Hello reader,
Welcome back.
Today, we’re going to delve into JJ Myers. An artist I recently became familiar with, and soon you will be as well. From his Bandcamp bio: “From departing with the church as a fraudulent altar boy to hitch-hiking across Canada, JJ Myers has moved through the journey of life with turbulence, wanderlust, and questions of the bigger picture. With his alternative folk debut LP I Don’t Wanna Die, he derives notes from this journey with delicate honesty, raw story-telling and an inherent drive to make use of existing.” Righteous. I think we’re all here for that and down to listen, right?
The bio on his site continues, “Growing up with a musical father, the early years of JJ Myers were spent in cover bands with ‘pops’, finding kinship in artists like Tom Petty, The Traveling Wilburys, and Willie Nelson. Those early years would later create a presence in the Canadian musical landscape in the 90’s and 00’s, as Myers moved in and out of countless bands and closer to the sounds that helped shape his signature sonic universe. As the one constant that kept him alive through years of substance struggles, divorce, bankruptcy, and a short prison term, music became the identifying marker in Myers’ perception of legacy; to share is to create longevity. After years of gathering inspiration, honing in on particular ideas, I Don’t Wanna Die eventually formed as a record that crosses the multiple worlds that Myers has inhabited and shrinks them into sensory voids to get lost in. With influences from Neil Young and The Band to Beck and Blur, this alternative musician stitches together rock guitars, slide solos, gospel-tinged backing vocals, and bedroom-pocket drumming in a conceptual and dramatic sonic journey with pop sensibilities.
As a long-standing figure in the Canadian underground scene, Myers now aims to reflect on hardship from an individual place through a deep commitment to the craft of authentic story-telling and natural composition.”
Exploring the album in more depth via the album’s press release, “When searching for a title for his full-length debut solo album, Myers settled on I Don’t Want To Die—and he means it. Driven by the same restless spirit he’s always had, Myers channeled love, loss and mortality into the album’s 10 tracks, conveyed through irresistible melodies and honest storytelling. After rediscovering purpose through fatherhood, Myers dedicated himself to writing, ending up with 40 tracks that producer Jackson J. Gardner helped refine into the final product’s vivid reflections on resilience and rebirth. I Don’t Want To Die marks the arrival of a mature, distinctive voice in alternative folk—one that refuses to fade quietly into the night.
I Don’t Want To Die was preceded by Myers’ participation in Silva Dawn, a psychedelic rock project rooted in themes of spirituality and self-identity. On its lone 2024 album The Great Unknown, the six-piece group developed a sound notable for exploring shifting states of consciousness and emotion through rhythm, texture, and sound. Much of those elements are still evident on I Don’t Want To Die, although Myers is now much more grounded.
That approach is on full display throughout I Don’t Want To Die, particularly with the standout tracks “Flowers Upon My Bed,” “San Francisco Bay” and the single “Heading For A Storm”—the last featuring Polaris Prize winner Owen Pallett on strings—which blend British post-punk sonic flair with alt-country sensibilities. It’s a heady combination to be sure, but one that defies any preconceived notions of a typical artist working in either genre.
Overall, Myers now views I Don’t Want To Die as an experiment in using his music to overcome personal fears he’s never been able to shake. ‘Every track draws from personal experiences and the LP exists as a testament to the uprising that is so inherent to being human,’ Myers says. ‘Light is not light without something dark, and it took a lot of time to be able to write music from that perspective. As any singer-songwriter will tell you, the work is an invitation into an artist’s mind, and as someone with not only a chronically crowded mind but a chaotic past, I invite people into a world of emotional turbulence that stretches itself into hope, resilience and redemption. There is so much in this world to feel; sometimes it takes years to even fully feel anything. But I hope my songs help someone feel just a little bit deeper. Hopefully, that will help spread less fear of mortality and more hope for emotional relief.'”
