loud paper

The Jealous Sound
The Jealous Sound EP
Better Looking Records

Crafting a perfect EP is a tricky business. The Archers of Loaf did it once, so did Pavement. With the risk of sounding easy to please, The Jealous Sound ashes of honor-roll band Knapsack and each of these five complex concise tracks is full of surprises. Blair Shehan can sing. In fact, Blair Shehan could sing his grocery list to me and I would be happy. What carries this release though is not his voice but an understanding of how to wield it and a whole mess of production. The Jealous Sound’s restrained and layered vocal tracks, varied instrumentation and interwoven song structures give the songs a certain sheen and also distance them from the quite-loud emo bin into which Knapsack releases were often tossed. Many of the songs are slow to develop and demand some attention. "Priceless" for example has like three different choruses, all buried deep down, the buckshot in the Christmas goose. Some might call these "overwrought" but each cut has its own integrity that can survive the numerous competing elements or length." Anxious Arms" is nearly five minutes, way above the pop-punk ceiling. The Jealous Sound don’t necessarily innovate, but like Kobe Bryant out on the floor, man, can they create. On a side note, the packaging is a little listless, which is a disappointment given the strong showings by the three Knapsack releases.