A Deeper Look at Spacey Jane’s Debut Album Sunlight
‘Sunlight‘ is the debut album of Perth indie-rockers, ‘Spacey Jane‘. Released in 2020, the album gained traction through the hit single ‘Booster Seat‘, which went on to place second in the Triple J Hottest 100.
With the band now traveling the nation on their ‘Sunlight 2021′ tour, I’m taking a deep-dive into the record that set them on this path, uncovering whether Spacey Jane’s current success is dependant upon one hit single, or if there’s something greater at play.
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Formed in Perth in 2016, Spacey Jane consists of lead vocalist Caleb, drummer Kieran, guitarist Ashton and bass guitarist Peppa. The bandmates are known for their blend of garage rock and an indie/alternative sound.
Winning Triple J’s Unearthed competition in 2018, they’ve since experienced a sharp rise in popularity; placing in Triple J’s Hottest 100 of 2019 and 2020, participating in the successful stay at home festival Isol-Aid, and releasing their most popular song, ‘Booster Seat’.
So what else does Spacey Jane’s ‘Sunlight’ bring to listeners ears?
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The album opens with singles such as, ‘Good for You’, ‘Head Cold’, ‘Skin’ and ‘Good Grief’; all upbeat songs that feature strong vocals backed by catchy melodies. They also feature Spacey Jane’s classic Aussie garage-rock sound.
These songs are a great way to start off the album as they feature exciting riffs and moments to sing along to, but there aren’t many hidden layers behind these songs, as is the case with ‘Booster Seat’.
After this, the album begins to embrace the emotions and lyric complexity that ‘Spacey Jane’ are becoming known for.
The fifth song on the album, ‘Wasted on Me’, creates some much needed depth for the album, taking it to another level.
It’s here that the Perth group start to shine and come out of their shell, showing more complexity in their music and proving they aren’t just a one hit wonder.
They manage to combine their signature indie rock sound with open and vulnerable lyrics that cover issues they’ve have faced in their past.
‘Wasted on Me’ takes listeners through lead singer Caleb’s failed relationship. The powerful lyrics ‘you must feel like you wasted your life on me. I know, I feel the same’ place the song on par with ‘Booster Seat’, each connecting to listeners on a much deeper level compared to other album tracks.
By incorporating lyrics that resonate, listeners are able to relate the themes back to their own experiences and form a more personal connection with the songs that they may not have if the lyrics were generic.
This extra layer of depth really elevates the album as a whole, which flows onto track number six and listener favourite, the aforementioned ‘Booster Seat.’
The now iconic song is slow paced and centred on the feeling of losing control when in love.
The lyrics explore a kid swinging his legs in a booster seat, a metaphor for the feeling of powerlessness that love brings. The music and lyrics on ‘Booster Seat’ connect to listeners on a much more personal level than any other song on the album.
With the guitar and drums taking a backseat to allow for the vocals and lyrics to shine though, the change of pace on this song is unique compared to the other tracks on ‘Sunlight’.
A truly captivating song, ‘Booster Seat’ is worthy of all the praise it has received.
From here, Songs like ‘Weightless’, ‘Straight Faced’ and ‘Hanging’, bring back the quintessential Aussie indie-rock vibes, before delivering a stand-out highlight of the album- ‘Love Me Like I Haven’t Changed’.
The song displays a broad sense of emotion, exploring how people change over time and the fear that creeps in because of this.
It isn’t a song that you’d hear plastered across the radio, but it’s another one that holds a very emotional connection with listeners who have experienced similar feelings.
The diversity and layers hidden inside the album are channeled through the track, with lyrics such as ‘I didn’t wanna say too much, but I’m folding like a house of cards, like a cold wind through your hair at night, or a sad song on your mind again’.
The song illustrates that Spacey Jane isn’t just upbeat guitar riffs and catchy lyrics. The bandmates show their range in ‘Love Me Like I Haven’t Changed’, and in turn it provides a layer of depth necessary to the album.
Spacey Jane have burst onto the music scene like no other recent band has.
Their debut album, ‘Sunlight’ is very engaging overall, and in my opinion, the collection of tracks is at its best when the band stray away from the sound that made them popular.
While songs like ‘Good Grief’ and ‘Good for You’ are fantastic in their own right, and give a positive feel to the album, it’s in the more vulnerable songs that the band shows its strength.
Tracks like ‘Booster Seat’ and ‘Love me Like I Haven’t Changed’ show the diversity in Spacey Jane’s sound, highlighting why they deserve all the praise they’ve received after their strong showing in the Hottest 100.
‘Sunlight’ shines, indicating that Spacey Jane are well and truly here to stay.
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