Premiere: Jackson Scribner Discovers Midnight Comfort in “Mr. Moon,” a Poignant Indie Folk Confessional - Atwood Magazine

      Texan singer-songwriter Jackson Scribner reveals his emotions in “Mr. Moon,” a midnight reflection that turns solitude into melody and loneliness into hope – the poignant third single from his upcoming second album, ‘Depression Kids.’

      Listen: “Mr. Moon” – Jackson Scribner

      Mr. Moon, how are you? I tried to sleep through…

      * * *

      The moon has always served as a reflection of our most isolated, darkest moments. Whether it’s in a crescent, gibbous, or full phase, it quietly resides above us, ever-present as we grapple with sleepless nights, weighty thoughts, and the haunting shadows of memory. It’s there during the stillness of night when the world feels vast; when silence morphs into both solace and a burden, pressing down with its own weight. In that delicate space between fatigue and dreams, where shadows meld with longing, Jackson Scribner’s “Mr. Moon” unfolds – a whispered confession to the star-filled sky, both poignant and personal, yet expansive enough to embrace our entire sense of solitude.

      As a midnight dream and late-night revelation rolled into one soulful indie folk track, “Mr. Moon” gives voice to the pain of lonely hours and the desire for light amidst darkness.

      Mr. Moon – Jackson Scribner

      I wish I could say

      I was happy to see

      You again, my oldest friend

      How convenient

      That you’d show up

      When I’m feeling low

      It’s just like you

      To make me feel so grey and blue

      Oh so grey and blue

      Atwood Magazine is excited to premiere “Mr. Moon,” the third single from Jackson Scribner's forthcoming album, Depression Kids (set for release on September 19 via State Fair Records). Scribner, a singer-songwriter from rural Melissa, Texas, first made his mark with his 2021 self-titled debut, a “precocious” collection that received acclaim from publications like American Songwriter, Folk Alley, and No Depression. While that album was recorded in just two weeks and highlighted his instinctual flair for melody, Depression Kids evolves from a more deliberate and personal process – one deeply influenced by individual struggles, collaboration with his brother Levi Scribner, and a wish to transform the isolating experience of depression into a means of connection.

      Jackson Scribner

      Sound-wise and lyrically, “Mr. Moon” resonates with longing throughout.

      The track begins with Scribner’s solitary vocals and guitar, enhanced by a gentle phaser effect that casts an otherworldly glow. For nearly a minute, the song lingers in this intimate quietude until pedal steel, bass, and drums join in, creating an atmosphere that is both tender and rich. Scribner’s gentle voice grows louder, filling the night as he opens up in a personal moment of reflection. A brilliant guitar solo midway through adds both drama and release, making the track memorable for its emotional resonance.

      For Scribner, this song is a conversation with loneliness itself, a means of articulating and confronting what often feels beyond words. “‘Mr. Moon’ is, in a way, talking to your isolation and loneliness as if it were a person,” he shares with Atwood Magazine. “It’s expressing the places you’d prefer to be, the way you wish to see yourself. It’s a self-reflection embedded in a song.”

      This self-reflection is vividly portrayed in the lyrics: “Mr. Moon, how are you? Tried my best to sleep through / My mind in the night kept me wide awake, it was my mistake.” What starts as a casual chat with the moon evolves into a profound meditation on sleeplessness, yearning, and the relentless presence of inner shadows.

      Mr. Moon, how are you?

      I tried my best to sleep through

      My mind in the night

      Kept me wide awake, it was my mistake

      Mr. Moon, how are you?

      Mr. Moon, how are you?

      Jackson Scribner © Brendan Blaney

      Depression Kids – Jackson Scribner

      Where his self-titled debut relied on solo intuition and minimalism, Scribner’s new work embraces collaboration and more complex arrangements.

      Alongside his brother Levi and a group of seasoned musicians (including Jeff Ryan of The War on Drugs and Kim Herriage of Songhoy Blues), Scribner broadens his sound while maintaining the intimate warmth that characterized his first album.

      Depression Kids is heavier, louder, and bolder than its predecessor, yet still grounded in the rich humanity of his voice – that rough, evocative tone that draws comparisons to Gregory Alan Isakov or Shakey Graves.

      What would I say

      If my words could reach?

      Would I curse the darkness,

      Or pray to God for daybreak?

      To hurry and find me

      With my eyes, wide as valleys

      Staring at the ceiling,

      Wishing I was dreaming

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