“Summer Holiday”
from the album Gemini
2010
iTunes
A lot of people work their whole life struggling to make music a life pursuit, switching bands, touring and such. Often times it comes to naught, but occasionally it leads you on a path of your own. Such is the case for Jack Tatum, the man who composed the music under the moniker Wild Nothing. His debut record Gemini is something of a hidden gem; it’s not overstated, yet there is a quiet beauty that lies beneath it all. Such is our luck.
Instantly you can tell that this album is going to be accompanying you on those days when you’re lost in your own mind, as the ringing guitar sounds, reminiscent of New Order come in real low and soft. Tatum’s voice enters the picture in a similar manner, resting lightly atop the steady percussion and guitars. You can feel yourself lost in thought as the song plays into the next, “Summer Holiday,” which has a very similar appeal. Here you’ll find a more upbeat pace pushing you along, and female backing vocals that add to the overall layering of the song. It’s as warm and soothing as the title suggests.
While the first part of the song features some prominent guitar work, other aspects of Gemini are filled by electronic loops that provide a different sensibility to the record. Take “Bored Games” as an example, with a vibrant guitar wash splashing against the electronic beats. It pushes the songs in a bit of a speedier direction, which is contrasted by the rest of the sound breezily pushing against the beat to a wonderful effect. Still, the nostalgic musical references mixed with current fads such as warm washes over the vocals is where Wild Nothing earns its paycheck.
“My Angel Lonely” has some dark undertones that exist outside of the title itself. Echoing effects used on the vocals, along with that chiming guitar, give it a haunting sensation. Once again, as the wash effect billows in the background you find yourself in a state of bewilderment, completely absorbed in the song. Yet a few tracks later you find a somewhat stomp of electronic happiness fused with angular guitar lines walking beneath. Perhaps it might encourage you to circle about your room, but if not, you’ll at least have a slight boost to your step as this song comes through your speakers. This is just an example of Jack Tatum’s ability to mix things up, all the while staying in a range where he feels comfortable.
Stay tuned in until the album draws to its close, as you surely won’t want to miss the final moments of “Our Composition Book” and “Gemini.” This one-two punch is surely as rewarding as the rest of the Gemini, which really proves the point of our discussion here. Throughout a career as a musician it finally seems that Tatum has found his calling with Wild Nothing. It’s a creative album of melody and beauty to get lost amidst, which is all we really need sometimes from our favorite records.