At their recent Somerset House gig, lead singer Blaine joked that new album Serotonin ‘isn’t as good as their last one’, and ironically for him, his faux criticism sums up their latest release perfectly in seven succinct words. Serotonin is not a bad album by any means, it’s just that as soon as it gets close to reaching the heights featured in second album Twenty One, something, whether it be in turn the riffs, melody or lyrics, falters slightly and promise displayed takes a slight decline.
One reason this album seems to lack the biting panache of its predecessor is because overall it takes a more melancholy route. Happy-go-lucky ditties about falling in love with the girl next door have been replaced by yearning and pensive lyrics such as “better to have loved and lost than to have lived and never loved anyone.” Despite the switch in both lyrical content and pace, the buzzing, poppy beats flutter through the background continually and restrain the record from becoming a more sombre affair entirely. 'Too Late To Talk' and 'The Girl Is Gone' explore the darker side to love that the band rather avoided in previous releases, but lead single 'Flash A Hungry Smile' with it’s witty talk of birds, bees and STDs shows us once again the jovial aspect to the Jets that has won them hoardes of admirers over the past few years. Title track 'Serotonin' recalls the 80s synths and vibes that featured heavily in their previous record, and the chant-along bridge towards the end of the track will translate well live as it draws the crowd back into the group’s merrymaking ways.
If Twenty One was the album documenting the throes of love, then Serotonin is the one made six months after the break up. Although perhaps slightly less fun in spirit, the development this album demonstrates signifies an important progression in the band’s maturity and ensures they will be more than just a passing flash in the musical pan.
This review was originally featured on www.culturedeluxe.com
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