Last September there was a promise that Jackal’s fourth album would be finished before the end of this year.  True to their word, Jackal have just released Castle in the Air for free digital download or, as a bit of a novelty and a sign of the times, on Vinyl.

Four albums down and it’s still hard to pin Jackal’s sound down to a specific style or genre. An artefact of my limited vocabulary one could say, but as I tried to articulate in my review of their previous album, Only Everything, Jackal aren’t a band to sit quietly in the corner and colour between the lines. There are elements of Funk, Alternative Rock and a whole lot of Progression.

Where Only Everything felt like an experiment in different styles and a search for direction, I recall Red Hot Chili Peppers moments and Pantera/Led Zepp times. It was a pick ‘n mix of sound.

Castle in the Air is a more mature record that mixes the loud bits and the quiet moments instead of polarising them.  It feels like Jackal have found their way.

The first four songs, which would be Side One of the vinyl, remind me of the last time vinyl was cool. Back when bands put out albums that weren’t so much a collection of songs as they were a sixty minute jam session. 

While there is nothing wrong with picking a track off Castle in the Air and going with it, something we’re so used to doing in the age of MP3, I highly recommend starting at Out like a Light and let your love for Jackal build up with the gentle exponential progression that peaks as Big Top rips your face off. Then keep on going until Was Dreaming lays you down softly on your back.

If you haven’t heard of Jackal, get this album. If you loved Only Everything and the raw, live feel of Furnace Creek, get this album. If you feel Smashing Pumpkins have sucked since the 90s, get this album. If Tool are taking too long, and you feel Courtney Love should let Nirvana release more of Kurt’s last recordings, get this album. Really, what I’m trying to say is you don’t need an excuse. Get this album, press play at track one, and give it a chance.

Unless the world gets over Lorde and those insufferable post-teen American dropkicks, Castle in the Air is going to be the most underrated album of the year, which is unfortunate because people really need to hear this album.

Castle in the Air is available to download for free from almost everywhere, but to show your support I’d suggest the Jackal Bandcamp (http://jackalband.bandcamp.com/album/castle-in-the-air).

• 1
  Anxiety Club
• 2
  Devilskin
• 3
  Coridian
• 4
  Take Hold
• 5
  Skinny Hobos
• 6
  L.A.B.
• 7
  Head Like A Hole
• 8
  Shihad
• 9
  Villainy
• 10
  Like A Storm

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• 1
  TOO SWEET
  Hozier
• 2
  BEAUTIFUL THINGS
  Benson Boone
• 3
  LOSE CONTROL
  Teddy Swims
• 4
  I LIKE THE WAY YOU KISS ME
  Artemas
• 5
  SATURN
  SZA
• 6
  STICK SEASON
  Noah Kahan
• 7
  END OF BEGINNING
  Djo
• 8
  LIKE THAT
  Future And Metro Boomin feat. Kendrick Lamar
• 9
  ESPRESSO
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 10
  WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE)
  Ariana Grande

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