Seattle's Jet///Lag has unleashed a goddam gem with their latest EP, 'I'll Be the Same.' This 5-song banger, released on January 12, 2024, pushes, but, thankfully, never breaks the boundaries of the middle of a punk, power pop, and cleverly sardonic lyricism Venn diagram.
Jet///Lag, consisting of Adam Bredlau (guitar, vox), Caelan McElroy Hunter (drums, guitar, vox), and Josh Padilla (bass, vocals), are architects of a familiarly unique sound that evokes Heavy Paul Westerberg/Replacements vibes, alongside shades of Superchunk, the Gaslight Anthem, the Menzingers, and, of course, Jawbreaker
Recorded, engineered, mixed, produced, and mastered by Don Farwell at Earwig Studios, this EP boasts a colossal sonic landscape. Guitars are heavy and combative. The bass is a growling, sometimes roaring lion reminding the jungle who’s really king. The drums are an avalanche cascading down the mountain side and through the canyon. This is a huge sounding record that demands a long drive with the windows down and the stereo cranked up while sunglasses hide streaming tears from the knowledge that mortality is fading and all we have are the memories of first kisses and last chances...pounding one's fist on the ceiling of the car and shouting along to
Have my lips offered all they're worth?
I'll be the same in different terms.
Wise enough to feel the shame, or some sorrow to fill all these days.
What I'm saying is...Don Farwell really captured a moment.
The lyrical prowess of Jet///Lag shines through in tracks like "Fireside," where self-reflection collides with indifference, creating a poignant narrative. "Lucky for Now" unveils Adam Bredlau's strangely vulnerable swagger- the kind of swagger that comes from waking up with the knowledge you won the night out with the crew last night and have the sore head, scratchy voice, and bruises to prove it…you didn’t win the actual drunken fight, but the relationships are stronger having shared the struggle. The vulnerability really manifests itself on Lucky for Now within the lyrics:
We've been waiting for a moment to keep us on our toes.
It used to be more than i could dream when i was seventeen.
I used to love myself.
Or on Porch Talks with:
I don't think that I'll figure it out.
Transfiguration's that have been run down.
I've been thinking, we've been talking, now I'm crossed out.
Five more answers that I've been planning, but now I'm crossed out.
This EP deftly ties powerful and energetic, but also pensive and reflective... akin to staring down a crack in the sidewalk and then wondering why you didn’t try to avoid it before tripping and then suddenly remembering it's someone you love's birthday; the crack is still there, the pain in your toe is still there, but joy has overtaken it.
However, the EP concludes with a "twist." The final track, "Rocket," teases a closing credits moment, where the hero rides into the sunset after the final battle without us knowing if they’re going to live or die…and right as we're on the brink of resolution, it quickly fades out, a bold move that elicits both admiration and lingering suspense...and....you know what...It makes me mad. I love this EP, but that fade out really pisses me off. I'm going to keep listening to it, and demand that everyone else listen to it as well, and I'll probably hold that anger in, but it's there. I just want you to know that.
Embark on this musical voyage through 'I'll Be the Same' on Spotify.
For those seeking a tangible connection, secure your copy on Bandcamp.
Last words:
Jet///Lag's EP is a nostalgia-packed, punk-infused joyride—a trip that's definitely worth the ticket. Here's to music that punches you in the gut while making you grin.