Joel Ansett is Over-Tired in New EP ‘I Should Get Some Rest’

Joel Ansett’s new EP, I Should Get Some Rest, (released on July 16th) is a collection of songs about weariness. On the last song of his latest full-length album, Ansett sang the line “weary of the wars I can’t escape” and this EP turned out to be a deeper dive into what some of those wars are for Ansett.

Ansett recalls not intentionally writing around the theme, but soon came to the realization that every song on the EP has a tired consonance. Tired of loud noises. Tired of his own brokenness. Tired of hoping for things and being let down. Tired of being worried. “The final song in the collection resolves a lot of the angst by moving my attention away from myself and onto a still small voice that is much different from the ‘voices, lights and loud noises’ named in the first track.” It’s a voice that Ansett describes as sometimes hidden, but always there, inviting him to rest and find hope in something other than his own ability.

“It is an EP that begins to explore the paradox of stillness and rest and how, in some moments, doing absolutely nothing is actually highly productive,” says Ansett.

Hailed as a “songwriter to watch” from The Huffington Post, Ansett showcases his thoughtful songwriting and unique voice that continues to win fans. American Songwriter has described Ansett’s music as “display[ing] his ability to blend folk and R ’n B together with gentle aplomb” (American Songwriter). Ansett has found fans all over the country with more than 12 million streams online, a song placed in Marvel’s The Punisher, and a spot at #9 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart for his debut LP The Nature of Us (2015).

Ansett followed up his first album with the release of A Place I Knew Before (2019) which was described as “Striking a careful balance that only comes with great intention, A Place I Knew Before blends sonic experimentation with strong songwriting, but more deeply places grief and hope side by side” (Marquee Mag). His sound has also been hailed as “the sonic lovechild of John Legend and The Tallest Man On Earth” (The Huffington Post) and showcases Ansett’s individuality in an over-saturated industry of singer-songwriters.

Cover art for ‘I Should Get Some Rest’ by Joel Ansett