Waterparks bare all on new album ‘JINX’
by sydney carper
Over three years in the making, Houston trio Waterparks released their eagerly awaited sixth studio album JINX on July 24th. After scrapping the follow up to their fifth album, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY II, in 2024, all eyes and ears are on Waterparks this year, and they know it. Frontman Awsten Knight, guitarist Geoff Wigington, and drummer Otto Wood (with the help of some friends) take us on a rollercoaster of a journey across 13 tracks, leaving no holds barred.
We begin with "TELL ME WHY," perhaps the most ambitious album opener Waterparks have ever done. An existential number that starts with a newscaster reporting on Knight’s death, "TELL ME WHY" takes us through Knight’s untimely demise and his conversations with God, his helpers, and the Devil himself (portrayed by Eric Nally, Mark Hoppus, Dillon Francis, and Danny Elfman respectively). As Knight parses through his brief trip to the afterlife, he pleads to know “If the only point of life is to not die / Can you tell me why?” Both he and listeners cannot seem to find a concrete answer, nor any solace in the religious figures we’re introduced to. "TELL ME WHY" allows Waterparks to delve into their theatrical side, an entire Broadway play fleshed out in just three and a half minutes, setting the tone for the entire record. Even this early in the album, listeners are able to get a glimpse as to why it’s aptly named JINX.
“RED GUITAR” expands on the concept Knight has described as “everyone being their own jinx.” The lead single of the album has Knight conversing with an entirely different character this time: his teenage self. He comes face to face with the version of him that decided to commit to a career in music, and has to admit that the reality of being in a band is not as glamorous as he hoped. A self call-out set to plucky strings and a slamming guitar solo, “RED GUITAR” confronts some of Knight’s deepest insecurities as a musician head on.
“IF LYRICS WERE CONFIDENTIAL”and “PROWLER”delve even further into the concepts established in “RED GUITAR.”Exposing the more insidious sides of the music industry like overbearing fans and out of touch execs, no one is safe from Knight’s lethal pen. In these tracks, we also hear Knight skillfully incorporate ambient noises (such as cars idling or trains passing by) adding a unique flavor to the production side of things.
“BETTER THAN THERAPY,” the latest single and the last released before the album dropped, takes us head first into a relationship with rose-colored glasses on. Even casual listeners of Waterparks are familiar with Knight’s uncanny ability to make the most unhealthy dynamics sound compelling when set to a bright, lively instrumental. “BETTER THAN THERAPY”proves no different as it explores the concept of substituting your therapist for an, at times, toxic romantic relationship as Knight declares, “Yeah you might be the death of me / But you’re better than therapy”. With one of the most skillfully designed bridges on the album and delightfully packed with signature ad libs and harmonies, this track proves most enjoyable in a live setting.
However, the lustful undertones of “BETTER THAN THERAPY”pale in comparison to what awaits us on “NOBODY BUT YOU.”Unquestioningly the most intimate Waterparks song, we’re faced with an instrumental that feels reminiscent of the contemporary r&b songs we loved in the early 2000s. A satisfying yet unexpectedly salacious turn from the rest of the album, “NOBODY BUT YOU”is in a category of its own, both lyrically and sonically. The Charlie Puth-esque vocals in the final post-chorus put Knight heads above his peers in the alternative scene.
On track seven we reach “GWEN STEFANI,”the most hotly anticipated track of the album, and my personal favorite. It is well known in the Waterparks community that this track was initially slated to be on the band's 2021 album Greatest Hits. Over the years, Knight teased bits and pieces of the demo as he reworked the song. It finally found a home on JINX, thus proving the typically fatal ‘demoitis’ (a term used to describe when one becomes so attached to a rough, unpolished demo that the final version no longer holds up) is no match for Waterparks.
Lyrically, we are brought back to the concept of self-sabotage. The chorus is stimulating to the nerves in the best way as Knight declares, “I don't need rest, I need caffeine / 'Cause I gotta get some sleep / I even found the perfect space / Between a rock and harder place”.
