyrics, or at least the general feeling of the song.

“moms new car”

In the first song, “moms new car,” Minch tells a story about his mother and sister having an argument in the car and his mom’s relationship with smoking, and how he’s tried to get her to quit. She continues despite what he asks,“I used to fight my mom for smoking cigarettes / and in the car she killed a pack of ‘em”. The hand out the window holding the cigarette is meant to be an average sight, like something you would see at a stoplight. This song is very matter-of-fact, mostly stating things that have happened, which is displayed even in the opening line and title of the song, “I’m sittin’ in the back of my mom’s new car / while she’s fightin’ with my sister ‘bout a school she wants,” but it’s really captured in the hook’s line “This is how it is, I’m sorry.” It’s something unfortunate, but seemingly unavoidable, like, for example, a nicotine addiction.

“handgun”

Beyond the actual prop gun, trying to capture “handgun” was really about trying to gather the essence of a sense of defeat and frustration in one image. The end of the first verse talks about being in the laundry room, and it felt like that scene captured the energy rather well. It’s something we all have to do but that can be exhausting and repetitive. Sitting on the washing machine is also to reflect that childish feeling of “the worst part of growing up is learning how young you are.”

“id pick up flowers”

One of the more positive songs on the EP, “id pick up flowers,” discusses this ideal world with someone he loves, and about how he would pick up flowers for them. The color of the flowers against the more drab cityscape is intended to show the difference between what is and what could have been. The hand reaching out but not quite grabbing the bouquet is also meant to add to that feeling of longing, which otherwise shines through the lyrics. Many lines include yearning language like “would,” like in the lines “You would never need to” and “I’d surprise you in your living room,” both of which highlight how he wishes things could be.

“bike ride”

“bike ride” is arguably the most personal song on how many. He name drops specific people and activities, such as Trent, Christian, and Bella, and how they rode bikes and played manhunt. He then admits his love for those times. “I’ll leave the state, but first I’ll see you everywhere” is what inspired this photo. The people are blurry and not quite there, representing them as figures in his memories, despite the passage of time and how things have inevitably changed. But, the bike is still there, like in his dream.

“whose you are”

As one of the less visual songs, this photo is more up to interpretation than the others. In “whose you are,” Minch reflects on his relationship with someone and their compatibility despite their differences. “You close your hands around a steering wheel” led to the use of a prop steering wheel, and in line with most of the EP, the Nintendo Wii steering wheel was intended to give a nostalgic, childish feel. “Who you are and whose you are,” and “You touch my arm, and I believe that there’s a God” are the lyrics that inspired the second set of hands and the specific relationship between two people, steering their lives in potentially different directions. There’s some points of contention in this song over who is in control and who’s being honest, but there’s also an undeniable underlying note of admiration as well.

“strip mall”

“strip mall” is the final song on how many, and it reflects on a relationship now that it’s ended. He sings about wishing that things were how they used to be, notably with the hook “And over, and over, and over, I pray that I see you again.” The truth is, that regardless of how this relationship may have been, and no matter how much it’s missed, it’s gone. “I loved being younger with you” is one of the strongest lyrics in the entire song, but at the end of the day, the person is still walking away, and that time is still over.