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@westernjaguar
Greetings, fellow Music Heads! At Only the Host, we're constantly on the lookout for fresh and exciting music happenings. Today, we're thr
I am looking for remixes for an upcoming collaborative project!
Read all about it at the link above and send me your creations!!!
Behind Oblivion: Part I: Darling
Thanks for coming along with me on this journey through the songs of Oblivion!
Each week I will be featuring one song from the record and giving you a behind the scenes glance at how the song came to be. The first song we are going to look at is Darling... which, drumroll please... will be the feature track of my NEW MUSIC VIDEO dropping this Thursday, July 27!
Now, each time I do this I’m going to break into 2 sections. Music and Lyrics; just so if you have a particular interest in one over the other, you can skip to that section. Alright, lets dive in
MUSIC:
Here’s a first glance at the Logic Session I used to record this track. Though Davis completed the song in Ableton, this still shows a good understanding of what shaped the track.
Percussion:
Like much of the record, the drums in this song are stock Logic drums, but effected and slightly modified. This track the base sound was the “Bluebird + kit” and modifications were made from there. I really loved using these Logic drums and found they sounded pretty darn good all things considered. Davis was really the one that brought them to life in the mix.
Synths:
The main instrumental melody of the song is not 1 but 2 synth sounds stacked together but playing the same part. Most people have correctly identified the Glockenspiel sample. I was pulled in that direction because I have always loved the sound of a glock but never used it before. It lends itself well to the poppy, upbeat vibe of the track. However, on its own, it felt kinda thin and tinny. So, I added a Soft Synth layer in tandem with it just to add a little more sustain and body. Again, just a Logic stock sound with some slight modifications to attack, release, decay and sustain.
Guitars:
The primary guitar in the track is actually the bass, I played this line on my Fender Precision bass. I really wanted that to be the ground for the track and the driving force behind everything that was happening. It is vital to the finished project.
For the electric and acoustic parts, this was actually one of the most restrained songs ever for me in that area. There is just a doubled up electric guitar line that is played on my Fender Jaguar to add some jangle but it is very subtle in the mix.
The other element is an acoustic guitar layer which really is only heard in the first parts of the choruses where the drums are stripped away. This acoustic in my Logic session was actually not used, and was re-recorded when Davis was doing the mix. It was played on my Taylor 110e.
Vocals:
Vocals and overdubs were recorded with Davis in his studio. The track in this file was just a reference. We recorded these vocals with an Antelope EDGE microphone and really leaned into the autotune to give it that polished, pop feel.
LYRICS:
Lyrically, Darling is pretty straightforward. It’s a love musical letter. This love letter is particularly directed at my wife. She has been my rock and I wanted to write something for her to celebrate our wedding and commitment towards a life together. I honestly didn’t know if I could do it (like lets be real, all my songs are usually super depressing lyrically) but it really wasn’t too difficult to craft. It came together quick and easy. I guess having the right motivation and subject matter makes all the difference.
...
So ya, that's the story of Darling... Leave a comment and let me know what track I should dive into next.
WJF
JCT
Look, it’s cool if you didn’t get me a birthday present. All I really want for my birthday is for you to listen to my new album!
linktr.ee/Westernjaguar
As I reflect on the first few days of this records life, I am struck with so much gratitude. Especially when I reflect back on how I got to this point...
“Oblivion” is an album that was almost never completed. It was buried during the pandemic and left to rot in the yard as days, weeks, months and seasons rolled by. I honestly had never intended to make it. I never intended to go back to this project. This record really made itself…
To go all the way back to the start, the recording of “Oblivion” began back in the summer of 2019. Western Jaguar was hot off a run of summer concerts throughout British Columbia and the project was gaining momentum quickly. The goal was to create an album that would be ready for release the following summer to pair up with a summer tour schedule in 2020.
Sadly, “Matador” and “Doomsday” are the only two tracks that survived that initial recording run. There were others around at the time, but for various reasons they did not reach completion. Some were due to computer malfunctions, others simply due to changing feelings and perspectives. These two survivors fit both the old and new Western Jaguar. That’s why they’re included on “Oblivion”.
When the pandemic hit, music changed for me. It became harder to create. People were isolated from each other. It was impossible to perform in any capacity. There were no easy ways to share my music. Because of this, I turned my attention to other things, other hobbies and other outlets. Music fell by the wayside. The songs initially recorded were locked away.
However, 2 years later, the spark hit again. I began to feel the urge to create. I needed to create again. So, at home, I started to work. The first song I put together was the opening pair of “Start Again” and “Milwaukee”, both of which arose out of one single demo idea from years past. The song sprouted quickly and the feeling of writing, composing and creating again was infectious.
I unearthed “Matador” and “Doomsday” and scoured my hard-drives for more ideas that had fallen through the cracks. I found old demos that turned into “Better Daze”, “Daydreaming” and “Just Racing.” I was discovering these unpolished gems and in a way, they were a reflection of where I was in my own musical journey. Run down, out of touch, disconnected and forgotten. These songs were in “Oblivion.”
