The debut EP from Dallas power pop punk rockers The No-Where Jets is now available.
The EP titled Launch! is a seven inch vinyl that consists of four tracks and spins at 45 RPM.
Two of the four tracks are written by Craig Reeves and McMurdo Murphy. The other two come from one of Murphy’s previous bands. The Reeves / Murphy songs were released as singles prior to the street date of September 24, 2021.
The first single, “TassO” was released in February 2021, generating interest in the Dallas Fort Worth radio market. Both public and corporate radio stations have given “TassO” some love. Putting “TassO” out for the public was a way to celebrate the band’s first year of existence.
The song is a nod to Philip K. Dick’s sci-fi short story Second Variety. The narrative of the short story serves as the basis for the song.
“TassO” challenges the listener with a dark dystopian vision of the future. There’s visions of lethal and alluring self replicating robots and an unreachable moon base. In the Second Variety short story, Tasso is a female robot. These things are very imaginable while reading the lyrics as “TassO” plays.
The lead by guitarist NovaCraig (Reeves) after the second chorus gives the song a slight edge of heaviness. It’s not a poppy lead but more of a quick venture into the hard rock realm with a smooth exit.
If listeners pay close attention they will hear the brief mention of Space Cadet Jet. The band’s label as well as an illustration of a futuristic space cadet.
The track is very radio friendly with a simple yet fun chorus that’s certain to engage the audience live.
The second single, “52 Spacesuit Mask” hones in lyrically on the masks of the pandemic world. Spacesuits being an analogy for the masks during the pandemic. It even mentions the Bubble Boy with the lyrics “Now they know how the Bubbleboy feels.”
There are no fancy rhythms or shreds during “52 Spacesuit Mask.” The song is just simple and straightforward but prompts the listener to really think about what’s being said.
“Never gonna be the same again”
“Always gonna be the same again and again and again”
Chorus
“Marked unclean – I’ve got the fever”
“Lock me up – weld the doors shut”
“Leper unclean – the plague has come to town”
The two singles lead off their respective sides of the EP. “TassO” for Side A and “52 Spacesuit Mask” for Side B.
The remaining two songs, “Girlfriend Starr” and “Big Plans” follow each single allowing for two tracks for each side. The songs were written by Murphy in a previous band but have been rearranged by Reeves.
“Girlfriend Starr” clocks in at 1:41 making it the shortest of the four songs on Launch!. It’s a quick little tune with a punk vibe with a chorus that has a nice shine to it.
The second tune, “Big Plans” fairs just a tad longer than “Girlfriend Starr” with an additional 23 seconds. Like the previous song, it’s quick but with a simple shouting chorus.
The way vocals end on “Big Plans” may be a little familiar to a classic song from 1978.
As a band, The No-Where Jets gel easily together. The musicians are veterans of the Dallas Fort Worth music scene. They’ve been around more than just a few years.
The band was metalicus in their planning for the presentation of Launch!. It’s evident just by holding the EP in hand. The artwork as a whole, the lyrics insert for all four songs and the blue vinyl. Even collectors may find the deep rich blue color of the vinyl too tempting to pass up.
The best part though is sitting down and reading lyrics as Launch! makes its way from start to finish. That’s the sole purpose of the inclusion of the lyrics sheet. It’s a throwback to the day when vinyl ruled in the pre digital age.
As for the title of the EP, it’s not by accident. It’s a calculated move to introduce the band and launch them into the public eye.
Simply put, the purchase of Launch! is a great introduction of The No-Where Jets.
