Review: Jack River Experiments with Emotional Boundaries "In Infinity"

Jack River’s hazy, stripped-back standout “In Infinity” reminds us that even in the darkest moments, there is still joy to be found out there.

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Australian pop songstress Holly Rankin, better known as Jack River finally released her long-awaited debut album Sugar Mountain in June (I OH You). The album is a collection of spirited and lively pop songs laced with a summertime sadness stemming from the loss of her sister who passed away when River was 14 years old. Yet, River powers through and enchants listeners with her voice that dips and flows; each utterance more emotionally sound than the one before.

There is proof that even in the darkest moments, there is still joy to be found out there. This is the case with the record’s standout track, the hazy, stripped-back “In Infinity.” The song easily draws comparisons to Stevie Nicks, albeit River’s voice is a little less rock and a tad more sugary psychedelic pop.

Oh, I feel it coming on
Feel it rolling ’round my bends
The fire in my mind
All that rain that falls from my eyes
Oh, Lord, when I feel it coming on
Won’t you send me a friend?
The dreamer in me wonders
If it will go out with the night
But the hope within me vanishes
When I start to think that I’m alright

Stream: “In Infinity” – Jack River

The fire in my mind
All that rain that falls from my eyes
Oh, Lord, when I feel it coming on
Won’t you send me a friend

Jack River takes her sadness and tries to heal. She knows pain drives progress. And if it’s submerged in a happy melody to help make it more palatable, then so be it. River’s poignant lyrics create a statement that transcends time and space, and can quite literally be sent into infinity. She powerfully stirs up touching moments; there is a heart-wrenching softness conjured up with each word she sings that gives way to a surreal experience. River’s voice veers between heavenly and folksy, as she peels away the layers that define her. It’s a battle between conquering fears and dreaming big.

Sugar Mountain - Jack River — Sugar Mountain – Jack River

We all deal with bouts of melancholy, sometimes ephemeral, sometimes lengthier. River understands this. She stretches out her emotions, twisting them in and out in order to process them. In doing that, we hum and sway along, grasping at the notion that we are never alone in our sadness.

Explaining her thoughts on “In Infinity” to Pilerats, River said: “This is the most honest track on the album, I wrote it almost all at once, when someone said I should get a real job. The song trails feelings of very deep dark depression and the idea that when you lose all of your desire – you lose all of your fear. In this song I felt so damn detached from the world that I felt fiercely fearless. Like there was nothing to lose. I was in infinity, it was lonely as fuck, but still – I wouldn’t have it any other way, and always promised myself to never leave it all in a dream.”

Some people are always alone but never lonely. River plays around with this idea, as she concludes that sometimes we have to strike out by ourselves in order to make it. As she repeats over and over again, “don’t leave it in a dream” she forces listeners to recognize the power in overcoming the paralysis fear can generate. Her underlying message stresses the importance of perseverance, even if that means we may be on our own.

But when you lose all of your desire
You lose all of your fear
And when you lose your fear
You’re stranded on a boat that can go anywhere

“In Infinity” may be sorrowful, but there’s a sliver of promise. The track’s downtempo and bittersweet nature makes it the perfect song to say goodbye and close out a record bursting with dream-pop hits. It’s a song that allows us to feel blue, wallow in it a little, and then stand back up again.

Jack River’s debut album Sugar Mountain is out now!

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