Take Me to the Sea

Jaguar Love

In 2007, two prominent Washington bands broke up: the incredibly influential post-hardcore band The Blood Brothers, and the not so consequential (but still very beloved by me) post-punk outfit Pretty Girls Make Graves. In the wake of those breakups came the collaboration known as Jaguar Love and their debut album Take Me to the Sea: an album for which if viewed strictly through a rock lense is easily one of the most fun, thrilling and spirited records of the 2000s. Jaguar Love comprises vocalist and keyboardist Johnny Whitney, Cody Votolato on guitar and bass, and J Clark who performed drums, bass, keyboards and also handled everything pretty much on the technical side of things. All three members are no slouches and the chemistry is amazing. The three of them also just happen to write killer songs and Clark has captured this lightning-in-a-bottle feeling in it's most pure form.

Let's start with the vocals because I want to get this point of contention out of the way first. Is Johnny Whitney consistently off key? Yes. Could one describe Johnny Whitney's voice to that of a dying cat? Also yes. These are gonna be tough barriers to get over, especially outside of the noisy racket that The Blood Brothers made. However, I'm confident in saying that Whitney overcomes all of his tonal flaws by just being one of the most charismatic, singular, and energetic performers of his generation. The man truly is an absolute rock star and I value that so much more than an expressionless robot with perfect pitch. His high-pitched cleans are cartoony, but do grab the ear and leave a lasting memory. His screams, so incredibly shrill and fried out, and the way he can unsuspectingly shift from one extreme to the other makes him a very dynamic performer on top of everything else I mentioned. I love the way he goes totally manic on Jaguar Pirates. "Are you broke? Are you hungry? Are you lonely? Are you dirty? Did they sell your generation to a credit card company?" The way Whitney petitions his audience with all these epithets, I feel like we're on the cusp of a violent worker riot. Then we have the extremely catchy Highways of Gold where Whitney alternates between his usual piercing tone and these ad libs that somehow manage to reach new found levels of fever pitch. On the 60s-esque classic rock jam Georgia, Whitney sounds almost sultry, removing a lot of the searing bite he typically employs, with exception to the wild Janis Joplin-styled vocal embellishments he sprinkles throughout.

Instrumentally, the trio is just as fiery as Whitney's vocals. Highways of Gold grabs me immediately with a super catchy organ, tremolo strummed octave chords, and a fantastic drum pattern from Clark. In the verses, I love how the guitars drop out to provide space for Whitney's snarl and Clark's decision to move his intricate hi-hat pattern to the toms. Perfect example of great songwriting and creativity. Clark provides so many amazing drum performances all over the record but the man absolutely goes off on Jaguar Pirates. During the 'riot' section, Clark just wails away; playing more of an extended drum solo than an actual beat. When the dust settles and all we hear is Votolato's fight riff, Clark riffs effortlessly over it, creating one of the album's most memorable instrumental moments. Vagabond Ballroom has an awesome bassline in the verses that glides over a tight 16th note hi-hat drum beat. The chorus here also rages pretty hard.

Of course, the production just brings everything over the top. There are little details that demonstrate that not one single sound or moment was overlooked. The choice to use a crash cymbal with a rather long decay on Georgia feels just perfect; like a refreshing splash in the face everytime it's hit. Then there's the driven guitar sound on Antoine and Birdskull which is treated with what sounds like a little slap back delay and a touch of spring reverb. It is almost similar to that Dick Dale type of sound and creates a tone that would make it perfect for a Tarantino action film. It's modern, but there's still a vintage connection. Bats Over the Pacific Ocean sounds like there was an open invitation to join a jam held in an open single-level home, and with how wide the stereo image is, it feels like you are in the center.

I love this record. I think it has it all: exciting songs, impeccable playing and performances, wonderfully engineered, and thoughtful production. It is a little more palatable compared to the chaos and confusion that The Blood Brothers peddle, but to say this record lacks any bite would be utterly false. The spirit is just different. The energy is not so much anarchic (although there are still elements of that here), but rather shares a closer kinship to the freedom and liberation associated with seminal 60s and 70s rock bands. I don't remember 2008 so it's hard to say what kind of impact Jaguar Love had at the time, but I get the general sense that no Blood Brothers-adjacent project ever matched their level of hype. I find that thought deeply sad considering I hold Take Me to the Sea in such high regard. So, I implore you, go check out this gem. There's no need to thank me.