A friend once told me that everyone has an addiction. He explained how it is simply human nature – that we are wired to latch onto something, whether it be good or bad, and make it our own whether we want to or not. That addiction doesn’t always have to be to something tangible; it can be as simple as being addicted to the way that something (or someone) makes you feel. Toronto based indie pop band Jane’s Party dive into the world of being addicted to a person and the high that they give you in their song “Cigarette Buzz,” off their third album Tunnel Visions (May 2016 via Cadence Music).
Listen: “Cigarette Buzz” – Jane’s Party
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From the first listen one would pick up on the upbeat guitar, gun shot drums and an “I need to dance to this song” vibe. All of the traits of the tune point towards the type of song you blast on the beach in the middle of a hot summer day. Yet as one dives in deeper, it becomes clear that the song’s lively beat is backed by less-than-cheerful lyrics. “Cigarette Buzz” plunges into a tale of an addictive and destructive love that keeps on dragging you back for more.
you break my heart
and then defend it
time and time again
dependent
on your love
like cigarettes
The song discusses the deeper understanding that comes with knowing that your relationship is faulty, yet not having the power to pull yourself out, and even when you try to leave you always find yourself coming back to the comfort it provides. Several times throughout the song, the addiction to the relationship is compared to the addiction to smoking a pack of cigarettes. One could even say that knowing just how bad it is for you makes you want it more. It is a lot like walking on a tightrope: The thrill of falling keeps you moving, but it may also be the reason that you tumble. The buzz of energy you feel keeps you going back, but it can also be the reason that the relationship burns out.
Oh no a bond like ours
It ain’t worth breaking
But every time we do
It splits our love in two
The type of relationship that Jane’s Party paints is a cyclical one. The initial excitement that you get from the relationship, then the fighting and fallout that comes with the realization that you are no good for each other, then a heartbreaking ending… All to be repeated time and time again, because you’ve become dependent on the thrill that the person provides, just like a smoker becomes dependent on their pack of cigarettes. All in all it is knowing how bad that person is for you, but even when you try to shake them from your life it feels even worse because when it comes down to it, you’re addicted to them.
My barefoot on
The wet cement
Your jacket’s frayed
Perspective bent
Often when one is in a relationship it is hard to gather an outside look and make logical decisions. It is all too easy to get caught up in the excitement and comfort that being with someone provides. Love and lust have a way of blinding you and preventing you from seeing the bigger picture. This tunnel vision seems to be the core of the whole relationship, only seeing things the way you want to see them. Yet although perspective is bent, Jane’s Party still find themselves “blowing on the dice for luck” which shows that as much as they would like to be ignorant, they know that things aren’t what they make them out to be.
It is an interesting concept to mix somber lyrics with such jubilant music, but in a way it fits the entire aura of the song perfectly. By setting an upbeat tone to the song, Jane’s Party are capturing the true essence of everything that the relationship actually is. It paints the picture of the thrill that comes along with the whirlwind relationship, the ups and the downs, the heartbreaks and pick-me-ups. Through both the lyrics and the instrumentals, a perfect story is pulled together for everyone who listens. Jane’s Party effortlessly find a way to mix the upbeat vibes we have grown to love from pop and the in-depth lyrics that drive us towards indie. They are the definition of what it means to be new wave indie pop and “Cigarette Buzz” is just another example of how flawlessly they live up to the title.
