Spacey Jane’s ‘If That Makes Sense’ is a striking musical mosaic of nostalgia, reflection, and regret

Recommended Tracks: “Whateverrrr,” “Estimated delivery,” “Through My Teeth”
Artists You May Like: Lime Cordiale, The Rions, Pacific Ave

Spacey Jane’s brand new album If That Makes Sense is complete with the raw, self-indulgent sound and poignant, poetic lyrics that the band is known for. The Aussie indie standouts have improved dramatically since their last album, Here Comes Everybody, nearly three years ago, with each track complementing new musical experimentations and explorations.

The album opens with an intro that leads into “Through My Teeth,” a track that falls into place alongside many on the album which are meant to evoke pangs of tender nostalgia. Caleb Harper, the band’s lead singer, has mentioned that it’s meant to explicate feelings of metamorphosis and maturity, combined with the added inadequacy that lingers when comparing your own experiences to those of your friends and peers. 

“Whateverrrr” is a bittersweet ode to past adolescence, with layered vocals and impressive chords that transport you back to the days of lawn sprinklers and sweltering summer afternoons. The track reflects on the freeing yet tumultuous teenage years, recognizing that, for better or for worse, going back is never an option. Lyrically, it juxtaposes the ideas of “whatever” and “I’ll think of you forever” in an almost paradoxical manner, and highlights the struggle of knowing that those memories will remain just that: memories. 

“All the Noise” hit the ground running as the first single for this project, and it is anything but subtle. Unlike their ponderous previous tracks, “All The Noise” is raw, fiery, and complete with a tinge of persistent anger with smashing guitar riffs reminiscent of The Strokes. In stark contrast to the usual carefully strung, moody lyrics, “All The Noise” is coarse and unpredictable. It expresses the frustration and exasperation of battling with unanswerable questions — being so overwhelmed with these spiraling thoughts that suddenly, “It’s all just fucking noise.” 

“Impossible to Say,” lyrically, lives up to it’s name. It’s a mishmash of apologies, reflections, confusions, and uncertainties, blurring and bleeding into each other. All of this is tied together with melancholy, surf indie instrumentals. The initially unclear message allows each listener to assign their own meaning with the elements that resonate the most. 

“How to Kill Houseplants” is actually a reference to the title track of their debut album Sunlight. The metaphor woven within the lyrics is the persistent struggle of keeping love alive, and how it is consistently more difficult each and every time. The lyrics are strikingly visual: the lines, “Water me darling / love is a garden / It hasn’t rained and it’s starting to show,” describe a partner desperately pleading with the other to reciprocate their feelings of devotion. The strains between them have only worsened, and the once flourishing green leaves of love have gradually decayed into frail and sickly browns, destined to decompose in the soil as if it was never really there. 

The gripping and introspective track “I Can’t Afford to Lose You” describes the feelings of devastation and desperation before the inevitable end of a relationship: the cold nights, the fights, the tears, and the desperate attempts to hold on to whatever’s left until your hands get calloused and your knuckles turn white. The lyrics recount the cycle of endlessly trying to convince yourself that you can live without them. You know, however, that you’d crack, crumble, and falter without them to lean on. The worst part is that you recognize that this outcome is your fault, and it only comes to fruition when it’s too late. Battling with the consequences of your actions leaves you guilty and regretful. 

“So Much Taller” is another standout through its poignant imagery, but also through its unique vocal distinctions and instrumental organizations. The vocals feel like they’re trying to catch up with the backing instrumentals, which play into the imagery of this track. The metaphor of being chased by a “big black dog” is meant to visualize the persistent and unrelenting nature of a lifelong battle with depression, with repeating taunts of “you will never be enough and you will never be loved” that are meant to keep you down. The lyrics also explore the concept of running from problems that seem too overwhelming or intimidating to conquer. Even though you’re older and braver now, you still cower in the face of them.

“The More That It Hurts” is structured very uniquely; it’s made up of three choruses combined with two alternative “verses” in the middle. This track explores the feeling of being in denial that a relationship is ending soon. It confronts the mental excuses of fabricating possible solutions or explanations, but never fully admitting that it is destined to end sooner than you think.

