Jon Chesbro captures personal growth through a psych-pop head trip on ‘Choices’
Maine-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer reflects back on life decisions in a celestial new single out Friday, May 30
New track follows fall EP ‘Outta State Outta Mind’, with more music on the way
Watch the ‘See You Again’ music video
Photo Credit: PostFix Media / Zach Haberern
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PORTLAND, Maine [May 30, 2025] – The music of Jon Chesbro has begun to unfold like chapters in a novel. And like any great story, what came before does not exactly predict what may come next. But it does give hints.
That shines through on the Maine songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer’s new single, a celestial slice of star-gazing alt-rock and psych-pop called “Choices” that hits the streams on Friday, May 30. While this new track is the start of a new era for Chesbro, with new singles to follow and a new album arriving later this year, it’s firmly rooted in the path that led him to this moment.
“‘Choices’ is about looking back at what you've done, good or bad, and realizing what kind of person it made you,” Chesbro says. “It’s about realizing you've grown from those choices and are now a different person altogether. It's a very self-reflective song, but its theme is universal and I think a lot of people will resonate with it.”
Remarkably, this is the first dose of new music this year from the Massachusetts native. It follows a fairly prolific 2024 that saw Chesbro release mostly instrumental experimental album Dryas (February); a tribute to Andre 3000 in one-off Bandcamp release “For Andre” (March); glistening summer guitar-pop single “Always & Forever” (June); and expansive indie-pop EP Outta State Outta Mind (November).
On the EP, Chesbro’s personal travels and nomadic residency manifested in an array of songs relating to personal experiences in places like Arizona, Missouri, and Massachusetts. But where Outta State Outta Mind was a bit of a study of the things, people, and places around him, “Choices” looks inward in a far more personal manner. And like most of us at some point in our lives, Chesbro comes to terms with past decisions he’s made, and soundtracks it with a sound that interestingly pulls from prior releases while retaining a new sense of creativity.
“It's really one of those songs that just kinda bleeds out of you,” he adds. “It came from a time where I was reflecting a lot, looking back at who I used to be – this shy, weird kid who was afraid to show his art. And now I’m still shy and weird but no longer afraid of what people say. So I guess overall this song came out of that feeling.”
A slow burn over three short minutes, “Choices” unfurls with reserved confidence and an innocent grandeur, hitting cruising altitude about three-quarters in, where it glides freely through space-rock and even some loose prog territories. It’s the sound of looking up at the night sky and seeing your life played back at you in the stars.
“I feel like ‘Choices’ has a perfect combination of etherealness and experimental acoustic rock that the album is going to have,” he admits. “I thought even though this isn't the most single-friendly, it does capture the entirety of the project very well. Also I'm just impressed with myself when it comes to the songwriting with this song, as well as the production. It took a long time and I wanted to show what I was most proud of first.”
Joining Chesbro on “Choices” and supplementing his vocals and guitar work are Robert Countie on bass; Akiba Davis on keyboards and organ; and Don Schweihofer on drums. The track was mixed and mastered by Erik von Geldern and recorded by Todd Harris, with production, recording, mixing, and mastering at Berlin Sound Studios in Berlin, Massachusetts.
From new collaborators and conspirators to branching out from his own Ebb N Flow Recording, where he crafted several of his past releases, “Choices” finds the spaciousness of Dryas merging with the pop sensibilities of Chesbro’s most recent work. But perhaps the greatest conduit for the artist and his newfound ability to create the art he always felt destined to make is his newly established residence in Maine, in a small town not too far from Portland.
“I feel like being up in Maine has really centered me,” Chesbro says. “It's peaceful out here. I have family nearby and being closer to nature makes me feel closer to myself.”
That alone helps channel some of the sentiment that glides through Chesbro’s most personal, soul-bearing work. When he’s writing, there are times when he’s not sure which creative lane a new composition will veer towards; sometimes the path leads to more experimental, atmospheric sounds, and sometimes it swerves out to more indie and alternative territory.
