Del Water Gap Exudes Vulnerability In ‘Chasing The Chimera’
Samuel Holden Jaffe, the mastermind behind the act that is Del Water Gap, uncovers his most vulnerable side in his third studio album, Chasing The Chimera. As a more casual Del Water Gap fan, Jaffe's music has historically missed a level of vulnerability that would have allowed me to connect with the art on a deeper level. Chasing The Chimera has filled that gap for me. Jaffe takes the listener on a tumultuous journey through his inner monologue during what seems to be a phase of letting go, growing up and accepting life for what it is. Through a variety of experimental and familiar sounds, the album dives into the different phases that come with growing older and respecting the decisions of our current, past and future selves.
The album leads off with a track titled “Marigolds” that dives straight into a way too familiar concept to all: regret. Jaffe sings: “I wanna tell you I’m sorry / I never told you I loved you when I still could.” While starting an album with a more solemn song is a bold move, this track really sets the tone for the rest of the album, demonstrating that Jaffe is fully capable of sharing his deepest thoughts with a vast audience.
The next track, “Small Town Joan of Arc,” is the type of song that has continuously brought me back to Jaffe’s music. Melodically, this song fits the mold of your classic indie-pop track that is best fit to be played windows down on a cool summer evening. But lyrically, the listener is reminded of a timeless archetype that can be reflective of ourselves or a loved one. The duality of this song cements it as my top track off of Chasing The Chimera. Moving on to the lead single, “How To Live,” Jaffe maintains his vulnerability by exploring the difficulties that come with growing into adulthood. He reminds us that in a world full of movement and change, we can find solace in the shared unknown that comes with being human.
The following two tracks, “Please Follow” and “Eastside Girls,” stand out because they both steer away from the classic Del Water Gap sound and embrace a bass-heavy, jazz-inspired composition. These tracks are entrancing in their own ways, despite the similar variation from his usual; “Please Follow” has a more eerie musical composition, while “Eastside Girls” serves as its groovy counterpart. The first half of the album is concluded with a piano ballad titled “We Don’t Have To Take It Slow.” This track highlights the feelings that come with putting yourself aside for love in a way that is personally damaging.
In the second half of Chasing The Chimera, the shift in tone is obvious. After expressing feelings of longing and regret, Jaffe reaches a point where those feelings transform into acceptance and certainty. “Never Speak Again” touches on a realization that comes only after distance; it’s the realization that you have been idealizing an individual rather than seeing them for who they truly are. This song reflects on the experience of leaving someone in the past and being okay with the version of them that is now frozen in time in your memories.
“Ghost In The Uniform” follows as a more intense reflection on the internal complacency that can come with a relationship. Foreshadowing an introspective analysis, the first line of this track echoes: “Trapped inside a skull-sized kingdom tonight.” The chorus feels like the breaking point in that complacency; it is the realization that a partnership has long run its course. This track goes hand-in-hand with its successor, “Waiting On The Day.” While it may be easy to come to the decision that a relationship is over, accepting the loneliness that comes with that is the hard part. Jaffe starts this song acknowledging the incompatibility that he is facing but goes on to say, “And I’m still waiting on the day / When my pain all goes away.” This sentiment is relatable to almost everyone who has gone through a breakup. It is so easy to know what is right for ourselves, but acting on it is the hard part. But while these two tracks are lyrically coupled, they differ in production. “Ghost in the Uniform” is another track that maintains the classic Del Water Gap sound, and “Waiting On The Day” is Jaffe’s successful attempt at embracing the popular indie-folk sound; the music to this track balances out the melancholic verbiage.
While still demonstrating feelings of uncertainty, the final two tracks of Chasing The Chimera provide a more hopeful lens to all of the hurt that comes with life. “Damn” serves as a point of realization that life is suffering, and all that you can do is be true to yourself. It also reminds the listener that being true to yourself alone may not be fulfilling enough. This segues into the final track, “Eagle In My Nest,” a Sinatra-esque track that feels like a rebirth. Jaffe leads the song with a universal experience that no one can truly account; he imagines the intimate connection that must have been felt as a fetus in utero. The next verse maintains the same theme as he expresses a vision for his future family. Jaffe continues to acknowledge the difficulties that come with the beautiful experience that is life. He closes the album out saying, “I know I’ll be alright in the end.”
Chasing The Chimera is a pivotal album for Del Water Gap, as it opens Jaffe up to a whole new world of fans. Humans connect with people and things that they can relate to and understand, and creating a piece of work that oozes vulnerability is commendable and sought after in a world full of simple pleasures and instant gratification. The exploration into both folk and jazz inspired tracks was both a clever and creative move on Jaffe’s part, making him a more versatile artist in a vast pool of talent. I can confidently say that Chasing The Chimera is my favorite piece of work from Del Water Gap.