Tigers Jaw

Spin

Written by: PP on 13/09/2017 21:52:16

Introspective emo/indie rockers Tigers Jaw have been around for twelve years now and in that space have released five albums, "Spin" being their latest and their second effort as a duo between Ben Walsh and Brianna Collins. The charismatic and ultra melancholic howls of Adam McIlwee are long gone and the band has established a new identity under the duo, though sound wise the only difference is that the tunes feel less emotionally intense unless you are paying attention to the lyrics.

On the surface, their harmonious take on indie-flavored emo is as soothing as its relaxing, but the lyrical themes are deeply emotional and introspective, dark even. "Favorite", for instance, yields a yearning call out of "what's your favorite way to dull the pain?", and "Bullet" is the perfect post-breakup song with its melancholic repetitions of "right now you're happiest when you're alone". Both contain a signature style Tigers Jaw emotional charge, so fans of earlier work should be well pleased here.

Moreover, "Spin" showcases the improved dynamic between Collins and Walsh from their previous work. They now complement each other better than before: Walsh's soothing cleans come across stronger against Collins' softly sung, almost fragile style. Particularly "June" is a great example with the additional organs/keys on the background adding more flavor to a rich and vibrant emo/indie expression.

But if there's one thing "Spin" is lacking, it's the classics. The naked truth is that while Collins and Walsh are both good singers in their own right, they just don't have the same instant charisma of McIlwee. That's why you won't find songs like "I Saw Water", "Plane vs Tank vs Submarine", or "The Sun" on "Spin". You'll find lots of good jams with catchy, albeit introspective and soothing melodies, but none as intensely emotional and eye-grabbing as the McIlwee era material (even "Two Worlds" was a huge grower). A good indie/emo record, but is this the Tigers Jaw record we'll turn back to in a few years' time? I doubt it.

7

Download: Bullet, June, Follows, Oh Time
For the fans of: Braid, Dowsing, Lemuria, The Get Up Kids, Seahaven
Listen: Facebook

Release date 19.05.2017
Black Cement Records

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