Album Review: JAWS – Be Slowly
2 min read
Hailing from Birmingham, 4-piece indie band JAWS, made up of Connor Schofield, Alex Hudson, Eddy Greach and Jake Cooper, made waves in 2012 when they splashed onto the scene with singles like Cameron, Donut and Toucan Surf. Their Milkshake EP twice sold out in 2013 and the band quickly gained traction and earned a reputation for delivering a charismatic laziness to their sound that cemented their fans. JAWS were here to stay and Be Slowly proves it again. Their highly anticipated debut album is everything we could want from JAWS – a nice little escape from reality, complete with dreamy lyrics, easy melodies and a 1980’s indie rock vibe that will give you instant street-cred just for having been exposed.
Be Slowly opens with Time, one of seven brand new tracks. It’s a perfect intro and acts as a nice warm up for the crowd pleasers to follow. Tracks like Swim, Sunset State and Cameron – already a fan favourite and one of the top contenders for some serious airplay – are the little gems on this one. They bring light and warmth to the record. Gorgeous melodies paired with lyrics about being young and carefree and escaping for a little while make it fun, easy listening. Gutsy tracks like Gold and Home are heavier on Hudson’s guitars and add a contrasting depth to the record. Be Slowly, the title track, lands somewhere between The Cure and Hoodoo Gurus and is quintessential JAWS. If you want to know what this band is about, this is the tune to check out.
Think Too Much takes Be Slowly to another level and is this reviewer’s personal favourite. Slower in tempo, darker in lyrical content with a killer hook, this track joins fellow UK artists The 1975 and The Big Pink in successfully fusing garage band shoe gaze and 80’s dream pop. It’s just cool.
Filth plays to the signature drone and understated confidence in Schofield’s vocals. It’s laid-back and dirty and repetitive and would be perfectly paired with a cider in the sun. Surround You is a fan-girl’s dream with an upbeat vibe and sweetheart lyrics that strays just far enough from their alternative rock vibe to stay typically JAWS. The record leaves us with NYE. A mature and fittingly reflective track that acts as a nice little goodbye and perfectly sums up the record. Take me far, far away / Take me far, far away are the lyrics we are left with and that is exactly what this album does.
Listening to JAWS’ debut album is like revisiting your favourite summer holiday, when there’s not much to do but lie in the sun and soak it up. Get your hands on a copy of Be Slowly and get ready to tell your mates you knew them before they were famous. JAWS have delivered.
