Today Orange Country-based pop-rock band THE JACKS have released their debut full-length album, Slowdance (order/stream). Leaving behind their gritty low-fi days, the quartet has reinvented their sound from the ground up. Masterfully melodic and mood drive, Slowdance, their self-produced debut blends the nostalgic punch of MGMT, the charisma/pop flair of Harry Styles, and the electricity of Arctic Monkeys.
In conjunction with the band’s new release, they will perform at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles on Friday, October 22. The show will feature support from Sarah and The Sundays and Sally Boy. Tickets are available HERE.
In 2020 after the band’s first U.S. headlining tour grounded by the global pandemic, THE JACKS lead singer Jonny Stanback locked himself away in their studio in Vernon, CA and began writing what would comprise their debut album. Produced and co-written by Stanback and guitarist Tom Hunter, the two pushed the boundaries of their old sound and emerged from their makeshift pandemic studio with Slowdance. With an equal dose of nostalgic indie pop and gritty rock n’ roll, the album is anchored by Jonny’s melodic instincts and mood driven songwriting as he explores his own journey through a mid-twenties first love, heartbreak, and finding his place in the world.
The album features the band’s captivating single “Mess I’m In” which features carefully constructed production that allows front man Jonny Stanback’s incredibly alluring vocals to take centre stage. The track progresses through a harmonic soundscape building its way toward the ever catchy chorus that will get stuck in your head for days.
“This song is about the end of a relationship, centralized around my experience of coming back to California,” Stanback explains. “The duality of a breakup is a motif throughout the song. The ‘mess I’m in’ describes this duality, where there is simultaneously relief, freedom, and possibility, as well as isolation, loneliness, and longing. The fun beat and melodies highlight the positive side, and the somber lyrical tone highlights the negative side.”
While still very fresh, THE JACKS impressive journey has seen them sign to Universal Music Group’s EDGEOUT Records and releasing two EPs with producers Matt Wallace (Maroon 5, The Replacements) and Joe Chiccarelli (The Strokes, The Killers). Having surpassed an incredible 8 million streams to date and reaching over 397k followers on Tiktok alone, these EPs grabbed the attention of sports fans and major networks alike, landing them syncs in the 2019 NCAA College Football season and performances at Notre Dame Stadium, Super Bowl LIII LIVE, and the NHL Award Show. The group toured extensively and made waves with their raw, gritty, and unhinged live shows, selling out clubs as well as earning slots at major rock festivals like Aftershock and Sonic Temple.