Recorded at Wellington's The Surgery, by the local music community's loved Lee Prebble, Brunch is a collection of well-crafted, resonant pop songs – some of which could easily weave their way deep into the musical tapestry of Aotearoa.
Parsons might like to play down his softer side, but ballads like Breathe are no joke. Even Playstation and Porn wriggles with wry perception, although this writer has a visceral "close window and vom" response to the accompanying video.
The dance between playful and pensive is a chemistry that Parsons balances with calm confidence on Brunch. Wordplay is present throughout, but not overcooked, and every song has its hook.
Parsons' band shifts around a bit, but regular members include Christchurch cogs Emily Browning (guitar), Moses Robbins (bass), Matt Andrews (guitar), and Jack Page (keys), who Parsons describes as, "All great songwriters themselves, which I really love having them in the band for. Because they play for the song – I think a lot of musicians get very carried away with being individual musicians, but when you've got songwriters onboard I feel like they're sensible and considerate as to what they can do to serve the song.
"We have this discussion every now and then actually, about trying to remember that you're there as a musician to serve the crowd. They're not there to serve you as a musician. That's true for songwriting too – it's not about how it makes you feel, you've got to try and make your listener feel something."
And that's the art of it – crafting something that's personal to you, that also connects with your audience.
"You can't make your audience believe a song if you don't believe it yourself, or feel it yourself," Parsons agrees.
Parsons started "playing music properly" towards the end of high school. Ever encouraged, along with his two older brothers, to scratch his creative itch by his parents, he decided at that point that making music was what he wanted to "give a nudge for the rest of time".
It's a path that's in part been paved by the work of his cousin, Mel Parsons. An acclaimed songwriter and performer, as acknowledged by her being awarded the 2020 Best Folk Artist Tui, Jed recognises the role Mel has played in his career.
"I'm very proud to be Mel Parsons' cousin. I've always looked up to her, from a very young age and she looked after me heaps coming into the industry as a young teenager. She had me guesting on the stage when I, in retrospect, couldn't play at all. But she'd still get me up and let me ruin one of her songs every now and then.
"I play drums in her band now, and it's just so cool to be part of her musical journey as well. She's a boss, is what she is."
With his own 21-date tour just wrapped, Parsons is ready to start thinking about the next thing. Which happens to be Mel's Carry On tour this September, followed by working her popular Woolshed Tour – for which Jed runs the bar, emcees, does sound and generally ensures it all comes about.
Other than that, he cryptically remarks that a certain Jeff Parsnips may be releasing some music for kids in the near future. So, keep an ear to the ground – you never know what might be growing down there.
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