Jesse LeBourdais – Better Ever Than Never
After nearly a decade away, Vancouver’s Jesse LeBourdais returns with Better Ever Than Never, his fifth full-length album, out April 21 via Kinda Cool Records. It doesn’t feel like a nostalgic return. It feels like someone who kept writing, refining, and finally put everything together at the right moment.
LeBourdais has always been about songwriting first, and that shows here. The album moves between punk, folk, and storytelling traditions without ever feeling tied to one lane. Across 12 tracks, he moves through heartbreak, joy, and everything in between with a tone that feels natural rather than performed.
What stands out is how clear and well-crafted the record sounds. Produced by Jesse Gander and recorded with longtime collaborators The Long Winter, the album keeps a live feel. Everything is tight, defined, and intentional. You hear the detail in every instrument, every vocal line, every transition.
That level of care carries into the structure. The tracklist flows naturally, almost without you noticing it. One song leads into the next in a way that feels planned and considered. It doesn’t feel like a collection of songs. It feels like a sequence.
The range across the album is one of its biggest strengths. It moves easily from more melodic punk moments like “Take What I Can Get” to softer, acoustic-driven songs like “Hold You Down,” which stands out immediately. What a track! The shift never feels forced. It just shows how comfortably LeBourdais moves between energy and reflection.
There are also several songs that stick right away. “Chains” is easily one of the strongest moments on the record, direct and memorable without trying too hard. “Half Broken Soul,” the opening track and first single, sets the tone perfectly, laying down the emotional and musical direction from the start. “Almost Dale-dise” brings a more immediate, catchy side that stays with you after the first listen.
On the more reflective side, “Ghost of Friendship” and “Wood Bones” let the songwriting breathe, giving the album depth without breaking its flow. And then there’s “Worst Day,” the closing track. Stripped down, acoustic, and exactly as emotional as a final song should be. It doesn’t try to go big. It just lands and stays with you.
LeBourdais’ vocal performance is another key part of why this works so well. You can hear how carefully he controls every passage, knowing when to push and when to hold back. The emotion feels measured and intentional. That balance gives each song its weight.
While listening, there’s a certain emotional pull that feels familiar. The kind you got from early The Gaslight Anthem records. That mix of warmth, reflection, and worn honesty that stays with you after the track ends.
What really lands is the consistency. Every track feels built with attention. No filler, no drop in quality. It’s rare to hear an album where the level stays this even from start to finish.
Better Ever Than Never is the kind of record that grows quietly. You don’t get everything on the first listen, but you keep going back. Not because it’s complicated, but because it feels real. It’s one of those albums that stays with you, and easily one of the strongest releases of the year so far.
And it’s worth pointing out, Kinda Cool Records keep delivering releases that feel curated and intentional. At this point, if something comes out through them, it’s usually worth your time. This one definitely is.
