The Jogger's sophomore release, With a Cape and a Cane is a perfect CD for kickin' back, relaxin' and tappin' your foot to, some of it anyway.
Let's start from the top.
Track 1 - Ziggurat Traffic
The album wastes no time getting started, the first song starts with an almost indian-esque dual guitar riff that lets you know right off the get go that you'll be moving your head for the rest of the song. The drummer basically has one big solo, with what seem to be totally random fills and rhythms that somehow still manage to bring the song together. Everything is combined in a careful but seemingly aimless fashion, which somehow reaches a perfect balance in this opening track.
Track 2 - We've Been Talked Down
This song seems to take more of a focus on melodic lyrical patterns, patterns that you could find yourself whistling for hours on end. However, it provides a kick back type of feel to it and even ends with a nice long section of dual guitars which will make both of your ears fall in love with your headphones.
Track 3 - Wicked Light Sleeper
Bass, Bass, and more Bass...This song blesses us with a totally rockin' bass line that would make any jazz/blues player rock along, and that’s just the verse. The chorus provides some phenomenal guitar riffs. Simple, pure, and outstanding, all rolled into one. Towards the last quarter of the song, the two vocal tracks (one down the octave, one in the upper octave) provide a great contrast to the rest of the song. The part right after that provides even more of a contrast when it sounds like the whole band joining in on the singing, almost like a giant jam session for the vocal chords.
Track 4 - Era Prison
From the start of this track with its cool "clang-y" rhythm, which I assume was produced on a keyboard to the very end where the snare track was moved out of the middle of the recording and into both ears this song has what it takes to be one of the favorites of the whole album. The quick moving guitar parts and the hard hitting bass compliment the vocals and make your feet as though they are moving by themselves. The chorus has a slower feel than the rest of the song, which provides a nice break to the rest of the song. The bridges bass part sounds like something taken right off of a techno CD. Right after this, the breakdown hits you out of no where, and although different from the rest of the song, it makes for a great ending to this very catchy, very radio-friendly song.
Track 5 - Since you’re Already Up
The guitars on this track are amazing, both playing separate parts that mix so well and make you wonder how they can be in the same room playing them at the same time. There is only a small portion of time where the guitars are playing something together. If you're listening to this CD and have been waiting for a very catchy chorus to sing along to, look no further. The second this song hits the chorus, you are sucked in. It's a perfect halfway song for the CD. The only downside: the ending. The end guitar riffs fit perfectly in the song, but the fade out of the bass hits right at the end, come out of nowhere and leave may leave some wondering..."what the hell was that?"
Track 6 – Yawning Brahmins
This may be a slower track on the CD, but it’s surely nothing close to a ballad. Think of just a laid back jam session. This song has rolling guitar riffs and catchy bass lines. The breakdown once again has the separate guitar parts which The Jogger’s seem to know how to do flawlessly. There’s really not much else to say about this song, it’s another very well put together song, although The Joggers do something different with the end of this song, a fade out…and it goes right into the next song. A pretty cool ending for this song, and an even better start for the next one.
Track 7 – White Madam
The start of this Song will make you feel like you’re at a Gregorian chant concert. The song then kicks into a cool guitar riff/drum beat that lays down a perfect groove. The bass and two guitars seem to all take their turns at times, not always playing together. It makes it a call and response type song, which is a really interesting sound. However, this song is also kind of slower, compared to some previous songs on the CD. You start to get the impression that the rest of the CD might to let you down.
Track 8 – Night of the Horsepills
Once again, a slow song, even slower than the previous two. Keeping with what they seem to do best, there are two separate guitar parts going, one with a cool phaser effect happening. The chorus gets a bit more upbeat and uses the cool layered vocals again but the song then returns right back to where it was. This song would be a great contrast to the rest of the CD if the two songs before it weren’t slow as well.
Track 9 – Horny Ghost
A bit more upbeat, this song has a really cool starting riff to it, very simple but catchy. Really interesting pre-chorus and chorus, the guitar riffs are very spastic. Mixing those in with the driving, hard hitting bass it’s a great combination. In the middle section of the song they do the dual vocals with one in the middle octave one in a low octave. This then breaks into a section that comes out of nowhere, sounding almost nothing like the rest of the song. Immediately after that, a short but very powerful guitar solo which quickly fades away into a slow minute of the song. The next part, picks right back up and surprises the listener, the only hint was a short acceleration in the slow part. The song then goes right back into the opening riff, which is what it ends on. Not a great track, but one that you can listen to and enjoy.
Track 10 – Apache Figurines
This song, although it may throw you off at the beginning drum beat will make you think of the Beach Boys meets The Killers meets Modest Mouse. However, that’s about all I can say about it. I’m not sure that I like the idea of this song ending the CD. It wouldn’t be bad if the last 4 out of 5 (including this one) weren’t so slow. This song would have been a good ending song, as a way to wind down almost, if the last few songs were quick and up tempo. The song itself, is not horrible, a fairly simple song, which, like I said would be a good ending song if the tracks before it were a bit quicker.
Overall:
First half of the CD: Superb Indie-Pop. These are the songs that you will find yourself humming/whistling/singing for days, a very good way to start a sophomore album.
Second half of the CD: Not as great as the first half. The songs seem to trail off and the CD seems to lose the energy it previously had.
