Jack O' The Clock - "How Are We Doing And Who Will Tell Us?" Review

Artist/ Band: Jack O' The Clock
Title: How Are We Doing And Who Will Tell Us?
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Year of Release:
Offical Artist/ Band Link

The Review:

Jack O' The Clock's How Are We Doing And Who Will Tell Us? is adventurous, but more mainstream than avant, more introspect than angsty, and more collage-minded than cacophonic when it comes to its instrumental mash-up. Parts are surprisingly melodic and at times even quasi-ambient down the road of "majestic junk folk" — the band's self-stuck label — the album's twelve songs travel. The quintet, a group of skilled players led by multi-instrumentalist Damon Waitkus, takes itself just seriously enough to produce cohesive bits of music that shun conventional three-act, verse-chorus structures that could also be billed "hillbilly funk" or "backwater fusion." And isn't this what fits the "progressive" bill? Besides guitars and drums, instruments like hammered dulcimer, psaltery, bassoon, melodica and baritone violin help the Jack develop a uniquely nuanced sound. The spacier, airy "Blue Tail Fly" and "Search" are balanced by the urgency of "Schlitzie, Last of the Aztecs, Lodges An Objection in the Order of Things" and "Manifesto" — the latter isn't too far-removed from moments on some pastoral prog albums issued on Musea. "Last of the Blue Bloods" is a pleasant romp infused with enough compositional variety to make for a radio edit for FM exposure. In all, the perfect album for the discerning listener looking for something different yet not alienating.

Reviewed by Elias Granillo Jr. on October 18th, 2011

Tracks:

01. Blue Tail Fly 9:06

02. Schlitzie, Last of the Aztecs, Lodges An Objection in the Order of Things 5:40

03. Shrinking 5:47

04. Deepwater Horizon Burning 1:13

05. First of the Year 9:59

06. Manifesto 2:38

07. Back to the Swamp 6:06

08. Looking In 3:51

09. Last of the Blue Bloods 7:45

10. Search 2:11

11. Novaya Zemyla 4:17

12. Ultima Thule 7:14