Although I am someone who has a real penchant for weird sound experimentation and boundary pushing artists who challenge the very nature of what we call music, I am also someone who loves a good pop song too. The best thing is when you find artists who do a bit of both, but that is a rare thing these days, and while the talent it takes to work on deep sounds and sonic textures is admirable, there is also a lot to be said for those who can write an immaculate pop song that manages to sound both familiar and original at the same time.
It's here we find Soda Cracker Jesus, the solo project of singer/songwriter Regan Lane whose previous output has come from bands like Baby Knockors, Strypes and Strangely Alright. As a project Soda Cracker Jesus certainly has it's own cultural pinpoints, but what makes the music special is it's well-crafted song-writing and a sound which manages to sit squarely in the middle of 60s Psychedelia, 70s Powerpop, 80s New Wave, and 90s Indie. The latest single Drug My Soul is a hugely catchy number with some big hooks, and it's a tune which, very quickly and without much effort, becomes remarkably memorable.
The track begins with a sample from Donnie Darko which sets the theme quite nicely, before the spiky bass line begins followed quickly by the gritty guitars and thumping drums. There's a certain power and swing to the verses that contrasts with the rather fragile lyrics and quite emotive vocals. As the chorus kicks in we get a sweep of lead guitars and a psychedelic choir breathily cries out along with Regan "drug my sooooouuuullll". Throughout all of this the beat is rock solid, and the bass continues to propel the track forward with an addictive energy. The track ends after a short bridge which feels like it might have taken things on a bit more, but instead it all collapses as the literal sounds of a car crash bring everything to a stuttering halt.
I feel like this is one of those songs where, depending on your core era of musical listening, each person will hear different influences with more eminence. For me, being someone who discovered music in the 90s, I keep hearing the sounds of Suede most prominently. There is a definite glam rock swagger to Drug My Soul which reminds me of Brett Anderson and co. at their finest, and it doesn't take long for this song to really get stuck in my head. Like Suede though, beyond this veil there are some quite introspective lyrics with an element of self-depreciative comedy too. The opening couplet: "all my friends are just pretend / nothing more than spread-sheets" is wonderfully absurd and quite sorrowful at the same time. The song delves further into themes of societal reality in the world of social media and online existence, tackling it in a way which feels both deeply personal and also quite relatable.
While many artists take a while to really find the best sonic outlet for their songs, Regan Lane might just have found it in Soda Cracker Jesus. Drug My Soul is a stomping piece of modern Powerpop that brings together a whole bucket load of influences in a way which will offer something slightly different to everyone who listens. That's a trait you rarely hear in modern music of this kind, and one I believe only the best song-writers manage to achieve.
You can also discover more from Soda Cracker Jesus on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Bandcamp and Spotify
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