Search - Spring Heel Jack & Blue Series Continuum :: Masses

"But that's what keeps them alive!"

FlangeMechanism | 02/05/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"That was how my friend responded when I complained, back in 1997, that Spring Heel Jack had adopted a completely different sound between 68 Million Shades and Busy Curious Thirsty. Well, if change equals life, then there is certainly no musical force in the history of the world which is or has ever been more vital than our friends John Coxon and Ashley Wales. Compare their debut LP, There Are Strings, with their latest, Masses, and you would never in a million years guess that the same two guys were responsible. Altogether they've created seven LPs in as many years, and they've never done the same type of music twice. TAS is straight old-school jungle made ethereal with the inclusion of string arrangements and other chopped-up orchestral effects; 68MS is a heavier jungle with soaring space opera effects; BCT, the problem child, is the heaviest of all, with junky wall-cracking beats and crunchy, industrial, ultra-metallic samples; Treader is a sleeker, more organic take on BCT's room-filling sound; Oddities is orchestral and ambient; Disappeared is jazzy and loungey, sharing turf with not only BCT and Treader but also DJ Shadow and Luke Vibert.And now the boys have shrugged off the intense car chase beats altogether and dived headlong into jazz. If you have Disappeared, think of "Lester" and "Disappeared 1 & 2" as test runs for this album and you'll have a pretty good idea what to expect.As some other reviews here have noted, what this boils down to is "electronica-meets-jazz," but be aware that it's very different from Aphex Twin's acid pieces, where jazz themes are carried out with electronically-produced samples. What C&W have done here is to record live jazz and layer it together along with atmospheric effects. I got this the same time I got Drukqs, and while the two albums definitely have common themes, and even make good companion pieces, at the same time they are very different creatures.If you like normal jazz, with acoustic bass, trumpet, saxophone, piano, percussion, etc., I see no reason at all why this wouldn't be right up your alley. There are even a couple bursts of free jazz, for you aficionados who know what that is (the rest of you, think Manos: The Hands of Fate). On the other hand, if you don't like that sort of stuff... well, you might like this anyway. That was certainly the case with me. But I did have to listen to it five or so times to get into it. And you have to be in the right mindset. This is definitely an album that works better in the autumn than in the spring. It blends well with the cold and the dark, with clouds and wind and rain. It's the musical equivalent of a fever dream, chaotic and at times uncomfortable but revealing fascinating images and structures.SHJ generally saves the most uplifting for last (bonus tracks notwithstanding), and this is no exception. "Coda" uses half-euphoric, half-creepy ambience (SHJ's specialty) as a palette for some inspiringly demented trumpet and violin playing. At one point you can hear a hissing as Roy Campbell blows air at the mouthpiece instead of into it; at another point he pulls the trumpet away in order to voice a crazed, menacing laugh; at another there's a weird whining sound which must be him either sucking air out of the trumpet or blowing it in through the bell. And meanwhile this whistling ambience is rising and falling in the background, and a violin is plinking and squalling. It sounds crazy, I know, but it's also huge and dramatic, and it works. I was listening to this album at the same time I was reading a novel involving Batman, and it actually turned out to be a perfect soundtrack for the dark glory of Gotham, in particular "Interlude 1," "Cross," and "Coda."I'll close with a caveat: I gave this album four stars not because I think everyone will like it but because SHJ set out with a specific goal in mind and they made it a smashing success, just like they always do. They're just that kind of band, and even if you're not sure if you'll like this, I think you should buy it anyway, because if anyone out there deserves more money and exposure for what they do it's Coxon and Wales. Or just send them some money in a box. They still don't even have a homepage, for crying out loud. As for me, I've given up on my dream that they will someday do a true follow-up to 68 Million Shades (I have Justice and Skylobby for that), but I'll continue patronizing them. I'm just that kind of fan. And even though every release is different, they always make sure the adventure is worth it."

I'm glad I waited to review this one...

Stephen | Virginia Beach, VA USA | 10/24/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"because it is much more subtle than it at first appears. I bought this for both PArkers, Shipp and the other jazz folks. I would have probably given it 4 stars for the strength of the soloists but the guys with their name on this are pretty good in a subtle way- I'm wondering what the time fame is on these sessions and David S Ware's latest with Shipp playing synths-there are some similarities.I think this is probably the best meeting of electronica and avant jazz that I've heard. I believe this is a good place for fans of one type of music to investigate another."

The album SHJ have been threatening to make...

JENNIFER HOOVER | MANSFIELD, TX USA | 07/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...since Busy Curious Thirsty, and boy have they succeeded. Along with Autechre's Confield, this is one of the densest and most challenging recordings you're likely to hear this year. Ten listens minimum, and you'll just START to see the whole picture. Truly spectacular, but not for those looking for the smoove car-commercial sonics of some of their previous material."