Jacobs Run Step Into The Other Side
When Jacobs Run released their debut album at the end of 2019, the world was a very different place. Within months, the pandemic reshaped lives, plans and the music industry itself. Now, after navigating those shifting sands, Michael Jacobs and his bandmates Peter Curigliano (bass) and Fabian Bucci (drums), with more than a little help from the George Ellis Orchestra and legendary producer Mark Opitz, return with The Other Side – an album as expansive as it is deeply personal.
For Jacobs, the title wasn’t just a throwaway line. “It came from one of the songs and felt right for everything we’d been through,” he explains. “The other side of relationships, the other side of the pandemic, the other side of where we’d been as a band. It summed up where we were and where we’re heading.”
Unlike their debut, The Other Side arrived as a carefully curated body of work. Jacobs presented almost 20 songs to legendary producer Mark Opitz (AC/DC, INXS, Kiss), whittling them down to create a record that flows with intent. Old ideas were revisited, reshaped, and reborn alongside fresh material.
But it’s the orchestration that makes this record a watershed moment for the Melbourne trio. Working with the 32-piece George Ellis Orchestra, Jacobs Run pushed their sound into widescreen territory.
“I’d always heard some of these songs with strings in my head,” Jacobs says. “So instead of faking it, we thought: why not go all the way and use a real orchestra? It was a magnificent experience to be in Trackdown Studios, hearing those players bring it to life.”
Opitz’s hand is evident throughout. While guitars often take a back seat to cellos and violins, the band never lose sight of the song itself. “That’s the heart of Jacobs Run – we always play for the song,” Jacobs says. “There’s no ego about louder drums or bass solos. Sometimes you drive it, sometimes you get out of the way.”
The album opener Free is a perfect example. Once a discarded demo Jacobs thought “wasn’t good enough,” it was revived at Bucci’s urging and ultimately became not only the first track but the inspiration for the record’s title. At the other end sits How Does It Feel, featuring Beatlesque orchestration, the album closer comes complete with marching band and full orchestral sweep. “I stuck to my guns on that one,” Jacobs laughs. “I always wanted a parade in the middle of it.”
Backing vocals from long-time collaborator Susie Ahern also step forward in the mix, creating striking harmonies that Opitz insisted should sit alongside Jacobs’ lead rather than behind it. “Mark wanted the record to feel intimate, like the vocal is right there in your ear,” Jacobs recalls.
Even the bonus track – a cover of Billy Field’s You Weren’t in Love With Me – came about serendipitously. Jacobs had been using it as a vocal warm-up during acoustic shows before it became an unexpected crowd favourite. When George Ellis heard it, he insisted on adding an orchestral arrangement, and Opitz declared it “a contender for the record.” It now appears as an extra cut on the CD edition. Coincidentally, it was Mark Opitz who first signed Billy Field to Warner Music when he was working at that label as head of A&R.
Of course, the challenge now is translating The Other Side to the stage. With long-time keyboardist Phil Turcio already adept at filling orchestral textures, Jacobs Run are confident they can deliver. “Between Phil, another guitarist and the three of us, we can recreate most of it,” Jacobs says. “But doing a show with strings is definitely on the bucket list. George Ellis has already said, ‘call me anytime.’”
For now, fans can order The Other Side via the band’s website and Bandcamp, with the physical CD featuring the bonus Billy Field track and full artwork. Live shows are on the horizon later this year, with more recording already on Jacobs’ mind.
“I love being in the studio, shaping songs,” he says. “But I can’t wait to take this record out and play it live. That’s when it really comes alive.”
With The Other Side, Jacobs Run haven’t just crossed through – they’ve arrived with their most ambitious and cinematic work yet.
Watch Michael Jacobs from Jacobs Run as he joins Australian Musician’s Greg Phillips to talk about the band’s brand-new album The Other Side.
The Other Side is available now at jacobsrun.com.au
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