It’s apparently come to this. All the good band names are taken. All permutations involving Crystal, Black, and Wolves, have been exhausted. We’re down to naming ourselves after vaguely obscure Decathalon Events. It’s only a matter of time before 110 Meter Hurdle, Shot Put, and Pole Vault monopolize the Hype Machine (in fact, this may be the opening salvo).
But don’t dismiss Javelin due to a quirk of poor nomenclature, nor because they bill themselves as “Tropical/Crunk” on their Myspace. Wasn’t sincerity supposed to be the new irony? Judging from the Williamsburg pedigree, plus beards, flannels, and thrift shop irony, Javelin seem easy to discard. Yet few albums released this year are more accurately named than Jamz and Jemz. This is nothing but–a record so diverse that you might mistake it for a great mixtape, but never so jarring as to alter its breezy affability.
Do you like The Avalanches, the first Go Team! record, RJD2’s Deadringer, and Bubble Bobble? Of course. So let’s do away with the RIYL formalities. My brethren (pronounced bredge-ran) Ian Cohen recently bestowed Javelin with the coveted Best New Track designation and hinted that further accolades are coming. They’re well deserved. In a season, when seemingly every blog buzzes with Summer Jam bombast (none more so than this one), Jamz and Jemz may be the most efficacious of the bunch. Even if sun might leave you sluggish, Javelin stay sharp–though the album should really come with a Power Pad.
Download:
MP3: Javelin-“Flicker and Flutter (Future Islands/Javelin Remix)”
MP3: Javelin-“Tell Me, What Will It Be? (Take 2)”
