January Birthdays 
The Jagaloons – Forbidden Words CD/LP (Tabu Recordings)
Forbidden Words is the fifth release, third album, and first partnership with Tabu Recordings for this Albany, New York-based trio. Like their previous original material, this is high-quality, well-written surf music that relies on enthralling melodies.
The album begins with “Disco Volante” one of the band’s longer tunes at 4:00. Only two other tracks in their catalog have eclipsed the four-minute mark; “Nacho Boyfriend” (2022) and “Deadeye” (2019). Nonetheless, it’s a solid opener and sets the stage for the good time that this album is. Track three, “The Goggles Do Nothing” and the title track, in the fourth position, are two of my favorites! Both tracks represent the band for the fun-loving act that they are. The arrangements are solid, and they play for roughly two-and-a-half minutes, the surf music sweet spot. In addition to being a rad tune, “Forbidden Words” is a clever name for a surf instrumental. “Huevos con Salchicha,” “Ghosts of the Sargasso,” “Sayonara, Sucker,” and “Showdown at the Doublecross Ranch,” tracks 2, 6, 9, and 11, respectively have a distinctly Western sound while maintaining their enjoyable and memorable style. The band is free to branch out into different styles to keep the record fresh. “Soggy Bottom” delves into the Tiki sound and “Space Junk,” with its sci-fi vibe is aptly named. There are three covers on this album. The first one, track 7, is an honoring rendition of “Red Sunrise” by The Space Cossacks. It’s a bold move to cover a legendary act, and The Jagaloons show they can hang with the best of them. The tenth tune is a spot-on interpretation of “The Rising Surf” by The Tandems. In the spirit of their 2022 LP Knock You Up! which featured surfed-out versions of cool pop songs, track 14 is a faithful delivery of “Vacation” by The Go Go's.
The mannequins on the covers of Ruin the Party and Knock You Up! have departed and the artwork is now provided by the legendary Stephen Blickenstaff. Despite the predominance of Western sounds, there is not an overarching theme to the album, so the wild-eyed cannibal makes as much sense as anything else. It’s an amusing image where the band members and their instruments were cleverly worked into design.
There are 14 tunes with a runtime of 36 minutes. The LP is limited to 250 copies on sea blue translucent vinyl. The CDs are stored in cardboard sleeves. All formats are available at: https://thejagaloons.bandcamp.com/merch or https://houseoftabu.com/
As reviewed in Colorado Instrumental Fanzine Issue 3
—Matthew
Purchasae Colorado Instrumental Fanzine Issue 3
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Last edited: Jan 08, 2025 14:40:31
