The drum machine is actually probably a better fit for Whitney and Votolato than Clark was, since like everything else about Jaguar Love, it’s set to “loud.” Their new toy kicks out cheap, unruly booty beats, over which the guys slather similarly trashy synthesizers and Whitney’s usual helium-toned shrieks and screams, which make Hologram Jams the perfect dance record for people who want to ruin the dance party.
The strengths from Jaguar Love’s debut remain: Whitney’s enthusiasm is infectious for those who can stand his voice, and even for those who can’t, there’s no denying the guy knows how to turn a hook. As with Take Me To the Sea, though, even the catchiest songs outlast their welcome by a good minute or two, and its best moments rarely rival The Blood Brothers’. In that regard, Jaguar Love recalls another dance-minded spin-off of a great punk band: Mick Jones’ post-Clash project Big Audio Dynamite. That act, too, had its moments, but never so much as to make anybody wish Jones hadn’t left The Clash.
Hologram Jam's finest moment, "Polaroids and Red Wine," is embedded below:
