Jack Manley Wrestles With Addiction's Consequences On Track 'Tightrope Life'

Hudson Valley-based singer-songwriter Jack Manley shares the gentle, earnest track "Tightrope Life" out everywhere now. Manley's revealing, introspective debut solo EP Unmeasurable Terms is due out May 10 and available for pre-order now.

On "Tightrope Life," Manley reckons with his own mistakes that jeopardize his relationship and vows to change as he aims to preserve it. On March 14, Manley will perform at The Avalon Lounge in Catskill, NY, with support from Setting Sun and Xadir Yucel. Tickets are on sale now here.

Out today, "Tightrope Life," looks at the pain that addiction can inflict on users and their loved ones as Manley attempts to salvage his cherished relationships after repeated lapses. Fragile and sleep deprived, the track illustrates the moments Manley realizes he must make a change. Over sparse production and glittering electric guitar riffs, Manley yearns for connection and stability to ground him, singing, “This time I can't stop spinning/Round and round and round/The tightrope life I'm living/Always looking for the ground/I've been longing, waiting, hoping for your love.” 

Manley says the achingly honest track is about, "finally admitting I'm in too deep and can't stop." With his shortcomings on full display, Manley admits, "it's a recognition of the toll it has taken on my partner and how it hurts to see me hurt her–which is incredibly selfish–but hey, progress not perfection." The single art features text that describe Naloxone–the drug that ultimately saved Manley's life.

The pounding drums came together after Manley edited and spliced several takes by drummer Josh Eppard (Coheed and Cambria) and includes sounds using the Electro Harmonix Freeze pedal while guitarist Billy Pearson plays a magnetic, spacey lead that uses a vintage Ibanez Dual Chorus pedal adding an atmospheric, dazed quality that mirrors the dizzying real-life experience.

Written entirely by Jack Manley, the EP chronicles his journey towards sobriety using confessional songwriting that poured out of him in the throes of a tortuous time. After a lifelong struggle with addiction, an overdose in 2023 landed the musician in the hospital where he picked up a guitar and found healing within the music that emerged. Manley shares, "Writing music has always been how I process and release my emotions.

The songs that came out of me then were deeply personal as I reflected on my failures, regrets, sickness, and love." On the project as a whole, Manley says "Each track on 'Unmeasurable Terms' represents a different stage within the process of using or rehabilitation. For example, 'Save Your Own' is a love song with a nod to codependency, reminding myself and the listener to put on your own oxygen mask before trying to save anyone else." A self-taught musician, Manley approaches songwriting by feel, playing around until it sounds right and the words flow naturally out of him.

He works with his bandmates, especially guitar player Billy Pearson, to compose the accompanying parts until they land on melodic, moving music that examines all of humanity, never straying from even the most agonizing parts. The project marks Manley's first solo venture–one that confronts difficult truths and wrestles with addiction, failures, regrets and love, bringing some of the artist's darkest moments into light.

Last month, Manley shared the first taste of the project with "Smack Water," a track that lays bare his most troubling, life-altering experience of an overdose. With a steady build, the track unfolds with smoldering electric guitar riffs. Manley says of the track, "This is a surreal journey through the actual events of my overdose." 

Manley's goal sonically was to capture the life and death stakes that come with addiction and the intensity of all of its highs and lows. Manley says there is a "relaxed yet aggressive vibe—I wanted this song to have a lot of space and attitude with moments of distortion, swells and feedback, so that it raises the stakes as the tune progresses." Throughout the song, Manley wrestles with his mortality and comes face-to-face with the consequences of his almost deadly actions–including nods to old friends of his past and what recovery might mean.

Its accompanying animated video directed by Andrew Colin Beck and produced by The Wild Honey Pie is a stop-motion abstract visualization of the harrowing experience. The visual uses anatomical imagery of humans, animals, chemical compounds and medical equipment that spill across each frame to illustrate the aching lyrics. Beck says he channeled his own darkness and pain with Manley's ideas and guidance to create a fitting visual and using a collage felt most appropriate. Beck says, "A collage can help describe the jumbled and inconsistent nature of the things bouncing around in our heads." 

Originally from Kingston, NY, Jack Manley has been writing and performing music for over a decade. When attending Fordham University, he formed a band called Cosmonaut, a local favorite of prominent NYC blog Pancakes and Whiskey, and after graduating, toured with the group as well as with New York indie outfit Spires who caught the attention of NPR.

Caring for his sick father and dealing with substance abuse issues in 2019 brought Manley back home to Kingston where he began a new band, The Jennifer Shop, praised by Hudson Valley One as "stellar and melodic indie rock," who recalled the group's live performance, stating, "The songs just swirled with life and enthusiasm, reminding listeners of heartfelt moments or the excitement of tackling new frontiers," but it fell apart when COVID hit. With live music at a halt, Manley fell into a deep depression, leading to a near-fatal overdose and a month-long stint at a hospital. Here, Manley found a broken guitar with four strings that ultimately reignited his love of music, bringing him to write about his life amid deep hardship and begin to heal.

The current iteration of the band took shape in Spring 2023 when Manley shared his new work with classical guitar player Billy Pearson, and they began playing open mic nights at Woodstock's Colony Cafe. Bassist Addy Idol approached the pair to join live, forming a solid trio, lacking a drummer. The group recruited drummer Josh Eppard to record drums on the EP, and friend of the band Noah Sonenstein joined to play drums live. Today, the group consistently plays shows around the Hudson Valley and is primed to formally introduce themselves with the forthcoming collection.

On "Tightrope Life," out everywhere now, Jack Manley grapples with his flaws and attempts to keep his relationship from crumbling. Equipped with radical self-acceptance and unflinching honesty, Manley's ardent forthcoming EP Unmeasurable Terms due out May 10 and available for pre-order now, sees the singer-songwriter turn hopelessness into harmony. Celebrate the new music with Jack Manley live at The Avalon Lounge in Catskill, NY on March 14 with tickets on sale now here. Connect with Jack Manley on Instagram and YouTube and stay tuned for much more to come from the indie singer-songwriter.

Photo credit: Chelsea Kyle

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