Jack Droppers and the Best Intentions, a pop-rock band from Grand Rapids, Michigan, have just released their fourth studio album, Scooter, via Bird Fight Records. Comprised of Jack Droppers (lead vocals), Laura Hobson (percussion), Devin Sullivan (guitar), James Kessel (keys), Garrett Stier (bass) and Josh Holicki (drums), Jack Droppers and the Best Intentions is best known for their incredible discography of three albums, two EPs, one live EP, and about dozen singles over the past seven years. 

Dad Rock, their third studio album, helped them win a WYCE Jammies’ Award for Best Rock/Pop Album of 2021/2022, and their single, “Welcome to the Party” received worldwide praise including being called “the song of the year” by Paul Gallagher, brother of Noel and Liam Gallagher and former A&R for Creation Records. 

Scooter was primarily recorded in Grand Rapids, Michigan at Local Legend Record with a change of scenery at Jack’s house, Devin’s house, and Dimnent Chapel. Produced and mixed by Drew Elliot and mastered by Mike Cervantes, this memoir-esque album shines a new light onto the stories we tell about ourselves, in both past and future tenses. Scooter, being the nickname given to Droppers when he wore red vespa-inspired pajamas every night for a year when his teeth went through his lip, will be the first album the band will release while signed to a label. (Hear more about this infamous memory on their track perfectly named, “Scooter”.)

Prior to the album’s full release, Scooter was listed on the band’s various streaming platforms as an EP with the tracks “Scooter”, “ Where You Are”, “Pasadena”, and “I Want To Be Forgotten”. “Scooter” plays homage to what we imagine was a terribly traumatizing event that Droppers’ now seems to want to remember differently with the help of doo-wop inspired harmonies, bright horns, and an exciting drumline. “Where You Are” is absolutely unique in every aspect a song could be. If we can name “dad rock” as an official genre of music, this would be it. With a similar uplifting melody, “I Want To Be Forgotten” is not the song you’d expect it to be. Its solemn title completely contrasts the track's incredible progression and show-stopping vocals. Providing a more mellow tone to fan’s first look into Scooter, “Pasadena” showcases the incredibly detailed storytelling that Jack Droppers and the Best Intentions are known for. Through Droppers’ voice, the emotions write themselves and are felt so beautifully, yet so heavily. 

The release of the full LP provides seven entirely new tracks to the ever-growing discography of Jack Droppers and the Best Intentions. Right off the bat, “Hey!” sets the tone for the album with a fun echo and callback to Droppers’ nickname and the album’s title. “Ash Wednesday At The Strip Mall” further embodies the group's talent for storytelling in music; however, we personally believe this track is a tad lackluster in comparison to others. “Free T-Shirt” and “Guard Rail'' are both beautifully composed ballads that give Droppers’ vocals a real time to shine without the interruption of crashing drums and vibrating guitar lines. We love how “Sanity” and “Stationary Traveler” helps bring the atmosphere back up to the fun and lively emotions the group is best known for cultivating, before coming to an incredible conclusion with “The City”. The harmonies in this track had us absolutely transcending, give it a listen. You’ll understand.

Jack Droppers and the Best Intentions are clearly musicians at heart and lay everything they can offer out on the table when creating new music even after seven years in the industry. They are incredible storytellers and portray emotion and memory so beautifully in their lyricism. While we believe the album’s midsection falls a little flat in comparison to the beginning and end, the soft nature of these tracks do help to show off the band’s abilities without the need of loud instruments and intricate melodies to hold them together. Despite that, Scooter is definitely one of our new favorite pop-rock (or dad rock!) albums to be released in 2023. 

The album will be celebrated the night of its release in their hometown at The Pyramid Scheme, with support for Turtletoves and Ohly. If you aren’t able to make this event, Jack Droppers and the Best Intentions have been known to tour across the eastern side of the United States and have opened for other incredible artists such as Michigander, Gable Price and Friends, Brother Elsey, and many more. We definitely recommend checking them out if they come to a city near you!