As somebody who constantly listens to rap and pop music, indie is not a genre I normally find on my playlists. When I first discovered Spacey Jane, it was through their new Extended Play (EP), a type of short album, named Exit Wounds. I clicked on it thinking it would be another average song, but was proved wrong immediately.
The first song on the EP, “I Never See Her,” was the one that opened my eyes. It starts with a high-tempo percussion that sets an upbeat, feel good mood, followed by a simple guitar riff which I can only describe as sunny. The next song, “Watch Me Break The News,” has the same rhythm as the first song, but more meaningful, vulnerable lyrics. The EP centers around a difficult breakup, and the voice expresses willingness to accept defeat. Caleb Harper, the lead singer, creates a sorrowful and pained tone that makes the song feel as if it is fighting with itself.
“It’s Not Lost on Me” changes the pace of the EP, as it mellows out into a slower guitar rhythm where Harper’s voice shines best. This gives the album much needed depth, especially after the first two songs maintained a high tempo. It serves its role well, and I constantly find myself coming back to this song for its slower pace and nostalgic feel.
“East Village” feels like the distant cousin of “Watch Me Break The News.” The voice is sorrowful, yet the music has the same hope from the start. This one has more synergy and flows in a way that makes the song almost perfect. The amount of times I have listened to this song is well into the double digits and climbing. Spacey Jane possibly found their biggest strength in this song, where Harper’s voice and the instrumentals feel as one. This song feels like a fresh start, which is why it is my favorite song on the EP.
Just as the EP was getting better, it lost some of its spark. While “Sleeping Pills” is a great song on its own, it feels like a copy of “East Village” with a little less depth and is outshone by the others. “Sleeping Pills” does its job as a filler but falls short when it comes to telling a story and meshing with the other songs.
The final song, “Do You Really Love Her,” is a great song, but doesn’t fit. The rest of the EP has a distinct style that this song feels disconnected from, and serves as a lackluster attempt at creating a final creative aspect. The final song to an album is a way to end a story or start a new one. This song doesn’t do either, it leaves the EP on a weird cliffhanger where I am still expecting more. While I appreciate the difference in the song compared to the rest, there needs to be an established ending.
Despite my criticism of the last two songs, Spacey Jane still created an impressive collection that I rate highly. I went from never listening to indie music, to now having it steadily growing in many of my playlists all because of an Australian indie band.
