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The Jackson
Hives: Cafe Racer
Wilmington, NCs The Jackson Hives had already won me over in early 2002 when I reviewed their Self-Titled EP. The five intelligent pop songs on this debut emanated a tone of summer stupor and wistful gloom all at the same time. The highlight of this EP was its opening song, Cowboy, a tune whose opening notes alone have enough of an effect to move you to a melancholy state for hours. Cowboy is the only EP track that appears again (this time as the hidden closer) on Caf Racer, which is the bands first full-length effort. On this album, The Jackson Hives continue with eleven songs of what I like to call challenging pop music. The songs are filled with hooks that can easily implant themselves in your head for days, yet there are hints of intricacy that are missing from most pop songs. These intricacies come in the form of carefully placed dissonance (a la Pavement) and the occasional use of unique percussion and interesting synths. While I would claim that this is exactly what makes the record interesting, it is also the reason these well-crafted pop songs probably will never be found on the likes of standard alternative radio. The overall sound on Caf Racer continues with the Southern jangle and brit-pop influences that were also pervasive throughout their self-titled EP. Most of the songs are mid-tempo and are the type that grow on you with each listen. The witty lyrics tell of situations that you want to know more about. In summary, this is the kind of record that draws you in and keeps you listening.
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