by Zach Zollo (@zach_zollo)
Persimmons are magical. Tannic and astringent in their youth, they ripen into something rich, tangy and sweet: think of a cross between a roasted bell pepper and a mango, sprinkled with cardamom. A flavor profile as luscious as this doesn’t come from the Western Hemisphere, it’s native to East Asia; in fact, the persimmon is the national fruit of Japan, synonymous with fall’s harvest. Hoshigaki is one of the most treasured preparations of the fruit, where they are laboriously dried to produce an even sweeter taste. Traditionally, they are hung by string as decoration around the home, symbolizing longevity and good luck.
The cover of Jubilee, the third LP from Japanese Breakfast, is adorned with hoshigaki. Michelle Zauner, centered in the frame, looks at the viewer, holding one to her eye. It’s a simple, provocative image, one that primes childhood memories of sitting at the kitchen table, using oranges to pretend you’re a fruit fly. It is also - in its gentle innocence - the perfect cover to represent the glossy, fluorescent euphoria of this record. Whereas her previous two albums dealt with the grief and dissociation caused by the death of her mother, Jubilee processes all of Zauner’s emotion into an expression of joyous, utter feeling. It’s an affirmation of her life, of our lives, through collective experiences of triumph we share together. Simply put, it’s stunning.
“Paprika” opens the album with an orchestral march of lush horns, decorous strings, militant snares and barreling timpanis. Zauner sings to herself, asking the question “How’s it feel to stand at the height of your powers/To captivate every heart? Projecting your visions to strangers who feel it, who listen, who linger on every word?” As she proclaims “oh, it’s a rush,” the sentiment lands as one of eternal gratitude, for how else could one feel about connecting to others through your most personal expression? It sets an exceptional tone for what follows, an emulsion of 80s dance-funk, PNW indie and bubbly synthetic textures.
When Jubilee pops, it POPS. “Be Sweet” is one of the year’s best singles, a funky disco/rock hybrid with vocals that soar like a seabird over pacific waves. “Slide Tackle” features guitar playing that tickles with jazzy intimacy, like your partner running their fingers up and down your back, to get you into their arms. The saxophone riff that flutters towards the backend of the track is hypnotic, a dreamy earworm that grooves with ease. The lyrics illustrate the overcoming of turmoil through physical moves of finesse, continuing to showcase Zauner’s brilliant approach to telling a story - who would have thought a soccer move could be so effective?
This brilliance is also seen in “Kokomo, IN,” a song employing country-tinged slide guitar and affectionately plucked strings. It tells of a boy waiting for his lover’s return, in order for his life to feel fulfilled. Zauner performs the track with a special level of intimacy, as if it were a recital at a symphony hall. “Savage Good Boy,” a two-and-a-half minute bop co-produced by Alex G, offers the record's most complex tale. From the perspective of a wealthy, gluttonous doomsday prepper, the song evokes a sinister notion that even in the worst of humanity, you will find parts of yourself. The question then becomes how do you use those parts for betterment, not selfishness.
It should be noted that an album this jubilant (*wink*) can only come from someone who knows the true depth of loss. On “In Hell,” Zauner reveals how she came to expect the death of her mother. Until this point in the runtime, the tone of the lyrics match the music in measures of optimism; or at least, in the case of our aforementioned “good boy” (portrayed in the music video by Michael Imperioli of Sopranos fame), spunk. As she sings “Hell is finding someone to love and I can’t see you again,” the intrinsic, corporeal need for her mother is made clear and poetic; it just may be the most heartfelt lyric of her career.
Physical presence is essential, a love language if you will - it shares connection with another party, whether it be sensual as on “Posing In Bondage,” or maternal, as it is here. Depending on to what degree we lose it, it can debIlitate us, but this loss of physical presence empowered her to look beyond what’s here, and to cherish what’s felt. It inspired her to celebrate all that she has learned, possesses and aims to achieve. It gave her a new love of life.
What did it bring? For one, it’s brought forth an immaculate, spectacular record yet to be matched in indie rock this year. It brought forth assurance in Zauner, the kind that allows for ambition in size and scope to supersede all expectations and deliver a career peak. Most importantly, its brought forth every iota of her being, where it is now at the forefront looking onward, anticipating what lies ahead with passion and grace. Through reaching an artistic zenith, Michelle Zauner has solidified that her longevity will be everlasting, that perhaps she doesn’t even need the good luck bestowed by the hoshigaki of the cover. Just as the persimmon dries, Jubilee too will grow sweeter, sounder and more magical with age.