“GWEN STEFANI”presents the raw vulnerability of concepts of isolation, uncertainty, and suicidal ideation layered over top booming horns and a hip hop like beat. It perfectly encapsulates the antisocial behaviors and anxiousness we as a society have been tormented with this past decade. A man’s desperate search for himself, this track goes much deeper than the title may suggest.
Circling back to the self-proclaimed loverboy songs, “NO NO NO NO NO”has this certain cinematic quality to it that’s fit for an indie coming of age film. The pure youthful energy and desire radiating off of its guitar lines is expertly accompanied by Knight’s gentle vocals as he pleads for his lover to stay just a little bit longer. Followed by the gut wrenching “PLAYING MUSIC,” JINX delves even deeper into feelings of insecurity and fragility. As we hear Knight implore for the subject to not change their mind about him, we are left haunted by the desperation in his voice as the track softens during the outro. Knight has also described this track as a love letter to the art of making music, an added layer to the lore that twists the knife already planted by “NO NO NO NO NO.”
A soulful piano ballad, “MIRAGE,” showcases Knight’s strengths as a vocalist as he questions why he feels stagnant while everyone else around him moves on. The pure defeat in his voice pierces you to the core as you have no choice to empathize with his plight with the universe that seems out to get him. Listeners barely have time to wipe their eyes before the whiplash that is the transition into “TASTES LIKE TANGERINE.”
Without a doubt the most experimental song on the album, “TASTES LIKE TANGERINE” was born from an instrumental Knight initially crafted years ago to appear on his original video game soundtracks. It’s an electronic and glitchy number loaded with synths, guitars, and drums that could only be described as villainous. Exemplifying the highest of highs before the eventual crash, Knight expertly modifies and distorts his voice throughout the song, pleasantly disorienting the listener. Those familiar with the band may also catch a call back to the unreleased RSDII during the bridge.
Swinging sharply in the opposite direction, “ANY MINUTE NOW” is a raw and unfiltered take on the uncertainties surrounding your life choices and never knowing when, or if, life will ever make sense. Often, the tracks that are the most specific to Knight’s experiences are the ones that resonate with listeners the most. The feeling that everyone has it all figured out but you is universal and “ANY MINUTE NOW” exemplifies that expertly. While "TELL ME WHY" left us with more questions than answers, “ANY MINUTE NOW” leaves listeners assured that not even the smartest among us know what we’re doing here.
Waterparks have never been ones to shy away from speaking on “taboo” topics, both in music and in their everyday lives. Knight in particular is very outspoken against the current administration in the U.S. and a fierce advocate for the marginalized. It comes as no surprise then, that JINX closes with “GIRLS NEED GUNS,” a condemnation of society’s treatment of women and the infringement on abortion rights in America.
It’s arguably one of the most impactful Waterparks songs, and Knight himself is only to be found in the chorus and outro. To fill in the gaps and add a womanly perspective, Knight’s mother appears via phone conversation with her son to reflect on the everlasting battle for women’s rights she’s been a witness to throughout her lifetime. She does not mince words as she emphasizes the importance of a woman’s right to choose and how the politicization of women’s bodies is killing us. Punctuated with Knight singing “Little by little / One by one / Mothers grow to fear their own damn sons / And if the past's a sign of what's to come / The world's fucked up / The girls need guns,” his mother’s words hit home for many listeners. Taking us out of the Waterparks universe and back to the harsh reality we live in to close out the album with such a loud call for justice cannot be understated.
JINX further solidifies that Waterparks are in a class of their own. While sonically each track couldn’t be more different, Waterparks’ innate storytelling abilities allow for the end result to be a cohesive body of work with high replay value, no matter what genre or style you prefer. A testament to the epic highs and lows of the human experience, JINX leaves listeners feeling seen even if we cannot find the answers to the philosophical questions that plague us.
