Take Me to the Sea
| Take Me to the Sea | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 19, 2008 | |||
| Recorded | 2008 | |||
| Studios | Two Sticks Audio, Seattle | |||
| Genre | Art punk | |||
| Length | 42:26 | |||
| Label | Matador Records | |||
| Producer | J. Clark | |||
| Jaguar Love chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AbsolutePunk | 89% link |
| Allmusic |   link |
| Gigwise.com | link |
| NME | 7/10 link |
| Pitchfork Media | 6.8/10 link |
| Rockmidgets.com | link |
| The Skinny | link |
| Sputnikmusic | link |
| World of Music |  [1] |
Take Me to the Sea is the debut studio album by American post-punk band Jaguar Love, released on August 19, 2008, by Matador Records.[2][3] The band, formed by former members of the Blood Brothers and Pretty Girls Make Graves, recorded the album with founding drummer J. Clark producing; it was the only Jaguar Love album to feature him.
Background and recording
[edit]Jaguar Love was formed in 2007 by vocalist and keyboardist Johnny Whitney and guitarist Cody Votolato, both formerly of the Seattle post-hardcore band the Blood Brothers, together with drummer Jay Clark, previously a guitarist in Pretty Girls Make Graves.[4][5] The Blood Brothers and Pretty Girls Make Graves had previously toured together, and Clark and Votolato had been friends in Seattle.[4] After the Blood Brothers split, Whitney and Votolato began writing together; Clark joined and the three relocated to Portland, Oregon, working on early material in a converted shack behind their house before moving to a larger space downtown.[4][5]
The band signed to Matador Records, the former label of Pretty Girls Make Graves, with the deal announced in January 2008.[2] A self-titled EP preceded the album in June 2008.[6] Take Me to the Sea was recorded in 2008 at Two Sticks Audio in Seattle, with Clark producing and engineering.[6] Four of its songs—"Highways of Gold", "Georgia", "Antoine and Birdskull", and "My Organ Sounds Like..."—had previously appeared on demos the band circulated in 2007.[7] During development, "Antoine and Birdskull" carried the working title "Welcome to the Birdskull Palace" and "Georgia" was titled "Georgia, Take Me to the Sea".[7] The album leaked to the internet on July 15, 2008, about a month before its official release.
Composition
[edit]Take Me to the Sea marked a stylistic departure from the Blood Brothers toward a more melodic, pop-leaning sound while retaining an aggressive edge.[8] Critics described the record as an eclectic blend of punk, glam, post-rock, dance, and doo-wop influences, anchored by Whitney's high-pitched, falsetto vocals and Votolato's guitar work.[8][9] The ballad "Georgia" was singled out as a notable change of pace, with several writers comparing its softer, piano-led arrangement to Whitney's earlier project Neon Blonde.[7]
Critical reception
[edit]Take Me to the Sea received generally mixed-to-positive reviews. NME rated it 7 out of 10 and Pitchfork scored it 6.8 out of 10, while AllMusic gave it four stars out of five.[3] Drowned in Sound praised the album's energy and singled out "Vagabond Ballroom", arguing that the more nonsensical the lyrics became, the stronger the songs were.[9] Writing for Ink 19, the reviewer called it one of the best and riskiest releases of the year so far, describing it as a loud, delirious, and frequently campy record built on accomplished musicianship.[8]
Punknews.org highlighted Clark's drumming and Votolato's riffs and described "Jaguar Pirates" as a standout, but felt some tracks sounded rushed and underdeveloped.[10] Reaction was more reserved elsewhere: The Skinny and Sputnikmusic each rated the album two out of five. Across reviews, Whitney's shrill, high-register vocals were the most divisive element, embraced by some critics as the band's defining feature and cited by others as an obstacle to the songs.[9][7]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Jaguar Love.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Highways of Gold" | 3:39 |
| 2. | "Bats over the Pacific Ocean" | 3:44 |
| 3. | "Jaguar Pirates" | 4:31 |
| 4. | "Georgia" | 5:56 |
| 5. | "Vagabond Ballroom" | 3:51 |
| 6. | "Humans Evolve into Skyscrapers" | 3:50 |
| 7. | "Antoine and Birdskull" | 3:43 |
| 8. | "Bone Trees and a Broken Heart" | 3:38 |
| 9. | "The Man with the Plastic Suns" | 4:31 |
| 10. | "My Organ Sounds Like..." | 5:09 |
Personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from the album and contemporary reporting.[4][6]
- Jaguar Love
- Johnny Whitney – vocals, keyboards, piano
- Cody Votolato – guitar, bass
- Jay Clark – drums, keyboards, production, engineering
References
[edit]- ↑ "musik angehört". WOM magazin (in German) (September 8). World of Music: 24.
- 1 2 Jaguar Love. Matador Records. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- 1 2 "Take Me to the Sea – Jaguar Love". AllMusic. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Natural born musicians: Jaguar Love". ALARM. 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- 1 2 "Consider the Slate Cleaned". Submerge. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Matador signs Jaguar Love (ex-Blood Brothers, Pretty Girls Make Graves)". Punknews.org. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Jaguar Love: Take Me to the Sea". Treble. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Jaguar Love – Take Me to the Sea". Ink 19. October 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Album Review: Jaguar Love – Take Me to the Sea". Drowned in Sound. August 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- ↑ "Jaguar Love – Take Me to the Sea". Punknews.org. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Take Me to the Sea at Discogs (list of releases)
