Never Let You Down is a new single from “Chase the Jaguar.” the indie rock musical project of brothers David and Sebastian Fox. The song is off their upcoming album, which is currently in the making. The two brothers are trained classical guitarists who’ve toured extensively throughout Europe, but as Chase the Jaguar the main focus is on their passion for minimalist indie rock.
Above all things, Never Let You Down is a vocal driven song. The voices are at the forefront of the mix, so much so that they could almost stand alone as a spoken word, indie opera track. We are obviously dealing with a very good singer here though, who is able to carry the recording with ease. Nearly unthinkable high notes are reached on this recording that would physically impossible for most people. Don’t try this at home, folks! The backing consists of light guitars and a mid paced, anchoring beat. The tone is very ambient and contemplative, slightly reassuring and soothing but with enough energy have a bit of a kick. Creative vocal layering features heavily as well, with the backup vocalizations forming a synth-like “instrumental” element of their own.
The title of this song offers a hint to the ambiguous subject matter. The message David is conveying lyrically is that even though he may be going through a rough time (which his concerned loved one can sense,) he urges his friend / loved one to pretend that everything is fine, giving reassurance that he ultimately won’t let him down. In a famous song Hey Jealousy by the Gin Blossoms, there’s a line which goes If you don’t expect too much from me, then you might not be let down. The theme there is similar, but in that song the singer is merely hinting that they’re capable of exceeding expectations if their loved one is willing to set them low enough. In Chase the Jaguar’s Never Let You Down, the request is of a different nature. It’s as if he’s just asking for space to deal with some things on his own, believing the storm will all blow over without the added pressures of concerned people wanting to help or fix things (whether or not this will turn out to be the case remains to be seen.) We only have his word to go by, after all.
This is a powerful and emotive song. The complex narrative will resonate with listeners who yearn for more than cookie cutter solutions and predictability. The music has cross-genre appeal, certainly appreciable by anyone who enjoys indie rock (a huge demographic as it is,) but also of interest to adult-contemporary fans or people outside the rock sphere altogether.
Chase the Jaguar has released other music, but Never Let You Down is their first single associated with M.E.G. Records (in tandem with Florida’s Neurodisc Records.) I recommend you check it out, as well as the duo’s other songs.
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