This is a fairly run-of-the-mill indie rock singer-songwriter record that never really elevates itself enough to distinguish itself in a sea of records that sound like this. (We’re on decades of music like this existing.)

I don’t love Jordan as a performer or singer and I think that’s critical for me and how I appreciate this (or don’t). She’s flat. Now, I know more than most, there are numerous bands and artists who sing like this who manage to have successful careers because of their songs, their charisma, or the band they’re in, or whatever. But I have a heard a lot of jangly indie rock in my life and I need something to grab me. When the singer doesn’t it’s a problem.

It’s entirely possible I would like these songs more with a different singer. But I don’t think they really stand out particularly. Again, there is a sea of bands who sound like this, and you need songs to really stand out, right?

About not standing out: the band around Jordan is just playing these songs like numerous other bands have played songs like this. There are a few moments on the record I thought I was going to get something a little more interesting and creative and then they just went back to the song as it was. There’s an art to integrating quirky ideas into songs while not allowing it to take over (which isn’t always a bad thing) and I just feel like the little touches are so subtle you barely catch them. And there are so few. Most of the time, this sounds like any number of “indie” bands I’ve heard in my life, with nothing to make them stand out.

It’s funny. I was just listening to record where the drum kit was too much into the mix and I thought it gave the band a bigger sound and made things better but here sometimes I feel like I hear cymbals instead of guitar and that’s not great. Basically, the mix is not always ideal for the songs. I think a punchier mix might have helped the record.

But I just think it sounds way too much like too many other records and I don’t like her voice.

5/10