Jack Manley Releases The Live Recorded Alt-Rock Anthem "Grow Up"
FFO: Nirvana, DIIV, and Radiohead
Upcoming shows: NYC: Berlin 11/20 with King in Yellow and Turbo Goth Hudson: Park Theater 11/22 with King in Yellow
The lyric video for "Grow Up" will be released to YouTube on Oct. 18
KINGSTON, NY | OCTOBER 18, 2024: Indie alt rock artist Jack Manley announces the release his powerful new single “Grow Up”. The raw and evocative track, recorded in one tense live take at Utopia Studios in Woodstock, NY, serves as a deeply personal reflection on Jack’s journey through addiction, young adulthood, and loss.
Jack’s father came from Ireland to New York City with dreams of opportunity and success that proved difficult to achieve, though were still inspiring to his youngest son. Reflecting on his father’s life, Jack recalls the contrast between his father’s childhood in poverty-stricken rural Ireland and his own upbringing in American poverty. Watching his father struggle navigating modern life made Jack hyper aware of how cold and unforgiving the world could be. “In his life he worked. So did I, but at a certain point something in me broke and I ran. I ran. As far away as I could. From myself, from any past promise of greatness, and eventually from everyone I knew.” The tragic loss of his father helped shatter any remaining illusion or justification once used to “perpetuate a lie that I needed these things to survive my own pain and lack of a grounded sense of self.”
“Grow Up” explores Jack’s need to take control of his life, a message directed at himself as he navigates the difficult road toward emerging adulthood and sobriety. Initially dismissed as a rambling note, the words resurfaced after Jack’s father passed away from Covid in 2022 at the age of 86. The lyrical themes unexpectedly echoed his feelings of grief, making “Grow Up” both a tribute to his late father and a meditation on his own personal need for recovery.
Musically, the track takes inspiration from the 90s alt-rock radio hits that shaped Jack’s formative years, sounding something like elements of Nirvana’s “Something in the Way” mixed with Radiohead’s “Karma Police.” Though Jack wasn’t an avid listener of either band during that time, the influence of such iconic albums as well as Weezer’s “The Blue Album” and The Pixies shine through and serve as a purposeful nod to his earliest conception of what a song could and should be. “I miss high quality pop art delivered via guitar music with seemingly simplistic takes.” The track achieves just that, and is a nostalgic yet fresh take on the genre, capturing the raw essence of 90s alternative rock with words so simple and pure they read just as true as when first written.
An official music video for “Grow Up” will also drop on October 18th to accompany the release. Shot on a 90s handheld camera in one continuous take, the video opens with poignant footage of a framed photo of Jack’s father as well as the bathroom where Jack overdosed, setting a stark and intimate tone that mirrors the song’s emotional depth.
Jack Manley has been committed to his sobriety since the spring of 2023, when he survived two near-death overdoses. His first single, “Smack Water,” written while recovering in the hospital, has since gained over 30k streams on Spotify, with over 85K streams on the accompanying music video on YouTube.
If you or a loved one need help, find out about treatment near you. Please visit https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov or call SAMHSA’s 24/7 National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or 1-800-487-4889 (TDD).
BIO: Indie rock artist Jack Manley is the embodiment of resilience and musical rebirth, surviving a near-fatal drug addiction with an inspiring recovery story. On his debut solo EP Unmeasurable Terms Manley bares his soul in a gut-wrenching reflection on unhealthy attachments and the struggle to heal…Brave creative choices amplify the song’s emotional intensity.” –EarMilk In describing the project, Josh Eppard, of Coheed and Cambria shares, “Jack Manley has carved out a piece of his soul and put it on display for us–a bridge into the darkness of addiction, the great dark that shrouds us all and the crippling self-doubt that is simply part of the human condition. A poets’ battle for his own soul–and he’s invited us along.”
“Smack Water” the first single release from the debut EP, hit the Spotify algorithm reaching 30k streams in the first few months by listeners discovering Jack’s music for the very first time, and the official music video of “Smack Water” nearing 100k views.
