To get through the gates of ‘In the End It Always Does’, one first has to listen to the nearly four and a half minutes that go by the name of ‘Spot Dog’. Once one has shown they’re worthy, The Japanese House open their doors to their second album which was released today.
‘In the End It Always Does’ is a beautifully dreamy, almost fragile dream gaze album contradicting lyrical content from the first until the very last song. The album contains previously released singles ‘Boyhood’ and ‘Sad To Breathe’ as well as ten new songs. All built around Amber Bain’s angelic vocals, the album is a cumulation of soft and wandering, uplifting, and introspective songs. Much of the album dances around contradictions; beginnings and endings, obsession and mundanity, falling in love and falling apart.
Single ‘Sad To Breathe’ is one of the oldest on the record, Amber says: “It was very different back then, it’s gone from being solely electronic to what it is now, mostly live and acoustic instrumentation. It’s about that desperate feeling when someone leaves you and the disbelief that they could.” It’s slowly evolving soundscape contradicting its sad message, the single is potentially one of the most light-hearted sounding ones on the album! Another favourite is the meandering ‘Over There’, which slowly builds towards an almost orchestral sounding instrumental piece that gives me goosebumps.
‘In the End It Always Does’ is primarily inspired by significant life events, including a move to Margate, and being in a throuple. “These two people were together for six years and I met them, and we all fell in love at the same time – and then one of them left. It was a ridiculously exciting start to a relationship. It was this high; and then suddenly I’m in this really domestic thing, and it’s not like there was other stuff going on – we were in lockdown.” The album is an honest collection, one drenched in pop and eccentric, surprising elements, and describes events in an open and non-sugar coated way.
On ‘Sunshine Baby’ we hear high pitched vocals, almost paper thin, while ‘You Always Get What You Want’ is nearly spoken, soft and effortless. It is potentially the most stripped back song on the album, showcasing another string to the bow of The Japanese House. A beautifully intimate ‘One For Sorrow Two For Joni Jones’ makes for the perfect closer of this album.
musicforthemisfits.com 