Jake Fairley

Touch Not the Cat

BY Melissa WheelerPublished Aug 1, 2004

If this album could speak, it would say "Party, damn it, and look good while you’re doing it!” Torontonian Jake Fairley’s dirty glam-techno with rock roots practically commands the listener to pout and strut. On his first release in two years the beats are dirty like smeared lipstick after a passionately nasty kiss, with tracks like "Mosquito” being rough and tumble and "Dinklesburg” being delicately cruel. Overall themes include cheekiness, passive aggression and constricted playfulness propelled by such sounds as over modulated low and mid-tones, slightly bouncy bass, and a few languid lyrics. One criticism, though: each track is just barely distinguishable from the last. That works very well for parties to keep the vibe going, but not always so well in other situations. But, this is distinctly a party album. Lusciously cheeky and sexually tense, it’s obvious these tunes are begging for a massive sound system to properly release their carnal energy.
(Paper Bag)

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