Jaco - Dose
JACO RELEASES POTENT ‘DOSE’
Birmingham-based indie-rock artist Jake Waitzman, flying under the assumed name Jaco, releases his sophomore album, Dose, which follows on the heels of last year’s You Know.
Jaco
Dose is the second of three albums for Cornelius Chapel Records and sees Jaco coming out from behind his drum kit for bands like Vulture Whale and Wes McDonald to take up the role of frontman. Of course, he provides the drums on Dose, as well as rhythm guitar and keyboards. Helping out on the album is Jaco’s erstwhile friend/bandmate/production guru Lester Nuby III, who handles lead guitar, bass, and synths.
The resulting sound blends elements of indie-rock and ‘90s indie-pop into songs at once elusively familiar because of the ‘90s flavors and decidedly original simply because of the music’s innate heft, a carryover from the rock component. In other words, it’s power-pop with rock muscle grafted on for oomph.
Dose comprises 10-tracks and starts off with “Outer Space,” which during the intro recalls Vanilla Fudge, probably because of the low-slung, surging psychedelic-laced coloration. Jaco’s voice, an easy-to-listen-to tenor infuses the lyrics with slightly dreamy timbres reminiscent of the ‘60s.
This track vies for best on the album because of its raw intensity.
Highlights include “Weigh You,” which reflects Joe Walsh-like guitars riding a rolling, crunching rhythm, while Jaco’s voice takes on hints of prog-rock merged with alt-country aromas. “Fabergé” gives off Tom Petty-Esque tints as gleaming, jangle-lite guitar imbue the harmonics with platinum tangs. Jaco’s exudes tasty drawling, twang-filled inflections backed by soft, radiant harmonies.
“Sign Of A Struggle” travels on dark guitars pushing out spectral energy, almost akin to alt-rock grunge. Oscillating synths inject the tune with psychedelic filaments as Jaco’s rasping tones give the lyrics an ominous aspect. I love the blistering, psych-seasoned guitar solo on this track.
“Somebody Told Me” kicks things up a notch, offering dirty, potent guitars topped by Jaco’s passionate voice, full of Tom Petty articulation and simmering imminence. This track vies for best on the album because of its raw intensity.
The final track, “Grow Up Together,” rumbles and moves on thick, pulsing waves of guitars painted by visceral throbs. Big and brawny, this song pumps out primal sounds spiked with crusty edges.
With Dose, Jaco conveys the retro essence of ‘90s alt-rock merged with layers of power-pop, all capped by Jaco’s sinewy vocals.
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