REVIEW: Jake Cassman – ‘Idling High’

Jake Cassman’s ‘Idling High’ is a creative supernova that feels like the moment an artist who has lived a thousand lives finally steps into the spotlight with both hands raised and heart completely exposed.

This album thrums with urgency, as Cassman pours every ounce of self-doubt, bitter humour, and hard-earned wisdom into a record that sounds unfiltered, fearless, and alive in a way only a true late-bloomer can achieve. It is the sound of a songwriter who has clawed through depression, burnout, reinvention, and wildfire skies to deliver a collection that hit with poetic force and rock-and-roll adrenaline.

The zenith of that energy is ‘October Burning’, a scorching anthem that feels ripped from California’s cracked earth. Cassman threads climate unease with aching loneliness, turning smoke and solitude into something melodic, cinematic, and devastatingly human. His ability to swing between intimacy and grandeur is on full display, delivering the kind of track destined to become a cult favourite.

And the rest of ‘Idling High’ only fans the flames.

‘I Think I’m Happy’ erupts with glam-rock brightness, swaggering piano lines, and self-reflection delivered with a smirk. ‘Anna, I’m Not Interesting’ proves he can fuse modern textures with storytelling that feels distinctly timeless. While ‘Can You Be OK?’ wraps its message in harmony-rich hooks that stick to the ribs for days.

Cassman’s journey from duelling pianos to cross-country tours all crystallises into a record crackling with personality. He has never sounded more self-assured, more inventive, or more emotionally dialed-in.

‘Idling High’ captures an artist fully embracing who he is, with songs that punch, shimmer, comfort, and confront. It’s vibrant, witty, and bursting with heart, the kind of debut that could soundtrack a road trip or a moment of solitude in equal measure.