At times though, Jersey can get too easily sucked in to an easy listening indie sound, and can end up sounded too like the Postal Service…
Jersey – Itinerary
http://www.konkurrent.nl/ www.morrmusic.com
German post-rockers Jersey offer a very modern take on the genre. The overall feel to the record is extremely laid back. The layering is subtle and clean cut, and rarely intense. At points throughout Itinerary they play with a slow drum machine and create cool instrumental sound-capes, such as in the opening track Moondial and the impressive title track Itinerary.
Their vocalist has a very indie sound, not too dissimilar to Benjamin Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie. This works well at times, creating an uncanny pop sound with subtle experimentation in the background seen particularly in Icebound; a side of them which reminds me a lot of Leeds finest pop experimentalists, Stateless. Both bands mix a contemporary indie sound well with post rock, and both create an over all icy feel.
At times though, Jersey can get too easily sucked in to an easy listening indie sound, and can end up sounded too like the Postal Service, especially in Shoeshine and Talking to Myself. This isn’t necessarily a problem, they do this well and it mixes fine in the record. But for me they are strongest when the post rock stylings are more present. The record plays very comfortably in the background – which isn’t to say it’s boring, as there is a real skill in creating laid back music which still creates a clear impression and Jersey do this very well. Itinerary has an over all cool and uncanny sound, by mixing pop and post rock – and this is done well, meaning they could attract listeners from both spectrums.