Jade Review
Hey y’all and HAPPY START TO THE SEMESTER BRONCOS!! I just started my final year of classes today as I’m writing this which are already driving me mad. On the bright side, The Skinny Limbs released their new EP, Jade this past Friday which is about the only thing getting me through right now. I really got into The Skinny Limbs earlier this year but they’ve actually been on my radar since high school when they played at my high school's music festival, WO Stock! The Skinny Limbs rock and I’m absolutely in love with Jade which is what I’m here to review for y’all today :)
This EP starts off with “Tenderness” which feels very upbeat musically but lyrically... not so much. This is definitely a song of contrast to say the least. The song begins with melodic synthesizer and guitar lines that pair so well with Max’s smooth vocals. My favorite part of “Tenderness” may be the instrumental break in the middle with the beautiful guitar solo and following guitar JAM. Overall despite the not very upbeat message I get really good vibes from this song!
Next up is “Folly” which starts off a bit more toned down but keeps with the synthesizer notes in the instrumentals. I’ve listened to quite a bit of The Skinny Limbs’ music and this undoubtedly feels like a song of theirs but to me shows some growth they’ve had. I fell in love with them for their melodic guitar lines and dreamy vocals but the synthesizer brings such a cool new almost 80s-esque vibe. In this song they also change up the feel quite a bit throughout where it will feel like it’s moving faster or slower which is so cool to hear! I'm a big fan of this song too, what more can I say??
“Jade”, the title track is our next song! This song is so interesting and such a contrast from the first two tracks. In this song they introduce a more pronounced base line which gives it a very different energy, definitely matching the feel of the mellow vocals more than the previously prominent high melodic guitar lines. Despite being local to Grand Rapids, The Skinny Limbs’ music feels undeniably island-y to me and this song is no exception. “Jade” feels like a song to listen to on the beach as summer winds down – a melancholy song for a melancholy mood.
“Color of Morning” comes next which is one of the three songs on this EP released as singles before it came out. The opening instrumental line that continues throughout the song feels really reminiscent of the music Youtubers I watched would put in their videos way back in the day... don’t ask me why but that’s what it reminds me of. This is again a very vibey song but also feels very adventurous. I’m a fan yet again!
“Persistence” is the next song up which is for sure my favorite!! This song has even made an appearance in my show I love it so much! This song to me is the epitome of what The Skinny Limbs do best, it’s got it all! The opening to the song feels extremely dreamy before the light guitar helps transition to the heavier BOP of a guitar line. The first couple minutes of the song are really solid don’t get me wrong, but my favorite part is in the interlude when the vocals trade off with the guitar before eventually just trading lines between vocals. The sturdier lower notes contrast so well with the dreamy higher notes and that section feels so MAGICAL to me! I can’t recommend this one enough, be sure to give it a listen y’all.
Last on the EP is “Future Days” which personally is my least favorite but that’s really just because I’m not a big slow song gal. Though this song probably isn’t one I’ll listen to regularly, it is really gorgeous and good to mellow out to.
I am so impressed with this EP and will definitely be jamming to it as I suffer through the first few weeks of school! That’s mostly a joke but I am excited with the timing that this lovely EP came out. Thanks for reading y’all and don’t forget to listen to Jade!
