Jaws of Love. has revealed another single from his upcoming album Second Life with the release of “Rainbow Baby,” you also still have time to catch him at his Silverlake Lounge residency presented by Grimy Goods every Wednesday this month. It follows the release of his first single “5 Years,” which arrived just last month with a video that was co-directed by both Kelcey and Mel Ayer. On his latest single Jaws of Love. paints another vulnerable and unyielding portrait of their relationship via its most harrowing of moments — which for the couple in recent years has been to face down two painful miscarriages.
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“Throughout the course of a single year during quarantine, my wife and I experienced two pregnancy losses. One at 7 weeks, the other at 17. The latter was called an anomaly,” Kelcey explained. “This song is about what it felt like for us to first become pregnant, with all our soaring hopes, fears and dreams that came crashing down. We were crushed. Then to have it happen again from double the height…it’s a pain I’ve never experienced before. Not only pain from not being able to become a father, but from witnessing my partner grapple with something she has no control over, feeling betrayed by her own body. To have no control over your own body is something I will never fully understand and do not wish on anyone.”
Over the steadily rushing piano medley that gallops through “Rainbow Baby,” he sketches poignant impressions of that year-long crucible. Summoning up all the intense sorrow the couple has faced down for the purpose of hopefully lending others going through something similar some catharsis. Delivered in somberly distorted vocals he covers everything from the first hints of pregnancy (“some plants had died in the neighborhood heat wave / it wasn’t odd for her to be late”) to its euphoric confirmation and their excitement in announcing it (“who’s feeling heavy when you’re lighter than air?”).
As Kelcey’s real voice emerges crystalline and hopeful, the song dives into the couple’s attempts to prepare through nutritional regimens and deciding on possible names. But as the song continues its tenderness starts to reveal an unthinkable agony. When Kelcey’s real voice emerges again its absent of the previous bliss (“came back to see the plants coming back to life / I found her kneeling, showed me some blood”).
It’s a moment that’s made all the more strikingly emotional via the music video for “Rainbow Baby,” co-directed by Mel and Kelcey which sees him singing to the camera (and most likely her as well). With tears glistening in his eyes he tries to make sense of a loss that sends them both reeling and feeling hopelessly helpless (“they never tell you, she’ll blame herself / it’s powerlessness I’ve never felt myself”). Yet as the song ends Kelcey looks for some hope in the future. Finding it in the idea of a rainbow baby — from which the song gets its name.
“A rainbow baby refers to the baby someone eventually has after suffering pregnancy or infant loss. Through all this I can at least say time and community heals all wounds, as we are, for now, safely in the 24th week of our third pregnancy. We still don’t feel like we can completely celebrate or feel at ease, but we’re moving forward, through pain, through joy, knowing that’s all that can be done. This song is dedicated to all those who’ve lost babies, and to anyone who is still waiting for their rainbow baby. We’re waiting with you.”
It’s actually Baby Loss Awareness Week in the U.K. and Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day in the U.S. on Oct. 15. Along with the music video Jaws of Love. also shared a number of resources for those still recovering from such a loss, including Forever Footprints, National Share, March of Dimes, and Life After SIDS.
Visit Jaws of Love. on their website, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
Words by Steven Ward
Watch the music video for “Rainbow Baby” the new single from Jaws of Love. below!
