Single Reviews: Come to Rest & Problem Drinking

Two tracks from Jaggers x Lines turned up in my email for review today, and while self-described as an eclectic approach to pop, that is an understatement. With a combination of jazzercize audio, piano accents and horned instruments, Problem Drinking is an audibly invigorating mix in an otherwise stale genre. The main bulk of the track with Eliana Gray’s vocals has a comparable vibe to that of Paula Abdul’s Opposites Attract. There is no real pace or emotion to Gray’s vocal performance, but a speaking tone is a part of the Jaggers x Lines style and works well with Morgan Smillie’s mixes.

On the other hand, we have the short track Come to Rest, which runs for just over two minutes. The track itself starts off similar to A Perfect Circle’s 2004 adaptation of Depeche Mode’s 1984 track People are People. Much simpler in execution than Problem Drinking, Come to Rest has a simple keys/drum mix. But the visual representation is an eye-opener; a look into a mind off-kilter. Taking that nostalgic memory of peeling dried glue from your hand in primary school and twisting it into a video that causes an uneasiness as you watch them peel the “skin” off of their face. The combination of strobing lights, skipping video pieces, with fractured video effects, creates a feeling of agitation and unrest. Much like the phenomena of contagious yawning, your skin begins to itch when you watch the video. A well-directed video, but not one for the empaths in the room.

_{Review written by Alex Moulton}