If I Only Knew Now What I Knew Then is the latest release from Northern Virginia songwriter Mark Beeson. As part of his solo project, The Jack Pine, the EP showcases two new songs, “I Just Want to Love Her” and “Finally Coming Around.” It also contains two tracks “40 Days” and “Change Your Mind,” that Beeson wrote for his former band, Stolen Camaros.

After the genre-hopping Jack Pine debut, Losing Season, this set of songs settles into more of a pop feel. Right from the start, “40 Days” launches the listener into a melodic vamp supported by the drumming of DC’s Ben Tufts. The song was inspired by the loss of a family member and how we all deal with the holes that can be left behind. “I Just Want to Love Her” opens with piano and vocal as the singer tells the story of being under-appreciated and, regardless of the actions from their other half, still fully committed to loving them. “Finally Coming Around” takes the other perspective to paint the picture of a lover who doesn’t realize what they have until it’s too late. “Change Your Mind” is an auto-biographical song about a bad end-to-the-night where expectations fall well short of reality.

The songs are multi-dimensional and have a depth of production that was hinted at in Losing Season. This EP goes deeper to introduce a more mature, colorful style of songwriting that creates vivid imagery using anything from Alice In Wonderland metaphors to referencing being lost at sea with no direction to go.

The EP was produced and mixed by Beeson at his home studio, with the help of the amazing Jon Jester on drums and former college bandmate John Pawlikowski, who provides backup vocals on “Change Your Mind.” Beeson also consulted with LA producer Warren Huart (The Fray, Aerosmith, Better Than Ezra, Rick Springfield) on mixes and arrangements for the EP.