Jaguar Love - Take Me to the Sea

When I first picked up Jaguar Love's EP Jaguar Love EP back in June I can honestly say I didn't know what I was in for. What I got was possibly the oddest combination of pianos / synthesizers / bells / whistles and a screaming [wailing Johnny Whitney of The Blood Brothers fame] singer that I could have possibly imagined, this was some weird but solid music as far as experimental music goes. The band features Jay Clark of Pretty Girls Make Graves and Cody Votolato / Johnny Whitney of The Blood Brothers and does an excellent job of sounding just like The Blood Brothers: Part Two....on acid.

So I guess it goes without saying that two months later when they released their first full-length album Take Me to the Sea I ran to the store in anticipation to see what the band had up their sleeves for their LP. What I got was two of the three tracks featured on the EP as well as eight other songs which were more of the same, but boy were there some hits in that mess.

When the album starts you feel as if you have been cheated and perhaps in a moment of confusion you have just purchased the Jaguar Love EP again by accident [the covers are very similar oh by the way] but not to worry, it is only by the album's design that you are again hearing the opening track "Highways of Gold". This track is just something else, it progresses up and down and up and down again as if you are watching a car go up and down small hills while put to music. This however all changes when it gets to the chorus, Johnny thinks he is back in The Blood Brothers and starts to scream like a crowd of little kids being mauled by a large cat [perhaps a jaguar??]. His voice is something else, but I don't think I would have been able to enjoy the song without it.

For the next song "Bats Over the Pacific Ocean" the band decides to bust out the tambourine for a little old-fashioned time keeping while starting off like an indie rock song: sweet bass and drums, did someone take their synth away?? What are those??? Chimes during the chorus?? This song really sticks out on the album as one of the more traditional ones, you would swear to Hell that they were covering someone else's song. Not bad by ANY means, just not what I was expecting.

Continuing on a few of the songs really stick out as just amazing both vocally and instrumentally. The first song to really pop out for me was "Jaguar Pirates", a very repetitive but very catchy tune that just seems to pick up the mood of the whole album right before the soulful and somber ballad of "Georgia". There is not one part of this song that I didn't like....except for the ending. I remember bobbing my head to the entire track and then wondering what had happened to the sick ending that I had already written in my head....it just ends so weak for a song that is so upbeat.

The next song to draw my attention was "Humans Evolve Into Skyscrapers" which is more on the rock side and less about dancing which is a welcome change for the album. The best part of the song however is that about two minutes and twenty seconds in it features a Jackson Five breakdown [primal scream]. Now why doesn't every song do that?

As far as songs that grabbed my attention the last one [ironically enough the last track on the album as well] was "My Organ Sounds Like...". This song makes the popiness of "Jaguar Pirates" seem weak in comparison and it does an even better job at ending as well: a piano break down, chorus and a quick progression out of the song as opposed to the long and drawn out conclusion to "Jaguar Pirates". A flawless track that has already racked up a good twenty plus plays on my iTunes player.

As the album finished I seemed to recall moments when I found myself thinking "Why am I listening to this CD?" It is true that the first time that anyone hears the sounds of Jaguar Love [even those of us that loved the EP] that it might come off as a tad overwhelming, but after a few plays through your CD player you almost find yourself understanding and maybe even singing along to the songs. The best way to really enjoy the album is by first getting an understanding of what the member's previous bands sounded like. Myself being a Blood Brothers fan I found it very easy to jump right into most of the record, but some of the tracks such as "Georgia" and "Bats Over the Pacific Ocean" were wonderful songs...but only after I really listened to them and got myself out of the synth-dance mindset.

While Jaguar Love might not be for everyone fans of the genre will find something; if only a track or two, to take away from this one. They seem to have a sound that some would say does not have a place outside of a dance club, or a Jaguar Love concert for that matter but others will find themselves really enjoying this album. Regardless of where you stand I can guarantee that you have never heard anything like Jaguar Love. With a strong dance-rock sound and creeping hints of indie and glam rock Take Me to the Sea was just what I expected from the trio and I can't wait to see what they have in store for us next time.

Vocals - 9/10
Lyrics - 4/10
Creativity - 10/10
Replay Value - 7/10

Overall- 75%

www.matadorrecords.com/jaguar_love

www.myspace.com/jaguarloveband