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Written by Emily Jones Thursday, 19 June 2008 14:38

The music of the jacksonknife will find a way to lodge itself into your brain.

After hearing it a few times, the music of the jacksonknife will find a way to lodge itself into your brain. Described on their press release as an "energetic hybrid of pop, indie rock, and folk," their self-released EP You Don't Know What You're Talking About is a lot of fun. Although nothing that they are doing is terribly groundbreaking, their instrumentation and lyrics are usually unique enough to keep you interested.

In just six songs, the New York-based band still makes quite an impression. The EP's first track, "Truthfully," is its standout, with triumphant horns and an infectious beat as well as lyrics like "I never call home unless I'm scared/ that the Rapture's coming and I'm not prepared/ because honestly all the people I really care about live." However, the most interesting thing about the EP is the instrumentation, such as the xylophone, strings, and handclaps in "The Morning."

The only acoustic ballad-type song on the EP, "Catholics," is the only really skippable track and the low point of the EP. Generic and boring, the song also suffers because the vocals of the singer aren't really strong enough to pull off the lack of instrumentation. However, the rest of the songs, which are more bouncy and upbeat, are really well done. The production on all the songs (done by Kyle "Slick" Johnson, who has also worked with Modest Mouse and The Hives) is really strong, keeping them tight and danceable.

Like I said, this EP isn't terribly original; every song is reminiscent of something else. But it's well done and fun, perfect to listen to in the summer. You Don't Know What You're Talking About showcases a band with tremendous potential, one you should keep your eyes on. B+ | Emily Jones