The drums, hi-hats, and unique sampling all work together make “Estimated Delivery” uniquely addictive and wonderful. The song describes the idea of distance, in every sense of its definition, whether it’s the strain of being physically far away from your roots, or feeling the growing distance between you and a partner who may be sitting right next to you. Overall, the underlying theme is the isolation distance brings, and the toll it takes on the heart.

“Falling Apart” is introspective yet doubtful, which aligns with the main themes of the album. The interesting inclusion of the marxophone, a stringed instrument dating back to the early 1900s, creates a smooth melody which decadently descends through the gradual chord changes. This track is reminiscent of the uncertainties of where exactly you are in terms of your life. Whether it’s the exhaustion of sprinting to catch up to your peers, or worrying that your best years are behind you, it’s honest and beautifully unsure of itself. 

“Ily the Most” is an otherworldly, floaty ballad which is highlighted by delicate piano notes in the verses. However, when the chorus hits, you feel as if you’re overwhelmed by a wall of sound, like someone is in the room playing it for you. Sonically, it takes a lot of inspiration from Coldplay in its composition. This track stands out as a vulnerable and sincere yet simple love song, expressed through the lingering fear of losing your lover. A love song in any capacity is quite rare to see in the band’s discography, but it retains that complex introspection that Spacey Jane songs are known for. 

The album closer “August” is a gorgeous entanglement of acoustic guitars, synths, piano, voice memos, and midi instruments. It’s also a lyrical conglomerate of the unresolved feelings that arise from moving so much that you don’t have time to plant roots anywhere, and the strain that moving takes on the people you care about, but it’s tinged with the rose-colored glasses nostalgia brings.

After hearing this album, I can say with complete confidence that Spacey Jane have absolutely outdone themselves. Their vocals, production, instrumentals, and mixing have matured leaps and bounds since Here Comes Everybody. Being able to lean on each other not only as band members but also as close friends has given them more confidence in their own musical abilities. This confidence has allowed them push, explore, and reinvent their own creative boundaries beyond what was thought possible. The thoughtful and poetic lyrics that Spacey Jane is known for are masterfully elevated by the matured production. This album is a spectacular exploration of the regrets, falters, guilts, and lessons that can only be learned along the tumultuous yet beautiful journey into adulthood. 

The band also recently revealed their upcoming world tour in celebration of If That Makes Sense. The run begins on September 3 and will take them across North America, the UK, and Europe, including a two-weekend appearance at Austin City Limits this October. This tour follows their hugely successful headline run in Australia and New Zealand, which has already sold over 50,000 tickets. Tickets are available here, with the full list of tour dates below.

SPACEY JANE TOUR DATES
September 3 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre*
September 4 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl*
September 6 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia*
September 7 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club – Music Hall*
September 9 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club*
September 11 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel*
September 14 – Montréal, QC – Studio TD*
September 15 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall*
September 17 – Chicago, IL – Metro*
September 19 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue*
September 21- Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre*
September 23 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex*
September 25 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox*
September 26 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom*
September 27 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom*
September 29 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore*
September 30 – Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre*
October 2 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre – Tucson*
October 3 – Sunday, October 5 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Music Festival
October 8 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall*
October 10 – Sunday, October 12 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Music Festival
October 15 – Dublin, IE – 3Olympia^
October 19 – Glasgow, UK – Barrowland Ballroom^
October 20 – Newcastle, UK – University^
October 21 – Nottingham, UK – Rock City^
October 23 – London, UK – O2 Academy Brixton^
October 24 – Manchester, UK – The Academy^
October 25 – Sheffield, UK – The Leadmill^
October 26 – Bristol, UK – Beacon^
October 28 – Paris, FR – Alhambra^
October 29 – Amsterdam, NL- Melkweg Max^
October 30 – Berlin, DE – Hole 44^
November 1 – Cologne, DE – Club Bahnhof Ehrenfeld^
November 2 – Ghent, BE – Wintercircus^

*w/ support from The Belair Lip Bombs
^w/ support from Mia Wray

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