SONG PREMIERE: JayWood – Moon Cats

Album Art/Photography by Carly Boomer-Gilley

Alt-indie group JayWood has released “Moon Cats,” the third single from their upcoming debut LP Time.

Frontman Jeremy Haywood-Smith’s favourite track on the album, “Moon Cats” is about taking a leap of faith.

“I wrote it around the time I was pretty confident I was going to move away somewhere across the world,” says Haywood-Smith. “I’ve been sitting on that idea for some time.”

The final song recorded with the original lineup back in 2016 (now replaced by Sara Provencher on bass, Ben Stokes on drums and Tyler Wagar on keys), the single’s prominent looped guitar melody came to Haywood-Smith in the hazy space between consciousness and sleep.

“I kept hearing that melody in my head, in my dream channels,” says Haywood-Smith. “I immediately woke up and recorded the demo for ‘Moon Cats’ in one go. It was insane.”

The title is a nod to the album and title track “Sundogs” by local post-rock band Black Cloud, whose current guitar/synth player Darin Rudd was a previous member of JayWood. 

“I think it was a night after I saw Black Cloud perform for the very first time and that really changed my whole life,” says Haywood-Smith. “’Moon Cats’ is like my attempt at writing a song like theirs.”

Described by Haywood-Smith as a concept album, Time is divided into three distinct sections, each paying homage to a different stage of his life. Time’s first single, “Another Life,” nests within section one: “Blue Rebel Radio.”

“The first part [of the album] is kind of like a mopey teenager discovering semi-wokeness,” says Haywood-Smith.

Meanwhile, the second single – “Club 3D X,” from section two: “Groove Corner 816 FM” – harkens to a period of his life spent as an introvert indulging in party culture.

“That young boy doesn’t exist anymore,” says Haywood-Smith. “Long gone.”

And finally, “Moon Cats” hails from the final segment, “482 Shoeglazed FM,” a trio of tracks representing Haywood-Smith’s current state: aimless and uncertain, but not hopeless.

Listen to “Moon Cats” above, and celebrate the release of Time on June 7 at The Good Will Social Club with JayWood and openers ATLAAS and Arenas, presented by Real Love Winnipeg. Stream and purchase  “Moon Cats” on Bandcamp  and Spotify.