The Jared Project – Part I

A freeing sound full of hope and defiance lends the Jared Project’s “Part I” a lovely hue. Forgoing simple genre restrictions, they create a work that feels uniquely their own. The jumps from slowcore to garage rock to tender indie pop feels flawless. Lyrics help to tie the whole of the journey together. Deft storytellers they explore the ups and downs that define a life. Reflection, longing, questioning what happened to lead to this very moment, all of it has a careful considered tact to it. Rhythms too find their way through this potpourri of potential paths. Everything deserves to be taken in as a singular whole with not a moment forgotten.
References abound throughout the whole of the adventure. On the gentler side of things, they go for Jon Brion’s urbane, sophisticated take on pop. For the harder edged riffs, they draw upon garage rock revivalists like Ty Segall making a maelstrom of sound. Perhaps their most impressive display is the slow moving vocal heavy quality that feels reminiscent of Low’s patience, persistent rhythms. This is where they effortlessly display their understated yet beautiful choirs.
By far the highlight comes from the gorgeous opener “Mexico”. The delivery feels flawless. Within the piece they explore so much terrain in an unhurried fashion. Everyone’s voice has a unique balance to it. A crescendo of sorts occurs but it happens on their own terms. Melody-wise the whole of the piece feels akin to a waking dream. Percussion goes for an emotional impact while it carefully keeps the pace.
A playful disposition rule over “90s”. Aptly named the song’s sound proves to be a throwback to the infectious energy of early 90s indie rock. Instrumentally vibrant (is that a record scratch) the song radiates pure happiness. Layer upon layer is applied with such care as the whole of the track goes for an all-consuming quality. Production values feel gorgeous with the intimate “Where Am I Going?”. Sung with the utmost of earnestness, the way it unfurls gives it a contemplative ode. Lyrics reveal a tale of confusion, of trying to discover oneself. For the finale they go for a gentle disposition with “Flowers”. A peppy upbeat tempo helps it along while it embraces a certain twee aesthetic. Hints of a theatrical flavor filter into the work giving it a breezy quality.
The Jared Project presents a thought-provoking piece of pop on the powerful “Part I”.