Distracted

BY ALLIE RUSSELL

When I first sat down with Jacob Webb of 5PM to Nowhere back in April, we were just beginning to talk about the unfolding story of City of Light. By our second conversation in June, the narrative had expanded, and Jacob was already looking ahead at where it might lead. Now, with our third interview, it feels like we’ve reached a milestone together. Watching the band grow (and returning to check in with Jacob at each stage of the process) has been its own kind of story. This time, with their latest EP City of Light Act II out in the world, we were able to talk about what it means to finally see the project complete, the new chapters approaching, and how far both the music and the band have come in just a few short months. 

“It feels great,” Jacob told me. “It’s definitely been a long time coming; It’s kind of like reaching the destination that everything has been building up towards since we started writing and recording all the songs. It’s been six months of releases and another two months of recording before that. It’s interesting to look back and see how much has changed since that whole process started, not only how the band has evolved, but also each of us as individuals, the world in general, things like that.”

The EP introduces two new songs, Saltpeter (The Right Way) and Invisible Man. They push the album’s narrative into a darker, more fractured place. Saltpeter, which was released as a single earlier this summer, dives into conflict with those who once seemed like allies. 

“It’s kind of the one on the album that feels the most like a breakup song,” Jacob explained. “It gets into the weeds about how to achieve the things we want to achieve, and then instead of disagreeing on the greater beliefs as a whole, the disagreement becomes a means to an end. So then there’s a rift there with the people that you thought were on your side, but they want to go about things in a different way than you do. It’s kind of just revealing all the different facets of some sort of relationship or agreement or mission, whatever it may be.”

From there, Invisible Man closes out Act II and the entire City of Light cycle. “All the verses reference other songs between Act I and Act II,” Jacob said. “That one’s mostly about, ‘okay, I’m seeing all of this, everything falling down on me, and this is my last chance to convince everyone.’ Then they kind of turn on me, and I have to escape and seek safety. It gets into a lot of themes of trust, betrayal, and coming to terms with moving on from people you thought would always be there.”

Even though Act II completes this arc, Jacob doesn’t see this as a “hard stop” to the story. Instead, themes of trust, conflict, and self-discovery will naturally echo forward. “We don’t have anything planned specifically as a sequel, but maybe there will be a spiritual successor down the line,” he said. “I like the album format because you can tell a pretty complete story in its own respect. But there are so many other stories we want to tell, and we’re excited to do that.”

Interestingly, the decision to split City of Light into two acts wasn’t as carefully calculated as fans may think. “The whole album was conceived as one ten-track story,” Jacob said. “We decided to split it into two acts so we could focus on recording a bit at a time and being able to release a project and move on. The end of Act I with Due South felt like such a natural conclusion to that chapter of the story that it made sense to divide it there.”

Of course, release day comes with its own mix of emotions. “It’s a lot of everything,” Jacob admitted. “It’s exciting, nerve-racking, and definitely a watershed moment when you go from pre-release to post-release. Pre-release, you’re writing, recording, planning, shaping the art. Post-release, it’s about being confident in what you’ve made and giving it a leg to stand on.”

For Jacob, the most exciting part of this release is simply being able to live with the project as a finished work. “It’s really satisfying, and I’m very proud that we got to that point and are able to share our art with the world in a complete way,” he said. “Each new project turns into my favorite project we’ve made, so I think a big thing is looking forward, but also looking back and seeing all the progress we’ve made release to release. Using each of those releases as benchmarks, it’s a cool way to organize time.”

As for where new listeners should start, Jacob insists there’s no wrong answer. “I think One More Chance is a great entry point,” he said. “But every song on the album can stand on its own. We try to work from a place where the entry level is enjoyable, but the full experience is rewarding if you want to dig deeper. That’s some of my favorite music, something that sounds amazing on the first listen and amazing on the thousandth listen, and maybe in completely different ways. Having a song where your relationship to it develops over time as you pull away the layers, those are the kinds of songs that are the most impactful to me.”

Before we wrapped up, I had to revisit a question I asked Jacob back in June. What’s something he’s been obsessed with lately? His answer was perfectly on brand. “I’ve been watching a lot of reviews of bad albums on YouTube,” he laughed. “And also just finding ways to enjoy music that I normally wouldn’t listen to. Being an indie artist that makes story-driven, cinematic, alt-rock music, being able to enjoy a good trap banger every now and then, or some very straightforward pop music, or some metal or jazz. It’s trying to find some levity here and there with how I listen to and appreciate art.” 

Talking to Jacob for the third time, it struck me how City of Light has become more than just an album cycle. It’s been a marker of growth, both for 5PM to Nowhere and for me as a writer getting to follow along. Each conversation has revealed new layers, not only in the music but in the band’s outlook, their storytelling, and their sense of who they are becoming. With Act II, this chapter feels complete, but just like Jacob, I can’t help but feel excited for whatever the next one might hold.