Jody And The Jerms: Love Descends

(Via PinDrop Records)

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Following on from a number of recent singles, Oxford sextet Jody And The Jerms release their fourth album Love Descends. Featuring another impressive collection of songs, it’s an album which showcases their own unique brand of melodic and uplifting indie pop which surely now demands the attention of a wider audience.

Jody And The Jerms emerged from a thriving Oxford music scene in 2019 and quickly made a strong impression in their live shows with their unique brand of melodic and uplifting indie pop which takes inspiration from the likes of Blondie and Kirsty MacColl. Aside from playing numerous shows and festivals all over the UK and Sweden, they have enjoyed support slots for the likes of Frank & Walters, Darling Buds and PopGuns which helped to raise their profile and gain some new fans.

With Jody being the primary songwriter and vocalist, the band also comprise Niall Jeger on guitars, Salma Craig on acoustic guitar and vocals, Rob Anwood on keys and piano, Sam Hutchinson on bass, Steve Clark on drums and Peter Millson on guitars and backing vocals. Spending very little time in crafting an initial batch of songs, the band were quick to get things moving in the studio and released three full albums in fairly quick succession in Deeper (2020), Flicker (2022), and Fonder (2023). Now, after a gap of around two years, comes their fourth album, Love Descends which was recorded at Safehouse Studios in Oxford under the jurisdiction of Mike Bannard.

In terms of the inspiration behind the album, Jody describes this as follows, “Love Descends is a personal collection of songs about the many facets of love, both romantic and platonic, in all its messiness and complexity. We wanted to create a series of songs that are both poignant and thought-provoking and yet still make you want to dance around the room!” This is a juxtaposition which is not always easy to realise but in the case of Judy And The Jerms, this album proves quite the opposite.

Hooch And Happiness opens the album with a bright captivating melody overlaid with jangling guitars, and we are immediately transported to a classic era of indie pop, with a shaft of happy nostalgia sweeping through the airwaves. Once the alluring vocals kick in and the engaging narrative unfolds reflecting back on carefree times when “driving around in a cloud of dreams”, the song develops an irresistible charm as the strong hooks and striking harmonies take over and this very much sets the tone for all that is to follow.

This theme continues through Some Day as its jaunty rhythm wraps effortlessly around its shimmering melodic charm, with Jody’s vocals conveying the real sense of heartache and frustration that runs through the song’s narrative. But this quickly turns into an overwhelming sense of positivity through Divine which ebbs and flows through fractured rhythms and melodies which give it an almost oriental feel as Jody sings “I believe you’re heaven sent, my divine experiment.”

Seen It All Before is the first of two songs produced by Ride guitarist Mark Gardener, who undoubtedly encourages a harder edge to the band’s own style of jangle pop. It’s a song layered with propulsive energy and punchy bass lines, whilst still retaining strong pop sensibilities through catchy melodies. Unravelling explores a completely different sound augmented by Andy Boyd on trumpet and Artem Litovchenko on cello as the vibrant brass heavy groove dances across the airwaves in joyous fashion. This is followed by Lights (2025 rework) which follows a much more sombre path with the cello shaping a strong melancholic edge which underpins an emotive narrative focused on romantic heartache.

A Different Place leans heavily on classic ska rhythms which, when infused with such radiant melodies, create joyous and uplifting soundscapes and a really happy vibe. As guitarist Niall explains, “The song’s about escapism to some extent and how you can lose yourself in art and live events in particular, be that music or theatre or whatever, and forget about the drama and anxieties of life, and immerse yourself in, and enjoy, the moment, as a performer, part of the audience, or both, as we certainly did!” And there is little doubt in my mind that anyone listening to this album will get exactly this same feeling.

Liberation is another song produced by Mark Gardener which has a somewhat neo-psychedelic vibe with its atmospheric textures and almost dreamy vocals which are wrapped around the upbeat rhythm. Given Up Trying has a more reflective feel with the cello again drawing out a very mournful vibe from this stripped-down arrangement of a song centred around a broken relationship for which there seems little chance of any reconciliation. In contrast, the message “I just don’t want you, I just don’t like you” comes through very loud and clear in I Don’t Wanna which exercises the band’s more aggressive indie punk influences.

Severance also swells with an epic rockier-style sound which draws on vocals which have the uplifting melodious charm of Pauline Murray and an overall vibe which effortlessly replicates the explosive energy of The Teardrop Explodes. As Jody sings “You keep on winning when there’s nothing left to take”, the narrative offers a real sense of perseverance and resilience whilst the drums crash, the guitars burn and an exuberant trumpet swells the sound, blending seamlessly with a quieter and more reflective cello as the recognition dawns that “nothing’s easy after all”. Album closer Winter Heart has a more country feel about it and features guest violin by Erica Nockalls of Wonder Stuff/Proclaimers fame who weaves a forlorn sense of loneliness into the song.

Love Descends is an album which puts the joy back into the centre of pop music as we know it, with vibrant rhythms and infectious melodies sitting right at the heart of their songwriting as Jody And The Jerms craft a sound which is very much their own. There is also a real emotional maturity which shines through this collection of songs which will undoubtedly resonate strongly with their audience as they create soundscapes which shimmer with an unrivalled heart and soul. One can only hope that an album like this can be the springboard for the band towards exposure to a much wider audience. One thing is for sure, one listen to this album and you will be dancing around the room!

You can buy the album here or here.

You can find Jody And The Jerms on Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp and their website.

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All words by Ian Corbridge. You can find more of his writing at his author profile here.