Album Review: I Miss You Already + I Haven't Left Yet | Del Water Gap
Fun Pop Revival
Indie-pop artist DEL WATER GAP…better known as Holden Jaffe, recently released his 2nd studio album, I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet. Holden originally started Del Water Gap as a band at NYU with indie-pop princess Maggie Rogers. After Rogers and others dropped out of the band (don’t worry, they’re still good friends and frequent collaborators), Jaffe took on Del Water Gap as a solo project.
His debut self-titled record, Del Water Gap, was released in 2021 and contained sleeper-hit banger Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat, which really introduced us to his ability to make a catchy indie-pop record with unique lyrical content.
His sophomore record, I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet, builds on the previous record momentum with standout tracks like Glitter & Honey, Gemini, and lead single All We Ever Do Is Talk. The name for the album comes from Holden’s beloved grandmother. One day, after Holden & his grandma had their weekly movie night, he found a love letter addressed from his grandpa to his wife: “I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet.” Holden thought it would be the perfect album title, so he asked for his grandmother’s permission. She said yes but warned him it would be an awful album title.
Jaffe gets introspective on this record. Touching on themes of regret, exhaustion, self-perception, and losing one’s identity, he explores the idea of the connection while figuring yourself out on tracks like Gemini tries to make meaning from mundane moments on Quilt of Steam “I carried on foldin’ clothes alone as if it wasn’t treason,” and confronts the consequences of his rage and not being a “quick to listen,” slow to speak, and slow to anger” individual on Losing You.
Despite the album’s heavy themes, it contains primarily lively tracks. Take, for instance, Gemini, a jazz-pop gem decorated with nice-sounding electric guitar strings soaked in reverb, resulting in a relaxed vibe. Production comes from Sammy Witte (Harry’s House, Fine Line, SOS, COIN’s Uncanny Valley, Lennon Stella’s Three. Two. One.) and Ethan Gruska (the record, SOS, Marcus Mumford’s self-titled, CRJ’s The Loneliest Time).
The album concludes with We Will Never Be Like Anybody Else, where Jaffe navigates the complexity of a relationship that has outgrown its former self yet lingers in the depths of emotional attachment. Departing from the rest of the album, this track embraces a simple piano melody. It’s an attempt at being poignant, raw, and leaving us with some emotion.
Check out our favorite tracks, listen to the album, and see our scores below:
Can’t Miss: Glitter & Honey, Gemini, Beach House
You Can Skip: Gone In Seconds, NFU
BY THE NUMBERS
Bennett’s Score: 5.9
Carson’s Score: 6.7
Album Score: 12.6
Notes from Bennett:
The Vocals on Quilt of Steam are really cool, particularly on the chorus, I really like this kinda of clean pop vocal getting tacked to a gritty synth it sounds really interesting.
The Gemini Chorus is wild, 2nd verse is boring and the length hurts the song but that chorus is infectious. I’m noticing a theme of lackluster bridges on this album although; (NFU, Losing You) kind of just adds to the issue of poor structure making these songs boring.
I KNOW this man did not throw borderline metal drums on Beach House. Finally an interesting choice.
Here’s a favorite. Glitter & Honey is pretty cool. It builds way too much tension to not get resolved although, my only real complaint. Chorus is great.
Fundamentally, this record is a mediocre fun-pop record.
Notes from Carson:
My favorites: Glitter + Honey, Gemini, Coping on Unemployment, & Beach House.
NFU has really fun production that doesn’t match with the lyrics. I wish he scrapped and re-did that one.
Normally hate any song relating to horoscopes but Gemini has really won me over.
If Harry Styles recorded Glitter + Honey, it’s an immediate 16 week #1 smash hit that wins song of the year at the Grammys. It just oooozes Harry. One of the producers on this album, Sammy Witte actually worked on Cinema and Little Freak on Harry’s House.
Saw DWG open for Maggie on Valentine’s Day and found him to be a really great opening act, would definitely go see him solo.
This man has some really out of pocket lines on here and definitely a ton of suicidal ideation and existential dread. Hope he’s in therapy!
The album most definitely drags at the end. All in all I think this is a solid step up from his debut, but not strong enough that I’ll still have this on repeat in a month.
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Funk Wav Bounces, Vol 1 | Calvin Harris | Score: 16.60
GUTS | Olivia Rodrigo | Score: 16.33
Speak Now | Taylor Swift | Score: 15.68
the record | boygenius | Score: 14.48
Lover | Taylor Swift | Score: 14.42
AUSTIN | Post Malone | Score: 14.41
Sunburn | Dominic Fike | Score: 14.33
Zach Bryan / Zach Bryan | Score: 14.19
Endless Summer Vacation | Miley Cyrus | Score: 14.00
Unreal Unearth | Hozier | Score: 14.00
In The End It Always Does | The Japanese House | Score: 13.92
Barbie: The Album | Various Artists | Score: 13.88
Gag Order | Kesha | Score: 13.77
Snow Angel | Reneé Rapp | Score: 13.00
UTOPIA | Travis Scott | Score: 12.79
The Album | Jonas Brothers | Score: 12.67
I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet | Del Water Gap | Score: 12.58
Stick Season | Noah Karan | Score: 12.43
Scarlet | Doja Cat | Score: 11.24