Final verdict: 8/10 ★★★★☆
It is not so frequent that I spend a lot of time thinking before I write a review – I am the impulsive type, the kind of guy to listen to an album and instantly get to work on writing about it, my thoughts flowing in an endless stream, not always intelligibly, but without fail earnestly. At siliamusic.com, we have a saying, or rather an amalgamation of sayings, and that is that around these plains, we do journalism – journalism that is not forced, for it comes from the heart. Much like Romantic-era poetry, it is the influx of emotions that makes my work worth a dime, so trust me when I tell you that my reviews do not usually stem from heavy contemplation.
This one is brought to you following some brutal mental gymnastics, though. I had to think long and hard about Jackalico’s album “The Sun Under the Water,” because the thought processes it stirred in me were contradictory to say the least. The mix of pop-rock with psychedelia and ambient soundscapes reminded me an awful lot of David Bowie’s 1977 LP “Low,” but you can’t exactly say that, can you? I mean, “Low” is a classic among classics, and likening anything to it feels like blasphemy, so I was hesitant to bring it up when drafting this review – but then I realized that I have nothing to lose. This is my journalism, damn it. And for what it’s worth, I believe “Low” is a great record – so how does its modern-day alleged sound-a-like fare? Let us examine the facts.
Jackalico has been around for a while, releasing his first single in 2016. “The Sun Under the Water” – released in October 2022 – is his only full-length effort to date, and it certainly is an interesting album. It has a kind of refined magic that you do not commonly find in debut albums, which brings me to my first point; this thing is jam-packed with catchy hooks. Like, seriously.
The album’s opener (and namesake track!) had me invested from the get-go; “good enough,” I thought. But this album quickly went from “something” to “everything,” with “Unknown Vibe,” “Acid Waves” and “330AM” continuing that killer streak – needless to say, I was utmost pleased. I knew that the next 50 minutes or so would be an amusing ride, and “The Sun Under the Water” did not disappoint, ultimately.
The first four tracks were standard-fare – if very satisfactory – indie rock; there was no room for nit-picking in the face of the auditory experience I was confronted with. The production is tight, and again, the hooks are there. About halfway through the album, though, things took a more atmospheric, bordering-on-ambient turn, which is what led me to declare this album at least vaguely reminiscent of “Low.” From here on out, the psychedelia is almost always present, and the dense latter half of the album barely ever lets go. It’s strong stuff.
Tiffany Smalls is featured on track 6, “This Place Forgotten By Time,” contributing some truly ethereal and almost haunting vocals, and “Everyone Just Wants to Chill In the Room On Fire” only serves to further immerse the listener in that beautifully grotesque soundscape. If taken at face value, the latter song is akin to Bloodhound Gang’s smash hit “Fire Water Burn,” in which the roof is on fire, but we don’t need no water, let the motherfucker burn, burn, motherfucker, burn.
Tracks 8 and 9 were quite the comedown, but the album’s closer, the fascinating “Cyanide Waterslide,” made up for it all. It is a return to the melodic indie-rock form that was prominent in the album’s front half, and a return to form done well. I needed some poppy ear candy to feast on, and I was left low and wet (opposite of “high and dry”) – I got my fix. Today was a beautiful day, really.
“The Sun Under the Water” is an extremely promising debut, and I am curious to see where Jackalico will take his craft next. I suppose only time will suit to tell – I will be on stand-by in the meantime.
DISCOVER JACKALICO:
https://jackalico1.bandcamp.com
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