Jonquil caught me off guard with their name. “Its so strange,” I thought. Then I decided I have to give them a listen with a name this strange. Lucky for me, their music was relaxing and soothing to the ears. A very relaxed and melodic indie band, Jonquil is a band I recommend everyone to listen to.
Their album, Point Of Go, begins with a song called “Swells.” This song starts with a quiet synth with a snare-less drum beat. The vocals ease in and sooth your ears. You suddenly realize that you are dancing along with the music. “Getaway,” the next song, is a little more upbeat and bass heavy, but it is still a song to relax to.
Songs like these guys are making remind me very much of the Fleet Foxes. They are indie, quiet, melodic, and most of all, beautiful. Jonquil has a different sound than the Fleet Foxes, but the comparison is noticeable.
“Run” is a song that is upbeat and ready-to-go. It is very catchy with the keys and synthesizer. The drums have a lot of quick fills, and the musicianship is more difficult. I must say this is the most beautiful pop song I have ever heard. “Real Cold” is another one of these upbeat songs. Featuring a catchy riff, the song makes it way forward with Hugo’s beautiful vocals and work on the synth.
“Mexico” is a tribal song that is happy and relaxing. The tribal beat makes you wanna dance and sing along, but this song can also be a great beach song. “History Of Headaches” gives you the furthest thing from a headache. If anything this song can replace Tylenol. Soft on the ears, this song is a great one for taking a nap to. The song builds near the end with the catchy guitar picking and the increasing drum roll. The end explodes into a sound of triumph and success. It is truly a beautiful moment in the album. As the song crashes at the end, the album rolls into the last song, which is instrumental. The piano and guitar are playing a soft tune together over a background of static. This is a beautiful way to end the album because it sums everything up in 60 seconds. Beautiful and clever.
Jonquil is a band I am excited to see grow. A mix of the Fleet Foxes and Tokyo Police Club, these guys are geniuses. They use such an array of instruments throughout their songs as well. You should listen for the horns in “Swells” and the cowbell in “It’s My Part.” There is even a hint of tambourine in “Run.” These guys are geniuses, and I cannot wait wait to see what they can accomplish.
For more information on Jonquil check out their Bandcamp, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter pages. Get Point of Go now on iTunes!