Jacob Switzer wants to show you what’s in and on his mind. “HeadSpace is literally my headspace, it’s what i think about. It can be fun, but it’s also pretty low sometimes, and i’d like to think its very honest and real, because i try to convey the reality of my everyday life,” he says about the project. Switzer can usually be found playing with his friends in Goodbye Honolulu, who he co-founded Toronto DIY label Fried Records with.
But HeadSpace came before all that, an outlet that Switzer could can tap into whenever he needed to. Thus, Jacuzzi 23 was born. A collection of songs written over the past year woven together with the “theme of video games, jacuzzis, dreamy interludes and green neon,” the album serves as an intimate look inside Switzer’s mind, but also each song seems to be driven by a particular incident or idea, his most intimate thoughts poured into a expansive sonic landscape.
‘Step into the Jacuzzi (Intro)’ is like wading half way into a pool, but as Switzer cries “call me Casey” at the end of ‘Casey Feelbender’ you become full immersed in his new reality, home to Casey Feelbender and his thoughts.
What follows is a loose story of depression (‘Broke Boy’, ‘Ruin My Life’), determination (‘Quit This Time’), nostalgia (‘Karaoke Feelbender’) and love (‘Asteroid Queen’), book-ended by ‘K.O.’ and its reprise that serve as a reminder that no matter how messed up you might feel, there’s always a little hope. The album’s closer, ‘Get it From Me’ is one of the catchiest tunes – a confession that escalates into a cacophony of guitars that shows that Casey still has more to offer by the end of it all.
While making an extremely personal project, Switzer has made a surf/indie/punk rock album with heavy themes that will resonate with you as you listen. Maybe we all just need a little time in our own jacuzzi.
You can find Jacuzzi 23 for free on Bandcamp and on streaming services.