There are some times, however, when the lines blur. And in those moments, the decision is not simply “What type of sound is this?” but more “Is this Jon Chesbro?” And he usually knows the answer right away, as that answer comes from within.
“I think all personal experiences form into songwriting – at least for me,” he notes. “I was thinking about this recently and I feel like some songs I write come from a very selfish place, and what I mean by that is I don't think about the audience when I write. It always comes from a personal perspective, I try not to think about the outcome and try to tap into that feeling the song came from.”
In the end, Chesbro just wants to create a wide tapestry of sounds, blurring genre lines, subverting expectations, and giving the listener a quick glimpse into his songwriting soul. They might be startled to see him looking back, whether it be from a point of gleaming pride or morbid suffering.
“It's one thing to write a song people can dance to – and that's cool; I like doing that – but it's totally different when you pull out a genuine and authentic feeling that may come from a place of pain,” Chesbro concludes. “Putting that into your art is important and I feel like the world needs authenticity right now. Not just an AI beat to sing over but a rugged emotion over some dirty acoustic guitar. [laughs] That’s art.”
Media Contact: Direct press inquiries to Michael Marotta at michael@knyvet.com and reach Jon Chesbro at ebbnflowrecording@gmail.com.
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Appearing on ‘Choices’:
Jon Chesbro: Vocals and guitars
Robert Countie: Bass
Akiba Davis: Keyboards and organ
Don Schweihofer: Drums
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‘Choices’ single artwork:
Photo by PostFix Media / Zach Haberern; design by Jon Chesbro
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‘Choices’ production credits:
Music and lyrics written by Jon Chesbro
Mixed and mastered by Erik von Geldern
Recorded by Todd Harris
Production, recording, mixing, and mastering at Berlin Sound Studios
Photos by PostFix Media / Zach Haberern
All rights reserved.
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Media praise for Jon Chesbro:
“This is quite an interesting album [Dryas] and takes you on quite a trip when you're in the mood for something different.” _Steel Notes Magazine
“The trip that Dryas took us on was such a wild and wonderful one that we couldn’t imagine not reviewing it.” _Rock And Roll Fables
“Brilliantly crafted.”_The Whole Kameese
“A country of emotion…” _Click Roll Boom
“The five songs on Outta State Outta Mind are an interesting mixture of 90's singer-songwriter alt-rock and modern Americana. In 2024 I recognize the country/roots sound in a song like ‘Against the Crowd,’ but I certainly wouldn't have thirty years ago. It's a collection of laid back songs that bridge the gap between the worlds of indie rock and jam bands, much like My Morning Jacket or Wilco can. Chesbro also has a unique way of crafting a song. There's a certain DIY and punk edge to his songs even despite how laid back the entire EP is. Outta State Outta Mind is well worth your time and is one of the more compelling mainstream-ish singer-songwriter releases of the year.” _If It’s Too Loud
“There was much to enjoy on the Outta State Outta Mind five tracker and although there was a kind of simplicity about the numbers shared they certainly drew me in and had me humming them, long after the EP was finished.” _Maximum Volume Music
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Jon Chesbro short bio:
Whether on stage or behind the mixing desk, Jon Chesbro invites audiences into a world where every note is a brushstroke on the canvas of emotion. The Maine multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer released new album Dryas in February 2024, and the experimental, electronic, and mostly instrumental record is a departure from his work as Cosmic Vultures guitarist, showcasing a new complexity and depth in his solo musical compositions. Dryas can be consumed as a whole or in chapters, and a pair of visualizers, ‘MarchToVictory’ (featuring Derek Smith) and ‘Into The Mirror’, precede the album. He followed that up with a new guitar-pop single called “Always & Forever” that summer, leading up to new EP Outta State Outta Mind set for release in November 2024. His first music of 2025, “Choices,” arrives in May.
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Jon Chesbro alt press photo:
Photo Credit: PostFix Media / Zach Haberern
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Press Contact: Michael O’Connor Marotta at michael@knyvet.com
Artist Contact: Jon Chesbro at ebbnflowrecording@gmail.com
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