The Jacques have make a compelling start as they power towards the11th July release of their second album Make Repetition!. Its first single, Via Dolorosa, had a spotlight moment with a 6 Music play from Chris Hawkins at 6 Music. The single was soon followed by the news that The Jacques will tour Europe as special guests to post-punk legends Public Image Ltd.
The Jacques
The Make Repetition! era is gaining further traction as the Bristol-hailing four-piece unveil the follow-up single Dead Man’s Garden. Heavy duty garage rock with a desert noir undercurrent and swirling organ creates a crashing, swinging alternative anthem with its own inimitable gothic atmosphere. It’s an uplifting sound that contrasts the darkness of its lyrical theme: the unsettling feeling that comes when the blossoming of spring reminds you everything about life is both fleeting and impermanent.
Vocalist / guitarist Finn O’Brien says: “I wrote this song after my elderly neighbour died and no-one moved into the house for months. His garden grew pretty wild and the title of a song reared its head. I know that’s a bit bleak, but it’s true. The chorus is about the blooming of new life in the context of a recent death and the strange emotion that evokes in response to its morbid beauty. We had a lot of fun recording this song, our producer Dan suggesting I chant in Latin through a vocoder beneath the middle-eight. It’s a dark piece of pop with an upbeat swing in the rhythm.”
Finn wrote Dead Man’s Garden with his bandmates, his brother and drummer Elliot O’Brien, and multi-instrumentalist Harry Thomas and the track was produced by Dan Swift (Snow Patrol, Biffy Clyro).
While the band’s debut album The Four Five Three inspired comparisons with Arctic Monkeys, The Libertines, The Kinks and The Who, Make Repetition! broads their palette with touches of post-punk, slacker rock and lo-fi which echoes Blur, Pavement, Elvis Costello and The Jam. The moods they conjure sprawl between classic, hi-octane indie-pop crossover moments to darker-hued moments of claustrophobic introspection.
The band – split between London and Bristol – recently started a new blog which aims to document their experiences and tell their story in a way that offers more depth than social media’s standard short-form content. Their first chapter was packed with highlights, playing big outdoor show with The Libertines and Nova Twins; looking into the crowd at their sold-out debut New York show at The Mercury Lounge to see Marky Ramone and Darryl Jenifer (Bad Brains) watching on; and playing landmarks festival such as Glastonbury, Reading, Leeds and SXSW.
Before joining up with John Lydon and Public Image Ltd., The Jacques will play two free entry party gigs at The Bexley Arms in Windsor and The Crown in Pilton. They have also confirmed their first festival date of 2025 at Sunderland’s Monument Festival.
Upcoming live dates:
APRIL – Headline Shows
25th – Windsor, The Bexley Arms
26th – Pilton, The Crown
MAY
22nd – Bristol, O2 Academy (with Public Image Ltd.)
30th – Newcastle, Boiler Shop (with Public Image Ltd.)
JUNE
3rd – Lille, The Black Lab (with Public Image Ltd.)
4th – Leuven, Het Depot (with Public Image Ltd.)
5th – Den Haag, Zuiderpark Theater (with Public Image Ltd.)
JULY
3rd – Leicester, O2 Academy (with Public Image Ltd.)
4th – Lincoln, Engine Shed (with Public Image Ltd.)
5th – Portsmouth, Guildhall (with Public Image Ltd.)
19th – Sunderland, Monument Festival
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