Jaded!

I feel old typing this, but Jaded take me back. The four-piece from Illinois take a no-frills approach to pop punk that is by no means fresh or new, but they tickle the nostalgia center of my brain. Really, Jaded grab the nostalgia center of my brain and strum it with a pick. You’d think that would hurt, but nope, it feels like that split-second moment of ecstasy when you crack a really stubborn knuckle. Oh, uh, where was I?

Right, pop punk. So, Jaded are an interesting band in that they exude charm and manage some endlessly catchy vocal harmonies without an above-average vocalist, or any demonstrable technical prowess with their instruments. Jaded’s songs lack a lot of bite, and Kyle McBain’s delivery has about as much passion as a middle school slow dance, not to mention every song is roughly the same mid-tempo crawl, much like Anberlin’s Cities. When McBain sings in his own slow, disaffected way, "Are you having fun, my friends, or am I boring you?" as a listener you almost feel like the band name is autobiographical. I don't directly address bands very often when I review them, but hey Jaded: I want each of you to drink one of those really huge cans of Monster before your next songwriting session. Play a little faster, a little more intricately, and McBain, man, put some heart, and a soul, and verve into what you sing!

My favorite track off of Take Two is “Something Better,” which hearkens back to really early Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer; y’know, the stuff that featured Anthony Green. The whole feel is down-tempo and simple, like 90s alt. rock, but the song rings out with a vocal round with layers of harmonies reminiscent of the best Blink-182 songs. McBain’s deadpan delivery even begins to endear itself to me by the end.

The most easily accessible track, however, has to be “Tonight,” with its driving, anthemic leads and strummy verses. Sure, I could call it cliche songwriting, but in this case, it’s more like timeless songwriting that has been good for decades. Listening to the chorus of “Tonight” is like drinking a hot cup of coffee in the morning. Jaded are like pop punk comfort food.

When it comes to playing in a genre as board and as storied as punk, half the battle is trying to forge something new, yes, but the other half is getting the basics down. So many bands neglect to ace their fundamentals, but if nothing else, Jaded can write a solid song. Let’s see where they go from here. - Decoy Music