On The Verge

The Static Jacks

Westfield, N.J.
Positive Dreamers
www.thestaticjacks.com

“A lot of the lyrics were written in the mindset of, ‘I know things can be shitty, but let’s fucking power through this and see what happens next, because we can change whatever we want about ourselves, our world, our future,’” explains Nick Brennan, drummer and chief songwriter for the indie rock quartet The Static Jacks in regard to the lyrical arc of their Fearless Records debut If You’re Young. Rounded out by guitarists Michael Sue-Poi and Henry Kaye, and vocalist Ian Devaney, this quartet of friends has gone through their fair share of headaches and heartbreaks as they traveled down the harrowed path of maturity together. Produced by Chris Shaw—who oversaw such band faves as the first Weezer LP and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists’ Shake The Sheets —this follow-up to their self-released Laces EP certainly stands as a testament to the wise-beyond-their-years balance of caution and hope that goes along with their Misfits-cum-Morrissey musical methodology. “Growing old is a scary thing in general,” Brennan muses. “It seems like, as you get older, you lose your moral compass. People say that teenagers and young adults are too dreamy in their ideals. But a lot of those individuals would be ashamed if they revisited their 20-year-old selves.”