Jack Van Cleaf - “Terrestrial Man”

SXSW 2024 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 6

Pairs Well With…The Head & The Heart, Noah Kahan, Mt. Joy

Based in indie folk balladry, Jack Van Cleaf takes small acoustic moments and builds them to Americana rock peaks across his catalog. Releasing his debut full-length Fruit from the Trees in 2022, Van Cleaf has since shared a small collection of story songs in Music City Murder Ballad and a couple moving singles since. Aided by some foot-stomp percussion and alt-country instrumentation, Jack Van Cleaf sounds authentic while still find a pop lane. Equally pretty and haunting, there’s some heavy moods here that is balanced by light, breezy segments. Naturalism is a theme throughout Van Cleaf’s songwriting, songs that would fit a campfire singalong on a cool summer night. (Kevin McStravick)