Jaill
Traps
Milwaukee, WI
(Sub Pop)
“’90s Britpop on a California coastal summer drive”
The infectious Milwaukee trio lends the listener something incredibly uncommon – the larkish third release that’s superior to any previous release. Traps isn’t just a standout indie rock album, it’s a nod to the genre’s mid-’90s legacy, even boasting the indie rock trinity: bass, drums and guitar.
“Everyone’s a Bitch” is not only the best song Jaill has written, it’s a middle finger to today’s laptop music scene. Singer Vincent Kircher storms the gate with the anthem “everyone’s a bitch – tonight.” Jaill then continues to play the greatest card in the rock and roll deck: keep it simple. The hooks and melodies are refreshingly straightforward, barbing the listener’s memory, most exemplified on the chorus where Kircher transitions to the verse, “Did you know she wants to rock n’ roll?”
The album shambles with Britpop swagger, a clean production scores high on differentiation: boastful guitar solos, acoustic sauntering ballads, fervent harmonies and stomping rhythms. Kircher owns the spotlight as he boasts an exclusive vocal style – nasally, but not grating (think Clap Your Hands Say Yeah). In many ways, Traps feels like a lost Supergrass album, and for that they deserve recognition.