Track listing: Alright, Anything, Been Through, Find A Way, Get By, Hold On, Message, Move, New Direction, Should Have Seen, Something With It, Somewhere, Too Good To Be True, What It's About, When There Was You

There are albums that arrive dressed for commercial success, polished until every rough edge has disappeared. Then there are albums like Message, the forthcoming release from Ehson Hashemian, which feels content to let the songs do the talking. Best known as a founding member of The Jakes—the band that would eventually become Young the Giant—Hashemian approaches these fifteen tracks with a refreshing lack of pretense. Following the June 26 release of the album's first single, "Anything," listeners will get another preview with "What It's About" on July 3 before Message arrives in full on July 10. The production throughout is intentionally sparse, allowing Hashemian's songwriting and performances to occupy center stage. Rather than chasing contemporary production trends, Message recalls an era when strong melodies, memorable guitar parts, and honest performances were enough to carry an album from beginning to end.

I'd do anything for you... Wherever that you choose / And I will always care for you
- "Anything"

The opening one-two punch of "Alright" and "Anything" immediately establishes the album's personality. "Alright" carries an infectious, almost Vampire Weekend-esque brightness, anchored by a playful repeating guitar figure and a confident vocal performance that never tries too hard. "Anything" expands on that optimism with jangly guitars and an undeniable sense of youthful exuberance. There's something about its clean, ringing guitar tone and straightforward songwriting that evokes early rock-and-roll craftsmen like Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens—not because it sounds vintage, but because it shares their gift for making deceptively simple songs feel timeless. "Anything" serves as an excellent choice for the album's lead single, capturing both the accessibility and sincerity that define the record.

As Message unfolds, Hashemian avoids settling into one formula. "Find A Way" recalls the adventurous spirit of bands like Rusted Root or Austin's Twang Twang Shock-A-Boom, embracing the feeling of musical discovery rather than adhering to a particular genre. The title track sparkles with interlocking melodies as the vocal lines weave effortlessly around kaleidoscopic guitar work, while "Move" injects a welcome burst of frenetic energy with its brisk tempo and quirky percussion, conjuring flashes of They Might Be Giants without being derivative. Later, "What It's About" delivers yet another irresistibly melodic guitar hook that keeps the song buoyant from beginning to end, reinforcing just how consistently Hashemian finds memorable musical ideas throughout the album.

Perhaps the greatest strength of Message is its refusal to overcomplicate itself. Every song feels purposefully documented rather than manufactured—as though the album's goal was to faithfully capture well-written compositions instead of endlessly refining them into something algorithmically optimized for streaming playlists. That honesty becomes one of the album's defining characteristics. Even recurring lyrical themes lean toward hope over cynicism. Whether it's the reassuring refrain from "Alright"—"When you're feeling down, it will be alright"—or the recurring calls to keep moving forward, the songs consistently choose optimism without feeling naive.

In an era where so much music is compressed, layered, and polished beyond recognition, Hashemian's songs retain their humanity. They breathe. They leave room for imperfections, subtle dynamics, and genuine performances. Whether listeners discover the album through "Anything," the upcoming single "What It's About," or by experiencing the full record on its July 10 release, Message stands as a reminder that timeless songwriting rarely needs much embellishment.