Today’s Song: Nostalgia Meets Hustle Culture in Circa Waves’ “Jacqueline”

Circa Waves © Katy Cummings
Circa Waves © Katy Cummings
From the Merseyside directly into our years, Circa Waves are back with “Jacqueline,” a brand new anthem about modern hustle culture.
 follow our Today’s Song(s) playlist
Stream: “Jacqueline” – Circa Waves

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/705425401″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=true&visual=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”300″ iframe=”true” /]




The world today is reigned by extremes. Extreme sadness that we get to see in the daily news as well as extreme happiness- in short terms: it is imbalanced, a lot is going on. What really sparks true happiness, that finally the Liverpool based band called “Circa Waves” are finally back with a new single called “Jacqueline.”

Jacqueline - Circa Waves
Jacqueline – Circa Waves
They say stay at home
You don’t care for the TV soaps
So Jacqueline, you’re invincible
We’re falling into the olden days
But you don’t care for the old clichés
So Jacqueline, I know you know
But it’s hard to make
sense out of the movie
When you’re in the starring role

“Jacqueline” is an anthem to burst your lungs out about all the expectations and pressures around us in our modern society and how hard it is to please all of them.

Starting with the line, “They say stay at home, you don’t care for the TV soaps,” Circa Waves dive straight in the issue of our modern day hustle culture, as known as no guilty pleasures are allowed, they could possibly waste time.

A lot of young people are very familiar with this millennial problem: fulfilling high expectations in terms of education, getting a decent job, paying off college debt, always have a side hustle and never forget to use every spare minute of your day to work on at least something, the TV is a pure waste of precious given time.

Sound-wise, the piece has the typical tunes of an anthem: Strong bassline combined with an empowering melody.

Sad Happy - Circa Waves
Sad Happy – Circa Waves
So Jacqueline, when you’re sleep deprived
You see through your mother’s eyes
And all of the things she knew
So don’t listen to anyone
Between you and the setting sun
You’re doing the best you can do

“Jacqueline” is like a rescue blanket for all the people out there who feel lost in this mad hustle dominated culture, the dreamers who get quite nostalgic about the past: “We’re falling into the olden days, but you don’t care for the old clichés, so Jacqueline, I know you know.” Circa Waves is pointing out to the issue, that so many young people feel misplaced in this world, full of smartphones, disconnected from everything with the bitter taste of having huge responsibilities such as saving the world from dying. This nostalgic message is underlined by the art cover of the single, a woman in a seventies setting, back in the day when the world was still alright.

In our world today, self-promotion is one of the most pressuring things in someone’s daily grind, the art of showing off is most peoples’ daily cardio. All these factors make it very easy to take yourself very serious in this world: “But it’s hard to make sense out of the movie when you’re the starring role.” Everyone lives in their own bubble, their own reality, all of us tend to take ourselves too serious and important than we actually are in the end.

The chorus invites everyone to sing “Jacqueline, oh you’re in this abode,” on top of their lungs, letting go of all the pressure that is normally build up around anyone.



In the second verse, Circa Waves try to motivate the listener by saying:” So don’t listen to anyone, between you and the setting sun, you’re doing the best that you can do.”

They hit the nerve on the right point, everyone is feeling bad that they are not doing enough – sometimes it is necessary to tell yourself that you are doing your best and that is enough.

By the end of the song they keep repeating the sentence, “The good times are well, oh well, they’re coming ‘round the bend.” A nice reminder for all of us, even though some things in this world might seem to be imbalanced, the good times will come at some point in the future.

“Jacqueline” is the first as well as the lead single from the album sad happy, which is about to be released next March. According to Circa Waves, “Jacqueline” is an “instantly recognisable and also another bold sonic leap forward for the band.”

Liverpool-based vocalist and guitarist Kieran Shudall says about the upcoming record:

We live in a world split into two extreme halves. One moment you’re filled with the existential crisis of climate doom and the next you’re distracted by another piece of inconsequential content that has you laughing aloud. I find this close proximity of immense sadness and happiness so jarring, bizarre and fascinating. Our brains rattle back and forth through emotions at such a rate that happiness and sadness no longer feel mutually exclusive. This idea was the blueprint for ‘Sad Happy’ and is the theme that underpins the album. Sad / Happy is written in my Liverpool home, it’s also hugely inspired by my surroundings and the love I have for the city. It runs through thoughts on mortality, love and observations of people.

“Jacqueline,” the lead single that makes us feel nostalgic about the past and worried about the current, feels like someone is speaking out of our bunt out souls, finding the words that we were failing to find.

Circa Waves are putting focus on the worlds’ current problems, underline them with their unique indie pop sound in order to make a change in our chaotic world, together with their loyal fans.

— —

:: stream/purchase Sad Happy here ::
Stream: “Jacqueline” – Circa Waves



— — — —

Sad Happy - Circa Waves

Connect to Circa Waves on
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Discover new music on Atwood Magazine
? © Katy Cummings


:: Today’s Song(s) ::

 follow our daily playlist on Spotify



:: Stream Circa Waves ::

 

More from Nina Schaarschmidt
Interview with The Greeting Committee: From ‘All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ to “Can I Leave Me Too?”
Kansas City band The Greeting Committee are ending their pandemic hiatus to...
Read More