As mentioned many times in this blog, I think that Tik Tok has become one of the best places to discover new music. So many artists in recent years have gained incredible popularity on that app; it has helped spark the careers of many of today’s biggest rising stars. Jack Kays is the latest artist I was introduced to on Tik Tok that I have started to become enamored with. As with another musician I found this year on Tik Tok named Samica(who I wrote about recently so please check out that post after this), I actually did not find out about him through his actual songs. Instead, I was introduced to him through his cooking videos. I noticed that this dope Alternative Rock song played in the background of all his videos, and saw that the song was by him. I immediately went on his page and started looking for more videos about his music, and I became hooked(I also noticed that he filmed the music video and a live acoustic version of one of his songs at The Rave here in Milwaukee, which immediately made me dig him because that is one of my favorite places). Jack Kays has been posting original music online since 2017, but he started to really gain traction online when his 2021 album MIXED EMOTIONS went semi-viral. Since then, Jack Kays has stayed prolific with his output to capitalize on this success, releasing a joint EP with Travis Barker near the end of 2021 called MY FAVORITE NIGHTMARES and an EP called CESSATION in November of 2022. Jack Kays has already returned with a new EP called Caffeine which came out about a month and a half ago. Here is how I feel about that EP. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from Caffeine and also comment on how you feel about the project as a whole.
Jack Kays gets this project started off with the title track. ‘Caffeine’ is the song I brought up in the introduction that made me look into more of Jack Kays’ music. This song has a nostalgic Pop-Rock quality that I appreciate; it has quickly become one of my favorite songs from 2023 so far. It fuses early 2000s Pop-Punk with early 2010s Dance Rock; I can hear elements of artists like Blink 182 or Sum 41 and elements of artists like The Naked and Famous or Walk The Moon. ‘Caffeine’ has a vibrant melody and fast beat that makes me want to jump around my apartment when I hear it. I truly enjoy how the husky and raspy nature of Jack Kays’ voice contrasts the bright sound of the instrumental, as it gives the song a grainy texture. As I mentioned in the introduction, the music video for this track was primarily shot at The Rave, a concert venue here in Milwaukee. This made ‘Caffeine’ even more endearing to me as The Rave is one of my favorite places. In ‘Caffeine,’ Jack Kays is talking about the adrenaline rush he got with his now wife when he met her back in high school. She made him feel emotions he had never felt before, and he could not get enough. ‘THAT SUCKS!’ has a lighter and more summery feeling than the song that precedes it. This track has a similar upbeat Dance-Rock sound, but it feels a bit softer and has a bit more of a Pop element. The melody of this song is so warm and luscious; I immediately think of being on a beach when I hear it. The guitar riff has a bit of distortion on it, which gives a bit of a harsh component that it benefits from. Jack Kays has an interesting vocal performance on this track that makes it super engaging. There are points of the song where he is almost talking and other parts where he sings with a soft and easygoing tone. Like the previous track, the way he delivers his vocals gives the song so much texture. On ‘THAT SUCKS!,’ Jack Kays is talking about realizing that you might be the problem yourself while you watch everything around you crumble.
‘Highlight Reel’ is a song that feels super modern and retro at the same time. Even though the track has a melody and overall style that is reminiscent of the aforementioned Pop-Punk bands from the early 2000s, there is also something about the beat that makes it feel super current. Although the beat is not HyperPop, the way the drums are played a bit off-beat almost does give sections of the song a Dance-Pop sound. This makes the song super lively, as contrasting elements in the beat and the way the guitars are played gives the song power. The way the vocals are this track are mixed is super cool. In the verses, the vocals sound very clear, and in the chorus, they are heavily layered. Because of this, the chorus feels anthemic. On ‘Highlight Reel,’ Jack Kays is singing about an ex who he knows lies about who they are and how they feel about life to make it seem like they are happier than they are. He knows the truth about how they feel, and he is sick of seeing them project in this fake way. Caffeine closes out on an interesting note with ‘The Voice In My Head.’ This is an acoustic Folk-Punk song that is full of fervor; what this song lacks in energy through a beat and extra instrumentation it makes up for with raw passion. This song is driven by a fast acoustic guitar riff that fuses Folk and Alternative Rock that is complemented by an electric guitar that comes in and out. Jack Kays’ vocals on this song are strong and tangible; the zealousness he is singing with is so palpable that I can feel it as a listener. I love the brief moments of vocal layering in this track, as these moments give the song more emphasis. In ‘The Voice In My Head,’ Jack Kays is letting his intruding thoughts win, conveying his self-loathing tendencies in a way that is super honest and clear. ‘The Voice In My Head’ is a poignant way to end this project, and it shows a side of Jack Kays that I know so many of us can relate to.
Like I said in the introduction, Tik Tok has become one of the best ways for rising artists to get exposed to the world. Jack Kays is the latest example of an artist I discovered through that app that I have come to love. I am really glad I decided to check out his music because I am now a big fan; due to this new EP, Caffeine, Jack Kays has a new listener in me. Caffeine is a project that takes some of the best types of Pop-Punk and Dance-Rock from the 2000s and 2010s and makes them sound so fresh. Everything about this EP is a breath of fresh air; from the nostalgic yet contemporary feeling of the instrumental to the powerful lyricism, this project conveys so much fervor. On each track, Jack Kays’ vocals are so passionate, giving these songs a level of excitement that they benefit from. With Caffeine, Jack Kays proves he is one of the most exciting young Alternative Rock artists coming up today. This is a project I know I will be coming back to frequently in the future, and it makes me very excited to see what he does next.
EAST SIDE VIBES 