Online

Western Jaguar hit the nail on the head when they described their music as “joyfully sad, yet joylessly happy”. Listening to their latest single, “Online”, I would add that it’s also effortlessly melodic and nostalgic.

The dopamine starts flowing early thanks to a clever little drop into the intro. It’s amazing how just 5 seconds of tension can feel so good upon release. The bass guitar riff demanded attention soon after and continues to own the narrative throughout the song – in a good way. The electric guitar and synthesizers bounce off of each other nicely creating a wall of atmosphere that gives the choruses their lift and energy.

As the atmospheric layers fall away and the song settles into its bass-driven first verse, the understated vocals begin: “Buzzcut, no fuss, he told me it was good luck to carve away the dead stuff.” I would describe the lyrics as purposefully vague in order to foster a feeling more than tell a story. We’re never really clued in to who “he” might be but he’s obviously someone with some influence over the narrator.

“He told me that I’d be alright. He read about it online.” Calling back the song title as we enter the chorus, we get some understanding of the central theme of the song – the convergence of thought between ourselves and the wealth of information at our fingertips. The lyrics seem to suggest a longing for a time before we were all so plugged-in, supported by the last line of the chorus, “Why’s everybody online?” This is a question that we can all sympathize with, especially as technology continues to blur the lines between what’s real and what’s purely 0’s and 1’s.

Western Jaguar delivers a simple yet effective guitar solo that gives the outro added weight as the instruments gradually fade alongside the refrain, “I read about it online.” While somewhat formulaic, “Online” still manages to hold your attention through well-timed pauses, dynamic build-ups, and interesting sonic textures – and at just 2:38, it leaves you wanting more, which is the highest praise I can give.