quoted 6 lines Andrew Joyner wrote:
>Andrew Joyner wrote:
>03/23/97 04:36 PM
>
>I remember someone here a little while ago recommending one Spring Heel
>Jack album over the other. Help please? I only want one for now.
>
I'm afraid that I'm not the original poster - but I'd definitely
recommend '68 Million Shades'.
The first album 'There Are Strings' is a little disappointing - it's
pretty straightforward "intelligent D&B". '68 Million Shades' is really
eclectic, and I suppose a bit more in the lines of most IDM discussed on
this list.
I wouldn't recommend 'Versions' as a first purchase, as it contains
"dub" versions of tracks on '68 Million Shades' which don't really
improve on them - and only has 7 tracks (it's certainly good but not
essential).
Here's a review I wrote of '68 Million Shades' when it first came out:
"Here Spring Heel Jack release their second album hot on the heels of
their success in helping to complete Everything But The Girl's
rehabilitation with the single 'Walking Wounded'. You may assume that in
the wake of success with that smooth'n'soulful song they might soften
the edges of the smooth and full sound crafted on their debut
long-player 'There Are Strings'. Well, no actually - thankfully that
isn't the case at all. They've gone deeper towards the core of sound
itself, and on '68 Million Shades' they present music that is
simultaneously more cerebral and more visceral than anything they have
ever done before. The beats are stripped back, displaying crystalline
rhythmic structures that take Drum & Bass in new and NECESSARY
directions. In fact it is only the last track ('Take 3') that displays
anything approaching a 'traditional' jungle beat. On '68 Million Shades'
the canon of Drum & Bass is expanded by the dubby seasplashes of
'Midwest', the seasick 30's Latin jazz of '60 Seconds', and the spy
theme dramatics of 'Roger Tessier'. Spring Heel Jack have created an
important album which has a feeling of real intellect, seeming like a
musical Rubik's Cube at times - if there is such a thing as
"intelligent" Drum & Bass this is it!"
Hope that helps,
Ian
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ian Thompson
Biff!Bang!Pow! Records
(please note our records are indie-pop NOT IDM!
- but feel free to visit the site anyway...)
email: biffbang@bit.net.au
URL:
http://www.bit.net.au/~biffbang
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!