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Photo: Juan Flores

The day is finally here. jxdn, née Jaden Hossler, has finally released his highly-anticipated sophomore album WHEN THE MUSIC STOPS, and it is everything and more. Drawing inspiration from bands like The Strokes and Deftones, he has meticulously crafted each of the seventeen tracks, pulling from his own emotions and experiences, finding his sound while remaining authentic. His music continues to be an anthem for the misunderstood, the lost, and the lonely who are looking for comfort in a world that offers them none.

Although June 28 will go down in history as the release date of this impeccable sophomore album, most importantly, it's the birthday of his late best friend Cooper Noriega, who sadly passed away due to fentanyl poisoning in 2022 at 19 years old. Noriega, like jxdn, was an advocate for mental health and addiction. After his passing, the Noriega family wanted to keep Cooper's legacy alive by creating The Coops Advice Foundation, with a portion of each ticket sold on jxdn's 'WHEN THE MUSIC STOPS Tour' being donated to the foundation.

The album's opener, "Lost Angel," is immediately captivating. It paints a hauntingly vivid portrait of loneliness and the search for one's identity while navigating the intricacies of life and fighting one's inner demons. He sings over the warm acoustic guitar strums the impactful line, "Now you're looking in the rearview, and now you finally see the real you."

"Stray," a personal favorite from the LP, is a brooding, mysterious masterpiece that commences with somber guitar strumming and ethereal, distorted vocal ad-libs. A moment of relative calm ensues as jxdn's distinctive, resonant vocals join in with the line, "Stab me in the back, love, are you okay?" The track oscillates between moments filled with thunderous percussion patterns, pulsing bass rhythms, and jxdn singing solo, delivering some of his most raw and honest lyrics to date. The hook is a lush, grandiose sound collage that supports him as he confesses to feeling like a "stray" in his relationship, culminating in a climactic and cathartic breakdown that encourages listeners to sing, scream, and spiral alongside him.

"WHAT THE HELL" is an up-tempo banger fueled with driving instrumentals and soaring vocals about secrecy and heartache. Opening with a rich blend of pop-infused percussion patterns, floaty vocal lines, and catchy guitar riffs supported by deep, grooving bass lines, jxdn admits to his lover, "I know you found the receipts from last night / I know you felt the feeling I can't fight / I know you saw that secret I can't hide." Over the vibrant production, he continues to paint his situation, which has become rife with mistrust and disappointment. This all boils to a head in the explosive chorus where jxdn's soaring vocals beg to know what he did to make his love feel this way. He asks them, "Baby, what did I do? It's not like that / I'm only being myself, and it's just letting you down / What the hell did I do now?"

Other standout tracks include the nostalgic and retro-inspired "JUST LET GO," which speaks on the idea of not taking things too seriously and letting go of the things you can't control. Meanwhile, "WRECK ME" is an upbeat track that discusses the reality of the highs and lows in an all-consuming, passionate relationship. Lastly, "HOW FAR" is a stripped-down ballad that explores themes of ambition and personal sacrifice in pursuing success.

The record's penultimate track, "Drugs," is a short yet gripping track that confronts the harsh reality of substance abuse. Amid emotional acoustic guitar strums and a subdued violin arrangement, jxdn explores the emotional and physical toll of relying on drugs to escape from reality. He admits, "Only some time will tell if I go to heaven or hell / I guess you'll never know if I ever got help" and that he's struggling to keep the voices in his head at bay. On the dynamic chorus, he drives home the sentiment that drugs can make anyone feel empty and desperate, and this song highlights how they fail to relieve any real pain after a certain point.

The album's finale, "When The Music Stops," is a profoundly sentimental piece that opens with quick-paced acoustic guitar strums, framing Hossler's melancholic vocals. He croons the sentiment to whoever he hopes is listening, "Oh, darlin' / Please don't worry/ Life gets better," he coos over the sparse instrumentation. Throughout the rest of the track, he continues to ask himself about his mental state. He wonders what will happen if he carries his regrets to the grave, all culminating in a spirited chorus where he's faced with an uncomfortable silence and the reality of having to embrace it and let go.

We live in an era of the unternet where artists try to make a cookie-cutter hit or be the next viral sound on TikTok in an attempt to sway the algorithm in their favor, but WHEN THE MUSIC STOPS arrives as a disruptor. The rising star is a breath of fresh air and unapologetically himself, blending pop-punk, rock, and hip-hop elements to create art that is a testament to his message of self-acceptance and empowerment.

“‘When The Music Stops’ is my love letter to rock music and my outward expression of inner healing," shares jxdn. "This album is raw, intentionally diverse, and personal. I couldn't have created it without Travis Barker & Andrew Goldstein, who have been instrumental in my development as an artist. Thank you for the patience. This project marks the beginning of my career; everything before was the prequel. I'm grateful for the connection I've cultivated within myself. Music saves and changes me daily. It is not just a sound; it is who I am. I am music. You are music. We are music."

Listen to WHEN THE MUSIC STOPS below: