Autopilot, the latest album from East Coast-rooted and Ottawa-based electro-rock group Paragon Cause, is an affirming and resolute benchmark in their career. How does a band combine urgency and lushness? Look no further than “Disconnected.” Beautiful shimmering synths, a propulsive beat, and commanding vocals that soar above the whole affair. There are nods to ’80s new wave and shoegaze, tied together with great production.
Michelle Opthof and Jay Bonaparte, Paragon Cause’s two band members, took full advantage of the 2020 lockdowns. The songwriting was done in a period of 10 days, starting from bits and pieces of ideas that they had before hitting the studio. While it feels like a short time, it had the effect of capturing the raw energy of the songs.
Paragon Cause took the time to experiment and take chances with this album that they otherwise may not have had time for. Collaborating with Sune Rose Wagner, of the Raveonettes, was one such move. This led to homework assignments designed to get Opthof and Bonaparte listening to more music outside of their norm, all in an effort to bring the feel of other artists into their own album. A clever move that paid off with an album that is cohesive but not repetitious. The songs keep feeling fresh as you move through the album.
Autopilot’s lead single, “Think I’m Going Crazy Over You (Jupiter Mix)”, is part of an intriguing exercise of experimental songwriting, with three different iterations each conveying a new meaning of the same song. The Jupiter Mix, produced with Liam Howe of Sneaker Pimps, maintains a driving pulse and darkening atmosphere that reflects a frustration a person has difficulty confronting. Further collaboration with Eric Avery of Jane’s Addiction led to a very ’90s cool version of “Think I’m Going Crazy Over You.” It is rare to see this level of reimagining of one song stay so creative, but Paragon Cause has delivered the goods.
The album closer, “Time to Leave,” brings us back to the full Paragon Cause feeling. Larger than life, Brilliant arrangement with instruments weaving in and out, classic riffs deliver a recognizable feeling without pinning the listener down to any one place and time. In short, it is a tour de force, and emblematic of a pair of creative talents who have found their collective voices and who have shed their youthful uncertainty for a sense of musical destiny and artistic gravitas that will hold them in good stead for years to come.