Emotionalpunk.com
Media Review
Music Quality: 8.0
Production: 8.0
Originality: 7.5
Tracklisting
2. Bats Over The Pacific Ocean
3. Jaguar Pirates
4. Georgia
5. Vagabond Ballroom
6. Humans Evolve Into Skyscrapers
7. Antoine And Birdskull
8. Bonetrees And A Broken Heart
9. The Man With The Plastic Suns
10. My Organ Sounds Like...
The name Jaguar Love may not stand out as familiar (at least yet) but its member's names will: Johnny Whitney, Cody Votolato and J Clark. The two former being part of the infamous post-everything band The Blood Brothers and the latter was a member of Seattle indie rock band Pretty Girls Make Graves. When both bands dissolved in 2007, these three musicians found common ground in their view of the music they wanted to create and began writing the songs which would become their debut album Take Me To The Sea.
Whitney's signature shriek is unmistakable and a huge factor for why fans of his previous work will be so amenable to this new project (though it is significantly downplayed In the songs). His unique lyrical metaphors are back and just as ambiguous as ever. But don't get too excited Blood Bros fans because Whitney, Votolato and Clark are not the same siblings you're used to. The spastic energy has been funneled down into a more streamlined sound. The spirit remains ("Highway Of Gold") but is more akin to Johnny’s other project Neon Blonde ("Jaguar Pirates").
The album also brings new flavors into the picture like "Bats Over The Pacific Ocean" which has a circus-feel to it with the xylophone sounding in the background. "Humans Evolve Into Skyscrapers" begins with handclaps and its electronic tinge could help find this song into a club near you very soon. The string section in "The Man With The Plastic Suns" is reminiscent of Cold War Kids hit single "We Used To Vacation." Perhaps the standout track is "Georgia;" with its slowed-down tempo it serves as the album’s ballad and ends in a chorus of 'oohs'.
The Blood Brothers were one of those bands that you either loved or despised depending on your take of vocalist Johnny Whitney and Billie Jordan. Well, this band is no different although musically Jaguar Love has a much more accessible sound. The band members did not want to be limited by their musical pasts and they have succeeded. They created an album that takes its own path and only recalls the band's previous projects because of the members that are involved. While some songs don't sound all that dissimilar from the ones around it, each song does have of its own personality to stand on its own. The band is off to a good start with their debut and look to be rejuvenated enough to keep their careers going for another decade.