Album Review- Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast

You know I constantly make fun of the more popular Indie Music review sites. At the end of the year, their Best Of lists nearly all match. That doesn’t happen when my friends do the same. That’s because these sites don’t want to be left out of their popularity contest. But, of course, sometimes they do get things right, and when Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast gets put on those lists this year, well, she/they will definitely deserve it. Also typical of the music industry, JB has been nominated by the Grammys as best new artist (5 years and 2 albums after their debut). In any case, I will make a case that “Paprika” is the best song of the year. While I don’t think another song on the record hits that mark (surely an impossibility anyway) it’s a good album that really hits my buttons. Think of dream pop like Alvvays mixed with Beach House and a touch of confessional rock a la Mitski with even a bit of baroque pop, similar to say, Beirut. “Be Sweet” is probably as close as a hit as one gets in the fragmented radio world of today. It’s hard not to ponder how big it really might have been in an atmosphere 15-20 years ago. If “Be Sweet” is too commercially tinged for people brought in by “Paprika”, then “ Kokomo, IN” swings the listener back, and “Slide Tackle” straddles a line between the poles While one can find room for criticism - it’s perhaps too short (under the rather standard 40 minutes) and as is often the case, front loaded with strong songs but a weak back half-it is an album that deserves the many plaudits soon headed this way, and will still be an enjoyable listen years from now when Pitchfork et al., have moved on to the next thing.