Has it really been almost four years since the last Papercuts record? Sure, there was a stopgap EP last year, but no full-length since the superb Parallel Universe Blues in 2018. Now, Jason Quever is back with Past Life Regression, out on Slumberland Records on Friday.
Where the last album favored a proto-shoegaze vibe, with the best cuts full of woozy charm, Past Life Regression has a more spacious sound, one pitched nearer the ornate pop of The Clientele at times. Opener "Lodger" rattles with a faint V.U. edge, while the more elegant "Fade Out" suggests Galaxie 500's airier moments. Throughout, Quever commits to a deliberate pace, offering up an expansion of the sound he's already perfected, while taking a few stylistic risks. If "Palm Sunday" seems an appropriation of Ocean Rain gem "My Kingdom", the excellent "My Sympathies" feels like a mash-up of early Auteurs, "Dandelion"-era Stones, and even Elliott Smith. The song is a real highlight here, as is "I Want My Jacket Back", a funny bit of business.
At times, this all feels more fully-realized than anything Papercuts has put out before. Every cut feels different from the previous one in enough small ways as to make this long-player less dream-pop and more chamber pop. Jason Quever modulates his style just enough, adding in instrumental flourishes, like a throbbing bass in "The Strange Boys", for example, that subtly up-end any expectations you brought with you to a listen to this. Parallel Universe Blues was a great record, and, thankfully, Past Life Regression follows its own path, offering similarly rich rewards for listeners, even while quietly surprising.
Past Life Regression is out tomorrow via Slumberland Records.
[Photo: Amy Marco]