Giving credit where it’s due. The album credits for I Don’t Want To Die which was released to the world on November 5th:
- JJ Myers – Vocals/Acoustic Guitar/Keys
- Chris Juraschka – Guitar
- Stephen Fischer – Guitar
- Jackson J Gardner – Bass
- Leah Barley – Vocals
- Chris Bede – Drums
- Produced by Jackson J Gardner
And now for some hype for both your ears and eyes via JJ Myers’ YouTube channel.
The vintage, old-school closely shot vibes within the video for the song, “Heading For A Storm”:
(All credits and rights to JJ Myers)
If the last video had an 80s look to it, this one is more 90s. Check out the video for the song, “Don’t You Want My Love”:
(All credits and rights to JJ Myers)
The description ponders, “Dear God, I’ll Be leaving—but does walking away mean I’ve stopped searching?” Well, watch the video and consider:
(All credits and rights to JJ Myers)
Overall, the album I Don’t Want To Die is a good example of storytelling that makes the title true. This is not Nirvana’s “Come as You Are” (Cobain did indeed have a gun). There’s a ton of mature emotion, confidence, and resiliency from Myers, all in good ways. Through songcraft, incredible vocals, and occasional harmonies from Myers and Leah Barley. Listening to this album, you see how deeply Myers cares and feels, and the result is vulnerable and perhaps relatable messages and themes as he puts the pen to paper well, sharing his thoughts and feelings. A gift and/or skill not all songwriters achieve on each album. Kudos, JJ. There may be heartbreak, weariness, and distress, but it’s not the end of his journey or story. The response to temporary defeat is not a call to arms, or an over-the-top patriotic triumph of any sort or a (staged or not) raised fist, but rather appropriate determination. A reminder for the listeners that they’re not in this alone, even if that wasn’t spelled out or even Myers’ stated intent.
I really liked all of the flair and all of the drama that could’ve been a solo in the musical within the opening song, “The Marquee.” It was a great opening song and introduction to some of what was in store on the album. The melody and vibes shift focus on the next song, “Long Way Down,” from outside a performing arts theater and into a southwestern, alt-country setting. That sound remains closer to what you’ll hear in the second song for the remainder of the album, with some variance in tempo, emotion, and feeling. The melodies are gorgeous, with a lot of guitar, bass, keys, and some drums that match Myers lyrics and vocal delivery perfectly. Kudos to all involved. Take a listen for yourself and get lost in the sauce of its construction and sounds.
All that being said, I Don’t Want To Die gets 4 out of 5 Scum Drops from me. It’s a very good album that is a good listening experience for its listeners. It’ll provide a lot to like. Maybe not earworms and an adventurous playlist, but definitely catharsis and hits you in the feels. I think all things considered, this fits well into the 4 Scum Drop range relative to all new releases in 2026. And to be more specific, that would be between the 72nd and 83rd percentile. If you’re new to our reviews, read more about the easy-to-understand system right here. This is the debut solo album for Myers, so this is the first entry into his discography. Can’t compare just yet. We’ll do that with the next album. I would recommend adding this album to your collection on the format of your choice.
I’ll always advocate taking the time to listen to every album in its entirety. Listening to I Don’t Want To Die takes a mere 38 minutes of your time from start to finish, just over an hour if you listen twice back-to-back. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs free from the influence or bias of others. After several listens, I found the songs emboldened below to be my favorites on this album.
The tracklist for I Don’t Want To Die [song length]
- The Marquee [3:16]
- Long Way Down [3:50]
- Heading For A Storm [3:22]
- Flowers Upon My Bed [4:07]
- Don’t You Want My Love [3:42]
- Dear God, I’ll Be Leaving [3:44]
- Jump Into The Fire [4:05]
- Oblivion (So Far) [3:39]
- San Francisco Bay [3:53]
- Something Changed [4:29]
Total runtime: 38:07
Visit Myers’ site, his Linktree, Bandcamp, YouTube, and his Instagram and Facebook pages.
Thank you for reading this and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Like reading reviews? Hell yeah. Check out more 4 Scum Drop and up albums and EPs here.
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for our Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews series. And for checking out all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
