Jordan Caiola Discusses What Matters The Most On Latest Single "Only Real When Shared"
Photo by Kirby Sybert
As we move through Jordan Caiola’s slow-burning single drops for his full-length record Only Real When Shared, this week we hit the pinnacle release, the title track. While the other two songs have so far held more literal meanings, this track sits at a conceptual level. Happiness, to Caiola, feels the most real when shared. Inspired by Into the Wild’s Chris McCandless, the meaning behind the message is this: that most basic act of human nature is one of the most definitive ways to feel alive.
Now that we’re a couple drops in, have you noticed anything interesting about releasing music like this as opposed to dropping everything at once or over a shorter period of time? Would you have still done this had we not been quarantined?
Jordan: I still think it was a good idea to release things little by little considering it was the first material released within the scope of this project. Sort of gives people time to see if they’re gonna dig the album/direction… especially with 5 different singles rolling out before the full album. I chose the singles in hopes there would be a little something for everyone and I hope people are patient enough to hear them all out. I don’t think I would’ve done anything differently if quarantine was not a factor… Only if I was releasing fewer singles would I space them out a bit more. That being said, I haven’t seen a huge difference in the reception or anyone’s take on the timeline of the releases. I think people dig having stuff constantly come out though… Something to look forward to.
Bre: It’s definitely been something to look forward to. I’ve been appreciative of the fact that I had Mo Lowda’s album at the beginning of quarantine, and now there’s a new project to get excited about.
What's it been like finishing up the album while releasing the tracks that are done? Does it make the process easier or has this given you a chance to question things conceptually?
Jordan: That’s a great question… With the 5 singles being released over a 10-week span it gave us a really nice big window to not rush any of the other mixes. I am pretty obsessive when it comes to mixes and my whole philosophy is that you have GOT to fix that one little thing that bothers you… because once it is out there it is permanent and trust me that little thing will bother you every time. I’ve learned that over the years and no I don’t feel bad about going back and forth 6 or 7 times to get it right. Shane (Woods) totally understands that too so we have a nice, patient workflow. As far as questioning things.... That is definitely a factor. If any artist stares at their painting long enough they're gonna want to add something… they're going to want to darken that one line. One of the biggest challenges is knowing when it’s finished. So in that regard it has taken some self-control… and self-reassuring (not losing sight of why those songs created a moment for me in the first place and having the confidence that they still will… I’ve just heard them so many f*cking times by now.)
Emily: That’s something I wanted to ask specifically because of how you’re releasing these. How did you definitively know when the first few singles were ready to go? And with all of the individual reception, were there any moments that you wished you could go back and change anything because you’re just looking at one song at a time right now?
Jordan: I think I kind of know if a song is a single when I start writing it honestly… with a few exceptions. So once we tracked those they became the priority. Everything was all tracked as a whole… It was just a matter of which mixes to tackle first. However, the fifth single was the last song we tracked. We did it all in one day pretty much and bumped two other songs off the album because of it. I now think it’s the strongest song on the album and I wrote it and recorded it all in one week during the whole process in May. I like how things like that happen… I don’t know if it is the same record without that song when I look back.
I’ve never been really “okay fine let’s put them out” about anything BUT like I said there comes a time where you need to come to terms with it being finished. It’s easy to get into overthinking or option paralysis (Jeff Lucci talks about this a lot). That again all comes back to the self control element. And CONFIDENCE in your stuff. I’m a huge My Morning Jacket fan and I remember watching a bunch of Jim James interviews on YouTube before Mo Lowda ever really put anything out and there was one in which he was asked “do you have any advice for aspiring musicians”... so of course my little ears perked up. He said “I know it sounds so corny but it’s true: Just believe in the stuff you’re creating because if you don’t… no one else will.” I’ve run with that my whole career. But you can’t lie to yourself… The songs I write that I don’t believe in sit on my laptop or in my voice memos… and that’s okay.
We did some background research on the Christopher McCandless quote, “Happiness only real when shared”, and fell into a really deep rabbit hole on his life. Why does this resonate so deeply with you?
Jordan: I was just always inspired by the way ‘Into the Wild’ told his story in particular. I think that quote at its core is something to live by. Not every song relates… but many of the songs are about relationships… which I believe can be boiled down to trying to find someone who makes you happy, and THEN just constantly figuring the best way to share that happiness. It’s not easy. I chose the album art based on the quote as well. There are two gulls within reach and sight of each other but they both have their backs turned to each other… saw it as a symbol of people who are right there… but don’t quite give enough or put in enough effort to get the most out of their relationship… whether it be romantic, family, or a friendship.
Obviously this anecdote by Chris stood out to you, why is that? Could this be a concept album that surrounds the quote? Can you find the meaning in every song?
Jordan: Chris stood out to me though, because he was running from society… from money… from norms to find some peace. However, I think once he finally was out there and the truth crept in that he was about to die alone… he MUST have had some regrets and he must have yearned for the comfort of another human in those last days. I think isolation and alone time can be extremely healthy in doses… I think he bit off more than he could chew, though.
Emily: I just think you got crazy lucky with the timing because that’s so extremely relevant right now and people are going to relate to this hard.
Bre: I just read a whole article about how Christopher died and it was just so sad. He had left a note on the door begging for someone to come help him and I can only imagine what literally sitting there with your own thoughts felt like, and not being able to do anything about it.
Is happiness the only thing that's real when shared, or do you find that statement to be interchangeable?
Jordan: Ooh that’s a great question… and a tough one I think. I’m not so sure I have the answer. I just know that my entire life I’ve always wanted to just share the things I love with people. I will watch a movie that I just saw last night with a friend the next day because I loved it and I want to experience it with them. I’ve always been that way. Why do people celebrate happy occasions with the folks they love? They want to share that happiness. We are drawn to each other naturally… I’m convinced that Chris wouldn’t have made it much longer out there anyway even if he had stayed healthy. I think we are more social, nurturing, and loving than we give ourselves credit for.
Caiola will drop two more singles on 9/4 and 9/18 before the full release on 10/2. You can stream “Only Real When Shared” below or anywhere you find music.