Following up from 2012’s debut If You’re Young, New Jersey’s Static Jacks’ sophomore album is full of bittersweet melodies of suburban drama.
This newest offering pays homage to garage rock but the majority of album is very much in the vein of the garage-indie that has developed over the past decade. Most songs follow a formula of clean lead guitar riffs above overdriven rhythm guitar and root-riding bass lines.
‘Wallflowers’ and ‘We’re Alright’ are the album’s two standout tracks typified by the lead guitar melodies in both songs.
The former tells the tale of a man thinking he has his perfect woman but getting something he didn’t quite expect. The song is catchy and very well produced but it’s the coupling of Ian Devaney’s voice and a high pitched sliding lead guitar line in the first verse that give it immediate likeability.
Same goes for ‘the later standout with its jangly repetitive guitar melody which breaks up what would be a bit of a drone.
The lyrical content of In Blue is pretty standard for any indie rock band; relationships breaking up and not being able to live without the girl in question, partying and the life lessons of early adulthood.
Most ‘serious’ music listeners will probably pass on Static Jacks but their songs’ catchy and likeable qualities certainly guarantee them a place on the hard drives of angst-ridden indie fans.
