Known best for his hit song “Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat,” Del Water Gap, an indie pop project of Samuel Holden Jaffe, has released his most recent album, Chasing the Chimera, on November 7th. Through his albums, Jaffee uses a variety of instruments, including vocals, guitar, bass, piano, and drums, also incorporating elements like brass, woodwinds, and synthesizers – an impressive range for a solo artist. His latest album tackles the feeling of chasing the impossible, a notion invoked by the title, which refers to the mythical Greek Chimera that symbolizes illusion.
The album begins slow and atmospheric, a synth guiding listeners into the first track’s dreamy landscape of “Marigolds” which express feelings of regret and missed chances within a relationship. The next track, “Small Town Joan of Arc,” contrasts this with upbeat guitar and drums, following a narrator’s affection towards his lover as he compares her to Joan of Arc, elevating her to an unattainable ideal. The next track skips back to themes of the first; “How To Live,” deals with struggles of self-discovery and finding a place in the world, covered with fast-paced lyricism and upbeat melodies.
The fourth track “Please Follow,” is one of the best on the album; Jaffe shows his potential in musicality here with a jazzy feel, groovy beat, brass instruments, and beautiful vocal flips. The song handles the heartfelt emotions behind a relationship parting way, complete with picturesque lyrics such as, “Finally, we′ll finally see visions of each other / In the garden, the little ways we’re growing / It′s seismic, but when it’s time to go / Please follow.” On the other side of this spectrum, songs such as “Damn,” fall flat in both euphony and lyricism, leaning heavily on mainstream pop conventions and using lyrics like, “I put your bath water in my soup.”
Listening to Chasing the Chimera feels like whiplash; the album jumps from folk to pop to jazz leaning styles, shifting between fast and slow tempos rapidly. It’s a noticeable departure from his earlier synth-pop and indie sound – whether that’s an improvement is debatable. Jaffe’s powerful singing talent makes up for the lyrical content, bringing to album to a rating of 3/5 stars. Overall, though, Chasing the Chimera isn’t what listeners might expect from Del Water Gap. Despite Jaffe’s clear vocal and instrumental talents, the lack of cohesion makes the album feel incomplete and missing the standout moments that defined his previous work.
