“A Reminder” – Stolen Jars
8.9/10 | Indie Rock
Referring to an album as indie rock almost feels insulting sometimes. Genres in general can be extremely limiting and largely meaningless, but “indie rock” is somehow the most generic descriptor of all. By being such a large catch-all, it also manages to fail to get across the sound because everybody has a different perception of it. All of this is to say that indie rock includes an exceptionally wide variety of interesting and unique albums, including the newest release from Stolen Jars.
If I had to pick a single word to describe A Reminder, it would be “airy.” There’s a certain aloofness to this album, with light instrumentation and flitting melodies interlacing somewhere high above. This element is integral to the success of the music, as can be heard “Younger Nights.” The various tracks seem to be completely unrelated, yet they never manage to fall into discord. Instead they manage to come together to be equal parts driving and relaxed, dense yet unbounded. The intelligent use of electronic flourishes and multiple vocals in the allow the soundscape to hinge on the repetition of “I was hoping I could love myself.” It is a powerful closing to the song and shows Stolen Jars at their best.
While not always the case, it is definitely a frequent occurrence for the best song on an album to be the one with the best chorus. This is the case on A Reminder, whose showstopper is the late track “Interstate.” With verses driven by percussion and discordant mechanical trills. The chorus makes excellent use of background harmonies to strengthen the end product dramatically. Once more, despite the wealth of layers, there is a lot of empty space in the soundscape. By using harmonies and discordance at once and balancing the two,
Stolen Jars serves as a wonderful reminder that not all things that fall under the “indie rock” genre are the same, but that they can all be strong in their own right. A Reminder is a light fare, but enjoyable from beginning to end.
Koda Music 