Jake Sheppard previews his new LP with feel good single, “Couple Old Friends”
Let us say right off the bat that this song was our introduction to Jake Sheppard’s music and instantly, he’s made a fan for life out of us. “Couple Old Friends” exists beautifully inside that fragile space of everything standing out in just the best ways possible. The songwriting, his vocals, the instrumentals, production, and beyond, he’s checked all our boxes for what makes something truly great.
The single arrives ahead of Sheppard’s upcoming second full-length album Golly, due June 21, 2026, and if this track is any indication, the record will end up becoming one of the more emotionally resonant folk-adjacent releases of the year. Recorded in his home studio in Glassell Park, “Couple Old Friends” carries that handmade intimacy throughout its just over 3 minute runtime. Nothing about it feels overworked. It breathes naturally, imperfections and all, which ultimately becomes part of the charm. From a recording standpoint, it feels like you’re in the room with him watching it all go down.
He’s described his sound as country-rock and freak folk, calling to mind artists like Devendra Banhart, Will Oldham, and David Berman, but once does he ever sound derivative of them. Like those artists, Sheppard understands how humor and heartbreak often coexist in the same sentence. His writing leans candid and self-deprecating, but there’s a real emotional intelligence underneath every line that keeps the song from drifting into irony or novelty.
It should probably go without saying after your first listen, but his vocals are a major highlight throughout the track. Warm, worn-in, and deeply unpretentious, Sheppard sings like someone sitting across from you at the kitchen table rather than performing for an invisible audience. There’s no exaggerated indie folk fragility or theatrical roughness. Just an honest voice carrying honest thoughts. It’s magnetic in an almost unexplainable way!
Then there’s the electric guitar work, which quietly steals scene after scene without ever becoming flashy. The tone is gorgeous! It’s clear, slightly weathered, and perfectly balanced inside the mix. Every note seems to ring where you need it to, adding texture and atmosphere without overwhelming the song’s intimacy or turning into an unnecessary show.
The melodies are natural and lilting, the pacing’s relaxed, and before you know it, the song is unfortunately over. Nowadays where so much folk and Americana music feels carefully curated for aesthetics first and emotion second, Jake Sheppard delivers something refreshingly unguarded. June 21st when “Golly” releases simply can’t come soon enough, but while we patiently wait, you’ve got to check this out. Click those links below to do so and of course to follow along for more!
Listen to "Couple Old Friends"
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