Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

Jack Tierney – Buy the Ticket (2021)

When we decide to follow a path in our lives, we can often feel overwhelmed by the world we now find ourselves in. This is something Jack Tierney picks up on with his single ‘Buy the Ticket’ which tells the cinematic story of a singer unsure about their chosen life path. Using a writer’s philosophy, he turns a cinematic snippet into a poetic journey that most of us can relate to.

A solo artist, he plays all the instruments on the track himself and produced this single in his apartment. While his current music has been solo, he has performed as part of bands in the past, including one which was booed out of the University of Louisville for playing too loud. Packing honesty into the pop-folk tones of his sound, he effortlessly pulls you into an intimate soundscape.



‘Buy the Ticket’ strums a light tone into your ears that has you bopping around to it. The lightness of the music brings an upbeat vibe to the track which is a little at odds with the overwhelmed lyrics. The folk tones of the music warble as the cymbal soaked drums glitter through the melody. It is a really engaging melody that you can easily get lost in as it brings a cinematic touch to the song. There is a sunny vibe to the music that makes you think of endless sunny days that are not too hot. This melodic movement bolsters the vocals, that tell a very different tale from what the music makes you think.

Tierney’s vocals continue the folk tones of the melody with a delightfully grounded delivery. He pulls you into the world of the single through the friendly delivery of his vocals. The lyrics touch on feeling uncertain about what you want to do in life, before dancing into being somewhat overwhelmed by the changes in the world. There is a really relatable vibe to the track as we have all felt a little overwhelmed by life at some point. While the vocals are rather sombre, the lightness of the melody seems to lift some of the burdens they place on you. This helps the single form a poetic journey through life.

Jack Tierney has you bopping to his folk sound, while looking at feelings of uncertainty and being overwhelmed in ‘Buy the Ticket’. The melody has a gentle cinematic edge that highlights the lightness of the movement. This lightness is a little at odds with the emotions of the vocals, but the interplay is rather addictive in its relatability.

Find out more about Jack Tierney on his Instagram and Spotify.