Japanese Breakfast Revel’s in Love
The dream pop band moves on from grief and enjoys life on their third album
IEYL’s June 2021 Album of the Month: Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast
Background
To understand Japanese Breakfast, you need to dig into Michelle Zauner’s past. The bandleader is an Oregon native who got her musical feat wet in eastern Pennsylvania in the mid 2000’s. She was in Pennsylvania for college and majored in creative writing. At the same time, she was in an indie pop band called Post Post. After graduating from school she moved to Philadelphia and headed a emo band called Little Big League. In both cases, she led the bands and made expressive experimental post-punk music. The major turning point in her career came after her mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2013.
After leaving the east coast to care for her mother in Oregon Zauner continued to make music. In this period, she channeled her grief and collaborated with Rachel Gagliardi of Slutever. The result of their work was Japanese Breakfast’s debut album, Psychopomp. This album was lauded for its beautifully personal songwriting and expansive sound. The following year the band followed up with the cleaner sounding project, Softs Sounds. This project was even more critically acclaimed and received praise for its slicker sound and retreat from Psychopomp’s at times meandering atmospherics.
Over the course of her career with Japanese Breakfast, Michelle Zauner’s ability to turn pain into passionate indie rock has become known as one of her most applauded skills. With Jubilee, the band’s new album, she took music theory lessons and learned more about the piano. It was also important for the band to escape the sad-girl narrative and make joyful, jubilant music for large crowds.
The Many Shades of Love
Jubilee explores love’s animation throughout life and from the perspectives of several different people. It’s a beautiful way to unpack universal truths about love’s nature. For example, on the saddening chord-based tune, “Kokomo, IN” a teenage boy skips the acrimonious conversation of an ended relationship and shares powerful wisdom to his lover who is moving.
This calming and wise perspective contrasts nicely against the dignified wooing lines in “Savage Good Boy”. In this electronic and dynamic experimental rock song Zauner sings through this rich gentlemen about the advantages of his money, including a bunker. The object of love transitions from human to pet on the atmospheric and echoing track, “Hell”.
As Zauner delicately sings about putting her dog down the chords wash over the listener like a classic surf rock record. Through these tales Japanese Breakfast express some subtle truths about love and its animation in people’s lives. Whether its a high school sweet heart, or someone you plan to spend the end of the world with, the love that person feels is the same. Ultimately, that love is the deep sense of compassion and care you feel for someone.
Powerful Songwriting
Japanese Breakfast unfolds complex emotions by avoiding vituperative songwriting about failed relationships. The heart-breaking setting of “Kokomo, IN” would have expectantly led to bitter feelings. Instead, they capture hopeful resolve with lyrics like “Wherever you find your way to, and though it may not last, just know that I’ll be here longing”. “Sit” also takes place in the aftermath of a relationship.
The band comfortably lives in their misery and croons beautifully sad lyrics like “Caught up in the idea of someone, caught up in the idea of you, that’s done too soon”. The lyrics on this album shine because they break through the walls of the heart and let everything unabashedly out. The jubilee behind precious moments reinforces the idea behind being present and enjoying the now.
Unbelievable Growth
This records sounds incredibly confident and ambitious. The large cinematic records like “Slide, Tackle”, “Posing For Cards”, and “Posing in Bondage” demonstrate unfathomable growth for the band. Michelle’s steps towards learning more about music theory and piano clearly paid off.
Jubilee is the biggest they’ve ever sounded and the most sonic space they’ve occupied in one album. Although the song’s are monstrous and packed with several intertwining instruments Zauner never gets lost. Between her eyebrow-raising lyrics and identifiable upper register the bands core remains intact.
As the band’s profile grows their forward-thinking approach to rock hardens and the quality of the music amazingly improves. Like indulgent jubilee celebrations throughout history this album champions love and faith in something, or someone, extraordinary.
