TL;DR:
One of the most creative and unique acts around right now; listen to it.
9/10
Love You Jennifer B is the debut full-length project by electronic art-pop duo Jockstrap. Jockstrap is composed of singer and instrumentalist Georgia Ellery (of Black Country, New Road fame), and electronic producer and DJ Taylor Skye. Together, they make up one of the most strange, provocative, and oddly delighting acts around right now.
Formed in 2017, their previous releases consist of an array of singles, three EPs, and an endless variety of experimental efforts. Going into this record, I, like many others, had a hard time imagining what a full-length project of theirs could sound like since their works are known to be all over the place. What we end up with on this project is a slightly reined in and more focused version of some of Jockstrap’s previous banquets.
Right out the gate, on the first track “Neon,” we get an amazing example of what is to come and what makes Jockstrap such a creative and intriguing group. With Georgia Ellery’s genuine and melodic whispered vocals over a guitar, the first 40 seconds of this song lull you into believing this track might play out like your standard singer/songwriter ballad. Instead, the whole scene blows up into a hazy mix of synths, distorted guitar, and a set of drums that are so blown out, you’d think they threw the kit down a few flights of stairs during the recording sessions. Then, once the mix finds its feet, it evolves into a frighteningly surreal, grand, and catchy outro that in a sense acts as the overture for the record.
“Greatest Hits” is the first song here I would call a dance track. It has an amazing groove and the production is absolutely top-notch and completely unique. It sounds like nothing else in the world. Georgia’s amazing character shines very brightly in this cut, where she plays something akin to an ingénue. Singing these pure, genuine refrains “I believe in dreams. Do you?” and “For the first time, I like it when he’s inside. Thinking about the next time,” while Taylor continuously ramps up the complexity of the mix. The whole thing comes off like a stage play, where the two characters are fighting for the attention of the audience.
The next two songs, “What’s It All About?” and “Concrete Over Water,” are certainly the most approachable of the bunch. The latter is the primary single for the project. The former is the closest thing to a genuine singer/songwriter cut in this group of tracks. Beautifully written and beautifully produced, the hauntingly melancholic chords underneath Georgia’s forever pure and whispered vocals complement each other in a way that proves Jockstrap’s versatility as songwriters.
“Concrete Over Water” is a track I can only refer to as stunningly gorgeous. At this point in the record, it feels like Georgia and Taylor have reached this beautiful, pure harmony, where all facets of their personalities now seek to hold each other up. I wouldn’t spoil this track for the world; just listen to it.
While the lyric writing throughout the project has been phenomenal, “Angst” provides some of the most mature, poetic lines on the record and some of my personal favorites. This is a song written about what I can only seem to read as the struggles of being human and growing into a body that is demanding more and more of your mind each day. She sings “I feel sick/My organs bob about in the dark/In a mustard mist/In my stomach vase,” a little later adding “If it were a baby, I’d name her Angst.” This Angst then becomes the metaphor for her changing mind and body as a young woman and everything that came along with it.
“Glasgow” continues all of these trends with another singer/songwriter groove ballad. It’s a stunning track that highlights a bunch of the best parts of the record so far. With one of the catchiest melodies and a clear, driving guitar riff, the song tells the story of a relationship of lost feeling. Glasgow, from what I gather, becomes the symbol for her lost lover, refraining “I’m not coming to Glasgow/I’ll just see you at the shore”.
Then the closer track “50/50 – Extended Mix” is, admittedly, an odd choice for this record. It fits well within the context of their greater discography, but it certainly feels a little out of place on this record. However, ignoring the shock factor, I find this song to be another highlight of the tracklist. “50/50” is arguably the most Jockstrap-esque cut on the whole project.
Altogether, Jockstrap’s debut is an amazingly creative and versatile record, and it is absolutely worth a listen, whether you know them or not. There’s really nobody around doing it quite like these guys are. If you’re looking for the future of music, this is it.
If you liked this record, I would recommend you check out these:
*Georgia Ellery’s other band Black Country, New Road, and their record Ants From Up There.
*Classic experimental electronic duo Boards of Canada, and their record Music Has The Right To Children.