Jackpot Juicer is the tenth studio album by Sacramento post-hardcore band Dance Gavin Dance, released on July 29, 2022 through Rise Records. Produced by longtime collaborator Kris Crummett and recorded at Interlace Audio in Portland, Oregon between April and July 2021, it is the band's longest album to date — 18 tracks spanning just over an hour — and arrived under difficult circumstances, as bassist Tim Feerick passed away shortly after its completion. The record carries a loose casino motif that suits the album's inherent unpredictability well, as Rock n' Heavy noted: "like gambling on a casino slot machine, you're unaware if you'll win or lose every penny you have." It features the band's core lineup of vocalist Tilian Pearson, guitarist Will Swan, unclean vocalist Jon Mess, and drummer Matt Mingus, with guest appearances including Rob Damiani of Don Broco on the lead single "Synergy."Sonically, Jackpot Juicer is widely regarded as the band's grooviest and most purely fun record, blending their signature "swancore" formula of technical math rock guitar work, funk-inflected bass lines, Pearson's soaring falsetto clean vocals, and Mess' ferocious screamed verses into what Music Direct described as "a masterful blend of catchy hooks, punishing heaviness, and an off-the-wall sense of humor." Standout tracks include "Cream of the Crop," which showcases Swan's characteristically zany, electrifying guitar work; "Swallowed by Eternity," which draws out Pearson's more vulnerable side; "For The Jeers," a fan favorite that breaks from the band's typical formula with an irresistibly catchy vocal hook from co-vocalist Andrew Wells; and the closing "Have a Great Life." Critical reception was mixed in the way Dance Gavin Dance records often are — some reviewers found the 18-track runtime bloated and the album lacking in overarching cohesion, while devoted fans and more sympathetic critics praised it as among the band's finest work, appreciating its ambition and the remarkable consistency of its individual tracks even if it functions more as a collection of strong singles than a unified album statement.
Related
Related
Related
Related