Love Letter To A Record: Sinclaire's Jake Sheath On Van She's 'V'

Many of us can link a certain album to pivotal moments in our lives. Whether it’s the first record you bought with your own money, the chord you first learnt to play on guitar, the song that soundtracked your first kiss, the album that got you those awkward and painful pubescent years or the one that set off light bulbs in your brain and inspired you to take a big leap of faith into the unknown – music is often the catalyst for change in our lives and can even help shape who we become.

In this series, Music Feeds asks artists to reflect on their relationship with music and share with us stories about the effect music has had on their lives.

Jake Sheath, Sinclaire – Van She, V

Hey baby it’s been a while.

It’s the first day of summer and I’m heading down the coast with my best mate again. You want to hitch a ride? There is going to be BBQ’s and inappropriate day-drinking. I know you’re up for a party. You always sound the sweetest when I am free from commitments. You are liberating.

Remember when we were in Sydney together? The stress, anxiety, the sad beach parties, the late nights that blurred into over-exposed days. Strung out and washed up and so happy about it. I can still see you vividly running to the bus stop to get to work, your makeup running and weird from the night before, clinging to the party. I’ve been meaning to ask…how did you always smell so good?

Do you remember that time I went missing? At that point you were only my friend’s older sister. You found me at four in the morning in a school with all-yellow streetlights on and the blood on my knees. I’d ridden for hours. After that night we promised not to go back, you rolled your eyes. You knew I would be back. You knew this feeling would mature into something more complex.

The way you resonate with the weird hungover happiness I now feel is something that not many people can do. Validation is a tiresome thing to chase – why do you dish it out so easily? You are a bad influence, but I’m kind of into it. You’ve show me how it is possible to balance melancholy, effortlessness and teenage awkwardness. You are always so many things

You shouldn’t give me exactly what I want. But you always do. Meaning exactly what you say. And it’s bliss. But when I come down you leave me not 100% sure I want it again. What is this? Guilt? Is this pleasure? Is it both?

You never fail to fill a dance floor with your moves or command a conversation about death, wine and pointing out the inevitable fact that we are all running out of time.

That’s why I always come back to you. You are the humbling notion that things change. Nothing can ever be the same. You take the chaos and tell whoever listens that it’s fine to be swept up in life. Remember, you are in deep. Not a fleeting lust, but a companion.

Be forever mine?

Jake

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Sinclaire are a Sydney-based indie-rock quartet who’ve just unveiled their emotively-driven debut EP Now I’m Ready To Start, produced by Stevie Knight (The Dead Love, Stand Atlantic) and mixed by Adrian Breakspear (Gang of Youths, Boy & Bear).

A five-track serving of irresistible, earnest pop that will undoubtedly inspire mass amounts of involuntary humming and toe-tapping, this a musical sugar rush, an absolute treat for the ears, and you can catch the lads touring it live across Sydney and Melbourne next month. Check out all the details below!