Since I'm an advertising major, I recently had to take a class in media planning. I won't bore you by explaining what all that entails. Suffice it to say that it wasn't exactly my favorite class. The professor was cool, but the material wasn't exactly my cup of tea. Anyways, we had to work on a project involving the release of the New Beetle. If you didn't know, Volkswagen has released a new version of the world's favorite car. As a result, I've become very interested in the advertising that Volkswagen is using to promote this cool (yeah, I like them) car.
So what does this have to do with Junior Varsity KM's latest album? Well, anyone who's seen the ads has probably noticed that they've been using some great music in them, like Spiritualized and Stereolab. I'm convinced that the music on Taking Care of You would make for a perfect VW ad.
No, I'm not suggesting that Junior Varsity KM should sell out, or any such tripe. I just think that the mood on Taking Care of You would fit the mood of those commercials: fun, bouncy, innocent, and a wee bit nostalgic.
If you heard Junior Varsity's previous Darla release, Style For Life, you'll find that the formula hasn't been changed a whole lot. A friend described it as "Joy Electric meets Roni Size." That's not all that inaccurate. The pop melodies are certainly as infectious as anything Ronnie Martin has done, and the beats are certainly wacked out and all over the place. However, Junior Varsity KM adopts a softer approach. Even though it's electronic, there's a very personal and innocent quality to the music that should match any indie-pop fan's liking.
If there's one complaint, it's that this album doesn't change a whole lot from song to song. For the first couple of listens, I quickly grew bored after the first couple of songs. I'm happy to say that these songs have grown on me, although sometimes I don't even realize when one track ends and another begins. Towards the middle of the album, the songs become a little monotonous and pallid. But these are sandwiched, on both ends, by some truly lovely gems. I love listening to this album in the mornings, after I've stumbled into work all bleary-eyed, waiting for that blueberry bagel and Mountain Dew breakfast to kick in. The soft ambient textures fit that still-sleepy mode I'm in, while the beats get me moving.
Similar sounding releases
2000TechnicolorNormal Control Range (Bliss Out Vol. 16)
1998PlaidNot for Threes
1999TleilaxuGenetherapy
1999LambFear of Fours
1998Secret Archives of the VaticanReformation
2004Rainstick OrchestraThe Floating Glass Key in the Sky
