Album Review: JR JR – JR JR
2 min read
Michigan indie pop sensation JR JR have gone through a name change (formerly Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.), mainly due to fans thinking that Dale is a real person…Whoops! After wowing fans and critics with their debut album It’s A Corporate World in 2010 and their follow-up The Speed Of Things in 2013, the group is back with their third studio album JR JR. Will the new name change reflect on their direction?
From album opener As Time Goes we’re in for a boppy and addictive ride, something we’ve been used to from these guys. Single Gone was the perfect choice to release as the lead: its upbeat and warm atmosphere carries it well and the vocals and whistles are what gets it in your head. In The Middle has an exciting arrangement and its overall speedy vibe gets you moving, and the falsetto vocals in For My Brother are admirable and emotional.
There aren’t many of what you would call ‘slow jams’ on this album, every track is out there in its own way, bursting with energy. Break My Fall is one of the catchiest and upbeat tracks on JR JR, “I don’t know why I ever trusted you to break my fall” Zott bellows out in the chorus. The album ends on an obscure note, Listening To Outkast is an odd arrangement with its intriguing lyrics and captivating use of percussion.
JR JR is an album you’d enjoy in the summer, its laid back yet upbeat vibes are easy to dig and you’ll find yourself nodding along to each track before you know it. It would have been evened out quite nicely if the album had a ballad or two thrown in the mix, but if you’re up for some non-stop upbeat fun then hit JR JR’s self-titled album up.
