Jagwar Ma - Every Now & Then

Jagwar Ma
Every Now & Then
2016
Spotify

Every Now & Then the second album from Australian Acid Rockers Jagwar Ma continues to push their psychedelic sound while also making a move towards to middle to gain a bigger audience. British Acid House (The Brtis love categorizing shit ad infinitum) is a huge influence on this new record from the very start. Jagwar Ma still very much feel like a rock band but these very specific influences really color the shapes and movements the album takes. The first track "Say What You Feel" begins innocently enough but eventually explodes in to an all out dance party where you can almost see the colors swirling around. They are much more up tempo than a contemporary like Glass Animals and more focused on keeping strong dance beats pushing everything forward. Even on a song like "Loose Ends" where the lyrics and singing are center stage, this beat just hangs in the back ready to pounce when you least expect it. Every Now & Then also has this really slimy feel, but not in a bad way, more in the sense that you really can not get a hold of it because it keeps wiggling and moving out of your grasp. The band also have this ability to make songs that could be very heavy and dense feel lighter and more fun. They don't take themselves all that serious and probably hope that you won't as well. Music should be fun for Jagwar Ma, and that really comes across on this record.

This loose feel doesn't always succeed however. "Give Me a Reason" which has a full on choreographed dance break, as tongue in cheek as it may be, really lays on the cheese thick to a point where it's just kind of annoying. "O B 1" the lead single off the album is almost a direct Primal Scream rip off and honestly is one of the weaker tracks on the record. When Jagwar Ma get locked in to really creating something specific that seems to be the point where they loose their way. Their instincts are so good that trusting those feels like some of the better choices they make on the album. "Colours of Paradise" the closing track seems loose and fun with each new movement changes into something new while never loosing it's soul. At times the record can feel very derivative and the affected vocals wear quite thin, however as a whole the record feels like Jagwar Ma is moving in the right direction. Certainly not a slump, but not a barn burner either.

7.8 out of 10