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Jump:
(www.jumphq.com)
Between
the Dim and the Dark
(Brash
Music)
by Corey J. Feldman
With
melodic and catchy rhythmic chords accompanying driving
beats and slick, harmonious vocal lines, Jump (Formerly
Jump, Little Children) is starting to bridge the gap
between alternative, indie and pop music. |
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South Carolina quintet recently released Between the Dim
and the Dark, an album filled with tight, energetic, upbeat
pop songs, as well as a handful of darker, somber tunes that
thankfully bare no resemblance to the crappy, ClearChannel corporate
pop that fills radio air time. The band utilizes harmonicas,
strings, tin-whistles, accordions, and a variety of other instruments
to accent their fresh pop sound. Much of Jump’s focus
is on the vocals and lyrics, at times crisp enough to cut through
the melodic mire, yet also muddled and nearly reminiscent of
Radiohead’s Thom Yorke.
Jump seems suited for radio play (and haven’t had
their fair shot in past years due in part to record label
money issues) as the overall sound slides neatly into the
pop realm. However, the music is surfeit with a more complicated
mixture of vocal and instrumental melodies and harmonies than
your average pop album. Their songs tend to blend together
on first and second listen, and to pick out a single would
be nearly impossible, as most of the album is comprised of
“single” material. Between the Dim and the
Dark sticks closely to one form of musical expression,
but does so in a relatively unique and melodious way, dynamically
waxing and waning, and filling some of the pop/rock emptiness
with the sound of uncommon instruments. |
Their choruses are a study in sweeping grandiose power posing,
but the album never gets an adrenaline boost to break through
the dance tempo barrier. Instead, Jump saviors that shadowy,
somber flavor that reflects the more alternative face of the
band. Although Jump’s new album has a unique blend of
melodies and tones, the overall feel of the music fits into
the cookie-cutter pop/rock genre, and pop music needs a band
like Jump to help progress stylistic creativity and bring new
concepts to the table. Even though I’m not big on pop
music, I can tell when an album is fresh and encroaches on new
musical territory. If nothing else, Jump is doing just that. |
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More
Titles From The Brash Music Collection: |
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Coldplay:
Brothers & Sisters |
Seek:
Journey Into Day |
Brian Vander Ark:
Resurrection |
Pleasure Club:
The Fugitive Kind |
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| Decade: Ten
Years of Fierce Panda |
Rubyhorse:
Goodbye to All That |
New August:
Fall |
From Amazon.com |
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