Whether or not All Eyes on Me is a (not-so-)veiled reference to Tupac is probably beside the point. Noisy rock (and also noise-rock) groups have littered their catalogs with good-natured (or not) flip-offs to other acts throughout time immemorial, from Ciccone Youth’s The Whitey Album to Buzz Osborne’s This Machine Kills Artists. I’m probably missing obvious ones. List as many as you want in the Facebook comments.
Jerkagram are steeped in their chosen genre’s sense of humor, as exemplified in this hilarious Rob Frese video for All Eyes cut “Classically Handsome,” which I personally wrote about for your edification not all that long ago. The brothers Gaines certainly have both tongues in cheeks, their cross-eyed moronicism on full display. The fact that they’re twin brothers probably helps — there’s a sibling telepathy that’s undeniable. I should know: I have two idiot brothers of my own.
But beyond the clip, The Jesus Lizard and Pissed Jeans comparisons pretty much disappear, with All Eyes on Me instead sprawling out like an itchy novella wherein our dual protagonists work tirelessly to unearth uncomfortable and awkward truths about themselves and their surroundings. Like June of 44 on steroids or a contemplative Melvins after a Proulx binge, Jerkagram often hews more Quarterstick than AmRep. Still, they’re just as liable to “rock out” as they are to pursue more mathy tendencies, oftentimes doing both at once.
So maybe I was misled in thinking that the two Gainses were just a couple of scamps hoisting all four of their middle digits at all times in the direction of all people. That’s what we all get, I guess, when faced with the prospect of a “Jerkagram” — we assume a certain amount of mean-spiritedness in the message. But instead of focusing your attention on the (admittedly fascinating and joyfully raucous) attitude, look instead toward the inner being, the soul, of Jerkagram, the place where the true fears and inadequacies, the hopes and dreams dwell… and the place where you’ll still probably be faced with a gleefully brandished middle finger for all I know.
More about: Jerkagram
