Spacey Jane “If That Makes Sense” Album Review
Spacey Jane - "‘If That Makes Sense’
Before you’ve even listened to it, there’s something undeniably relatable about Spacey Jane’s upcoming album, If That Makes Sense. We’ve all spoken the words of the album’s title in conversation before - maybe we’ve botched an attempt at explaining instructions, or we’re expressing our emotions but can’t find the right words to articulate them.
For frontman Caleb Harper, it’s the latter - yet with the aid of shimmering, indie adjacent guitars, subtle synths and dynamic drums, he’s able to communicate what he’s feeling in quite a beautiful way. When he can’t seem to pinpoint the feeling sitting in the pit of his stomach, the music itself communicates what’s unsaid.
If That Makes Sense is a slight departure from Spacey Jane’s usual brand of frenetic indie rock - it’s a bit slower in overall tempo, there’s more space in the songs. It lends well to the loose thread of confronting one’s past, and all the emotion that comes with that.
This album begins with an intro track, but make no mistake - this track isn’t just a filler. Conceptually, the dreamy and hazy track, littered with melodic hints from songs further into the track list, makes complete sense. The album art itself feels like a visual representation of the song; the blurry characters look like they were pulled from some sort of dream state. But a single breath pulls us back into focus, kicking off the first song and third single, Through My Teeth.
On this track, Harper sings about the sort of self deception we undergo when the truth is too hard to face - I’ve been lying through my teeth again / it’s how I made it past my seventeenth. His vocal performance has always been killer - the band’s breakout hit Booster Seat is an example of what a stellar frontman can do for a band. But on this album, his iconic falsetto is characterised with more emotion and nuance. Through My Teeth was written in one session and is a testament to Spacey Jane’s elite cohesion as a band.
Spacey Jane has explored new textures and timbres on this album too. The introduction of synths is a step away from their older stuff, but it’s an entirely appropriate choice, considering the contemplative currents that ripple throughout the album. Fuzzy synths pad out the backend on Whateverrr, the album’s third track, allowing for Harper’s nostalgia tinged melodies to sit atop it. Once the crisper, but equally as ephemeral lead guitar hits in the chorus, it cuts through the synth in the mix perfectly. So Much Taller is another cut that sees synths in the mix, yet this time they’re arpeggiating buoyantly, evoking this sense that the song is simmering away until the drums coming barging in.
In another left turn for the band, How to Kill Houseplants sees influence from power-pop ballads, channelling the likes of 80s Aussie bands Icehouse and INXS. The soft acoustic guitar strums away tenderly, while synth embellishments poke through like shiny gems. Harper impassionately yearns a request on the chorus: Water me darling / love is a garden / it hasn’t rained and it’s starting to show.
Overall, Spacey Jane have done something special with their third album. Perhaps it’s because the band let the creative process breathe on this one, taking a full year of songwriting to piece it together. You can definitely hear this extra space throughout the album - there’s a keen attention to detail, especially among the varying drum sounds and guitar tones. At times, If That Makes Sense is electrifying and sparkling. But then it slows right down, and the emotions are drawn out, so much so that it feels like Caleb Harper is singing directly to you.
Photo credit: Cole Barash