To round off the record, I composed two new tracks; “Phases,” an instrumental cap to the record and “Darling,” a love letter to my biggest support system through this time of turbulence; my wife.
“Oblivion” is a state of being forgotten. Western Jaguar was forgotten for nearly 3 years. It is not forgotten anymore, nor will it ever be again. Western Jaguar is a part of me. A part of my soul; a necessary appendage to my heart.
Please enjoy and please share your experiences with the record with me. It is always so heartwarming!
WESTERN JAGUAR FOREVER
JT
My NEW ALBUM "OBLIVION" is out everywhere now! Please share with a friend to earn my admiration.
Check out my newest single! A Musical Love Letter
The last single from Oblivion drops this Thursday!!
https://www.oleadaindie.com/2023/06/16/western-jaguar-un-talentoso-multiinstrumentista/
“Better Daze” have arrived in Mexico 🇲🇽
Thanks Oleada Indie!!! ❤️
STORYTIME WITH WESTERN JAGUAR:
First off, thank you to everyone who has listened to "Doomsday" so far.
I wanted to dive a little more into the track with you and highlight the two wonderful people you see with me in this photo; Davis and AJ @AridonisMusic.
Unlike "Better Daze" which was recorded post-pandemic, "Doomsday" was recorded pre-pandemic. In fact, it was even slated for release in June 2020, before, well, ya, all THAT happened.
3 years later, it is finally now out into the world, even though it was recorded and written in a much different time. The bass playing you hear is that of Davis and the wet, chorus-y lead guitars as well as the drums are played by AJ. Both of their playing on this shows how great of fits they were/are? in this project.
I don't know what the future holds, but I would be remised to not mention the contributions that these two gentlemen made not only to this song, but so many Western Jaguar songs throughout the course of history.
So again, if you haven't listen, don't just do it for me, do it for the boys...
SURPRISE! SINGLE #2 FROM OBLIVION IS OUT NOW!
THIS IS DOOMSDAY
View Westernjaguar’s Linktree. Listen to their music on YouTube, Spotify here.
UNDER THE RADAR: MAY 2023
We’re soaking up the sun with May’s Under The Radar releases by Saint Bernard, KD Surreal, AVEY, Western Jaguar, BIG FUZZ, and Pomona Park!
Keep reading
Permanent Rain Press are the best! Thanks 🥰
“Better Daze” Video Out Now!
Listen to Better Daze on all your favourite streaming platforms now:
View Westernjaguar’s Linktree. Listen to their music on YouTube, Spotify here.
New album “Oblivion” available July 7th, 2023. Pre-order here now:
11 track album
Someone pre-ordered my new record today.
That feeling of receiving an e-mail letting you know someone is taking a chance on your music is magical.
If you see this mystery buyer, thank you for making my day brighter! ☺️
(Pssh, you can bring me joy too! westernjaguar.bandcamp.com/album/oblivion)
View Westernjaguar’s Linktree. Listen to their music on YouTube, Spotify here.
LISTEN TO THE NEW SINGLE FROM WESTERN JAGUAR NOW!
“BETTER DAZE” has arrived.
I am so proud to announce the first new single from Western Jaguar in over 3 calendar years.
Find it on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/track/6nuv5tTjWg34e3BP9c00a4?si=a1d15a239a8347a6), Bandcamp (https://westernjaguar.bandcamp.com/album/oblivion) and anywhere else you get your music!
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/westernjaguar/better-daze
Thank you so much for your support!
3 more days!!!
THE JAGUAR RETURNS
Hey… long time no talk.
Sorry for falling off the face of the earth… but it was kinda easy to fall off the face of the earth when you last heard from me…
I don’t know how deep to go into it because frankly I don’t know how much anyone really cares about the details of the past 2 years of radio silence. The reality is though when the pandemic hit it changed a lot of things for everyone, and a casualty of that in my life became this project.
If you don’t want the long story, just skip to the final couple paragraphs… but if you do want to know a little more… welp, here we go.
I started recording music for Western Jaguar in 2012 at an undoubtedly low point in my life. At that time, Western Jaguar became the rallying point to get me back on track. It gave me purpose, meaning and an outlet for everything I was feeling. It served a huge role in my identity. It became my identity to a lot of people.
However, over time, year after year, Western Jaguar morphed into something different from that. I began to treat it like a job or a business endeavour. I began to fixate on things outside of just making music that made me feel good. I fixated on likes, a following, positive feedback… essentially I became hyper focused on making music other people liked. The saddest part of it all is it took a pandemic for me to realize that shift had occurred.
With the arrival of the pandemic in 2020, initial adaptations were made to stay relevant but it became very hard, very quick. Files were sent over Dropbox, meetings were held online, plans were made but really nothing was concrete because none of us knew what was coming in the days ahead. It truly was a halt. I wanted to keep creating but I just couldn’t. Too many distractions, too much detachment from what had become comfortable and a growing realization that I had stopped making music for myself. Now, with no easy way to get in front of people… no instant feedback… my drive was gone.
