Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Jaguar Love

Add Date: March 2

Artist: Jaguar Love

Album: Hologram Jams

Label: Fat Possum

Genre: Rock, synth pop

Comments: To say that Hologram Jams erases any traces of the Blood Brothers' musical style in Jaguar Love would be a gross understatement. The group is also stripped down to the duo of Johnny Whitney and Cody Votolato, both from the Blood Brothers; gone from their 2008 debut Take Me to the Sea (Matador) is ex-Pretty Girls Make Graves member Jay Clark. Between the '80s-driven trashy synth beats and the, er, shall we say unusual singing style of Johnny Whitney, it should be pretty easy to hate this record. Yet somehow, I can't--at least not until the bonus track, Janis Joplin's "Take Another Little Piece of My Heart," which surely ranks as one of the worst covers of all time.

But if you're able to stomach Whitney's vocals--and it's certainly understandable if you can't--then Hologram Jams is a fun record to listen to. The first two tracks, "I Started a Fire" and "Polaroids and Red Wine," are undeniably catchy pop songs. I'm not really sure where the band is headed here, but at least they're having fun along the way.

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