{"id":21757,"date":"2014-06-14T14:00:37","date_gmt":"2014-06-14T14:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/album-review-tigers-jaw-charmer\/"},"modified":"2018-03-17T15:10:48","modified_gmt":"2018-03-17T15:10:48","slug":"album-review-tigers-jaw-charmer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/album-review-tigers-jaw-charmer\/","title":{"rendered":"Album Review: Tigers Jaw – Charmer"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"When three members unexpectedly quit Tigers Jaw<\/strong> last year, many presumed that it was all over for the band. Confusion amplified when the two remaining members continued to tour, drafting in friends to fill the vacant spots and then a new album was announced \u2013 with all three of the ex-members returning to fulfil their recording duties. However, extraordinary circumstances can often produce equally extraordinary results and amongst the chaos of their backstage lives, Tigers Jaw<\/strong> managed to produce \u2018Charmer\u2019<\/em> – the strongest release of their career.<\/p>\n

Part swan-song, part phoenix rising from the ashes, \u2018Charmer\u2019<\/em> is a multi-faceted release, tackling a relationship breakdown from both sides. It wears different personalities and perspectives then discards them in the next verse and even has its own lexicon, one which drips with Twin Peaks references and humour. Ben and Brianna\u2019s vocals sounds better combined than ever before, confident in their maturity yet still remaining vulnerable. The harmonies on the improved \u2018Hum\u2019<\/em> sound more in sync than ever before, with neither taking centre stage.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The album\u2019s main theme focuses on the end of a relationship from both perspectives.\u00a0 While Ben sums it up with,\u00a0\u201cI was blind to how you destroyed me, you have a talent but you know that\u201d<\/em> in \u2018Nervous Kids\u2019<\/em> and \u201cI was a wreck and you were the saviour type\u201d<\/em> in the catchy \u2018Frame You\u2019<\/em>, Brianna counters with,\u00a0\u201cmaybe I am a liar, and there is nothing that is left for us, you are a permanent scar\u201d<\/em>. This mixed perspective storytelling suits the dual vocals of the band, and gives \u2018Charmer\u2019<\/em> layers that the band hasn\u2019t fully utilised in the past. The intimacy of this relationship is cemented with Twin Peaks references, used like an in-joke between a long-term couple – \u201cshout them from the top of the Twin Peaks\u201d<\/em> and \u201cfire walk with me until I\u2019m dead\u201d<\/em> add a knowing nod for fans.<\/p>\n

Alongside this theme is the \u2018Charmer\u2019that takes the album\u2019s title. A Brett Easton Ellis-type character on the surface, a portrait of narcissism and egotism, their throwaway attitude is the first thing that\u2019s apparent. The lines of \u2018Cool\u2019<\/em> and \u2018Slow Come On\u2019<\/em>, declare,\u00a0\u201cAll the girls are so champagne\u201d<\/em> and \u201cI don\u2019t ever take your calls, because I don\u2019t ever want them \u2013 does it turn you on?\u201d<\/em> Yet the end of \u2018Slow Come On\u2019<\/em> tears down this facade, with a piteous repetition of \u201cLet me in, let me in, let me in\u201d<\/em>.\u00a0 \u2018Slow Come On\u2019 <\/em>and \u2018Cool\u2019<\/em> justify each other as the formers \u201cWhy am I so cruel?\u201d<\/em> is answered with \u201cIt\u2019s a cruel world, but it\u2019s cool.\u201d<\/em> While this could appear abhorrent, even misogynistic out of context, it\u2019s obviously a faux-persona, rendered absurd by the heartfelt lyrics of \u2018Nervous Kids\u2019<\/em> or \u2018Soft Spoken\u2019s\u2019<\/em> \u201cCan\u2019t fix your life, can\u2019t even handle mine\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n

While the majority of the album is amazing, there are a few missteps, \u2018I Envy Your Apathy\u2019<\/em> has a dull Interpol-like drone and closer \u2018What Would You Do\u2019<\/em> is not only repetitive but way too long.\u00a0 However, in the whole picture these flaws hardly matter.\u2019<\/p>\n

Overall, \u2018Charmer\u2019<\/em> is Tigers Jaw<\/strong>\u2019s masterpiece, creating deep meaning from simple hooks and lyrics \u2013 all while making it sound easy. While we can\u2019t know what to expect next from the duo \u2013 at least we can revel in Tigers Jaws<\/strong>’ refusal to die quietly.<\/p>\n

5\/5<\/p>\n

\u2018Charmer\u2019<\/em> by Tigers Jaw<\/strong> is out now via Run for Cover Records<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Tigers Jaw<\/strong> links: Tumblr<\/a>|Facebook<\/a>|Bandcamp<\/a>|Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n

Words by Jay Sullivan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When three members unexpectedly quit Tigers Jaw last year, many presumed that it was all over for the band. Confusion amplified when the two remaining members continued to tour, drafting in friends to fill the vacant spots and then a new album was announced \u2013 with all three of the ex-members returning to fulfil their […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21758,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,8181],"tags":[5879,9773,822,796],"class_list":["post-21757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-album-reviews","category-post","tag-album-reviews","tag-charmer","tag-run-for-cover-records","tag-tigers-jaw"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAlbum Review: Tigers Jaw - Charmer - Already Heard Staging<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When three members unexpectedly quit Tigers Jaw last year, many presumed that it was all over for the band. 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