It’s tough to look at yourself in the mirror and realize that something that had been so sacred and so important to you had become a shadow of itself. That’s how I felt about Western Jaguar at the end of 2020. It had turned into something I didn’t want to do anymore and to be blunt, I saw an easy way out. A way to go another direction and try new things without anyone questioning why things suddenly halted. It was a perfect opportunity. Blame the pandemic and disappear.
I tucked music away in my mind. I sold off some things that I didn’t think I would need anymore and put my guitars away in their cases. I can honestly say I didn’t pick up a guitar, play a piano or hit a drum for about 18 months
I did other things though. I became absorbed in my work, I explored new hobbies and dove deep into them. I got married and was enjoying everything that came with that. I wasn’t missing music. I was getting my stress out in new ways and rarely thought about my instruments collecting dusk under my bed… but I guess I didn’t realize how much I needed music until I hit another low. And that low hit hard.
A few things happened at the end of this 18 month period that changed things for me and honestly I think without these big moments I would still be away from music. But just like the pandemic pushed me away, these events pulled me back in.
Essentially, I got sick. Really sick. Enough so that I couldn’t go to work. Shortly after, I got injured… enough so that I couldn’t do any of the physical things I had been doing to de-stress. So, it’s June 2022 and I felt stuck. I felt like I was going through the motions. I felt trapped in myself due to everything that had happened and I was searching for something to ground myself. I needed an escape, an outlet… that’s when it clicked in my brain… What had helped me before when I was at my lowest? Music.
So I gave it a try. I dug out my guitars, pedals, mics and most importantly my hard drive and began pouring through all my old ideas and demos. Upon listening, I found myself drawn in. I had fresh ears, fresh perspective and most of all, it wasn’t forced. There was no need to do this again. I had severed all connections to the musical persona I had before. There was no pressure to go back. I could be whatever I wanted to be. I could do whatever I wanted to do. It was a fresh start, a new beginning.
It took me a while to fully dive back in. It was tentative. I was a kid dipping his toe in the pool, afraid he’d forgotten how to swim since the last time he’d gone in. But slowly and surely I found it. I flexed a muscle that hadn’t been flexed in nearly 2 years and it flooded back like a wave. By October of 2022 I had completed demos for about 10 new tracks… but I knew I needed some help to get them over the line…
The reality of Western Jaguar is that over time, it became more than just me. It’s become a family almost and a part of me still feels bad about this aspect of how I walked away. I wasn’t just walking away from myself. There were other people involved and engaged in this that were victims of my detachment. It would have been easy for them to be discouraged or upset when I mentioned my reawakening but their reactions couldn’t have been farther from that. They were encouraging. They were excited. They were willing to help. That meant a lot.
From November 2022 through to February 2023, I recorded primarily at my house, with my new freedom and conviction. I recorded 7 tracks to completion (and brought back 2 songs never fully released properly to the table) for a total of 9. All these songs were drastically different, especially those that were recorded before this long hibernation, but in a way, that felt right. In the beginning, I never wrote songs to fit together perfectly or sit in a mould, I wrote songs because I liked writing songs… and the fact none of these fit together perfectly signalled to me that I was on the right track again. I was being true to myself.
Over the past couple months I have been working closely with former bassman Davis Zand to get these songs polished and finished. I hadn’t seen Davis in person for over 18 months when I arrived at his studio space just after Christmas of 2022, and we had rarely talked over the course of that time but he welcomed me like I had just hung with him the day prior. That also meant a lot. He’s been working hard with me on this and I am truly grateful for it. He’s made these songs better. It reminded me that doing it authentic to myself doesn’t mean excluding others from the process. It’s just about doing it with the right people.
I also had a song that really needed a sick guitar line to pull it together and I knew who to call. I tapped KC Roces on the shoulder and he said, “yes” before I could even explain what I was going for. Another true friend. (The part is sick by the way)
But all of this stuff leads us to right now. Right now, I am excited about what’s been created. I am excited about being excited again and I am hopefully I have learned something valuable in this whole tumultuous journey. Not only about what music truly means to me, but also about who I truly am. I don’t know exactly what that is yet, but I think I just need to continue progressing day by day to find it…
I guess what I’m saying is, thank you. Truly you care about this project and this music which is so wild. I rediscovered myself in making this new record. I can see myself as that 20 year old kid in his bedroom making music through a $30 condenser microphone again. It’s humbling to think about the gap in knowledge I had between then and now… but what I feel jealous of is the naivety. No expectations. No preconceived notions. Just making art for the sake of it. I tried hard to pull back into that feeling as much as I could.
So ya, this is just me at 30. I like it and that’s really all that matters.
New song coming in 2 weeks.
PRE-SAVE IT NOW: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/westernjaguar/better-daze
Western Jaguar Forever
JT
