It sounds like Jumping Ships are an emotional bunch, which probably goes some way to explain why they’re doing their level best to squeeze themselves into the outmoded and overcrowded emo genre. They call themselves alt rock but there’s no fooling us lads. Move over Lostprophets, room for one more?
Unsurprisingly, new single ‘Heart and Hope’ sticks rigidly to the emo blueprint. Technically it’s tighter than a mallard’s rectum but the song writing is so obvious it’s like I’ve heard it before. In 2003. Filled with angular guitar riffs, epic choruses and a vocalist that flits from composed, melodic singing to neurotic, snotty screaming, Jumping Ships tick all the necessary boxes. There’s even that bit where the entire band shout the clichéd line “heart and hope!” over and over again. What’s more, everything feels forced. The emotion, the passion, the anger. You can practically hear the producer saying “once more with feeling”. The song’s about as raw as an overcooked carrot.
But before you think this is the worst single since Aqua’s last chart topper, it’s not. For all its cliché ridden failings, bloated production and damn obviousness, like some Derren Brown mind control technique, I caught myself mouthing the chorus within three minutes of listening. Somehow ‘Heart and Hope’ has a main line into the subconscious, burrowing away with its poppy hooks and anthemic choruses. Of course, I’m not suggesting for a moment that this is a reliable barometer of quality, but some bands will struggle for years to be as accessible as this one song. And for the Brighton foursome at least, that’s something.
‘Heart and Hope’ is out now. // Jumping Ships
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