Jesse Welles's Under The Powerlines is an unconventional 63-song collection of raw audio from his viral social media videos, released to combat intellectual property theft and make the popular recordings available for on-demand streaming.

Cultural impact

• His performance schedule expanded internationally with dates at Dublin's 3Olympia Theatre and Glasgow's Old Fruitmarket.

• At the Newport Folk Festival, demand for Welles's set was so strong that he was moved from a side stage to the main stage, where he performed both solo and with a backup band, including a notable onstage collaboration with Lukas Nelson on a version of the Beatles’ "Revolution."

Critical response

• The New York Times highlighted Welles's "dexterous writing and the tough, bare-bones arrangements," noting that his music "can’t help but recall many of those classic rockers he grew up listening to — Dylan, Petty, Neil Young." Read full review

• Live Music Blog described the album as "a 63-song collection of recent field and live recordings that initially appeared on social media platforms," and commended Welles for bringing raw, unfiltered performances to a wider audience. Read full review