Lonely Archer Records and Los Angeles-based dream-pop quintet Nightjacket are excited to present “Just A Little,” the latest track to be lifted from the Friday, May 21 release of the band’s forthcoming EP, Following The Curves (pre-order). Representing a turning-of-the-page for the band, Following The Curves introduces its new vocalist, Canadian-born Andrea Wasse (Digital Daggers, DeadXLife). Recalling the haziness of Eighties and Nineties touchpoints such as The Cocteau Twins, Mazzy Star and The Sundays, Following The Curves is also a personal exercise in chemistry and musical partnership.
Released today, the charming alt-pop of “Just A Little” captures the feeling of being “lost in a daydream, hiding out in the midst of the hustle and bustle of a pre-pandemic world, hoping that someone will keep still for just long enough to catch up to them,” says Wasse.
After hearing a few demos sent by guitarist Jordan Wiggins, Wasse zeroed in on what would become the song “Lonely Archer,” a channeling of idols such as Hope Sandoval and Neil Young when composing lyrics and melody. Upon meeting Wiggins and multi-instrumentalist Louie Schultz for the first time in person, Wasse recorded vocals for “Lonely Archer” that very day at Schultz’s studio in Eagle Rock, CA and an instant partnership was born. Additional songs quickly followed, ranging from the psychedelic Americana of “Lucky” to the analog synth-fueled “Burn Through Your Atmosphere” and the jangly, alternative pop of “Just A Little,” which will all be featured on the upcoming collection.
Nightjacket began in 2015 when guitarist Jordan Wiggins and former lead vocalist Holland Belle wrote and recorded the band’s debut EP, Eternal Phase, in Wiggins’ home studio. The six-song set of hypnotic and airy compositions would go on to receive acclaim locally and nationally by the likes of SPIN, Consequence of Sound, FLAUNT, Los Angeles Magazine, LA Weekly and more, and led to shows with like-minded acts such as The Mary Onettes, Veruca Salt and Tennis System, as well as a west coast tour of the U.S. with Canadian psychedelic rock band The Besnard Lakes.
From the sultry shoegaze of “I Can’t Believe” and swirling atmospherics of “You’re Trying Too Hard” to clear single standouts in the romantic “Pink and Yellow Roses” and “Waking Up With You” – one of Rolling Stone Country’s “Best Country and Americana Songs To Hear Now” – Beauty In The Dark, Nightjacket’s acclaimed debut album that followed in 2019, introduced new analog synth textures and smoky, Nico-like vocals to its sound and addressed concepts related to love, risk and distance. Songs from the album have gone on to be licensed by numerous television series and films, including the Focus Features film The High Note (in which the band also makes a subtle cameo), MTV’s Teen Mom OG and YouTube Premium’s Impulse.
Looking towards the future and the release of Following The Curves, the band is optimistic about its direction and continued strides towards connecting with fans on a number of levels. “I hope listeners get lost in the music, in the best way.” Wiggins said. “I love that transformative power of music, where it can take you to a different place or a different time, or just take you out of the moment that you’re in. I think that’s the case with a lot of the new music that we’re working on with Andrea – it has a sense of place and space, which I think listeners gravitate towards, even if it isn’t on a conscious level.”
