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Sunday, January 31, 2010

Shining-Black Jazz

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Indie
2009



Shining's "Black Jazz" isn't particularly black in the sense of being dark because it's largely upbeat and it's not exactly jazz in any traditional sense. What we have here is layers of frenzied sounds covered with synths and over-the-top electronics. It's loud without being heavy and they don't really to build and depth. Instead the sounds just push and fly forward, but not in any particular pattern. While multi-layered noise can be good, I think it needs a focus or something that will draw me in. I can certainly embrace off the wall music if there is some hook or a point that really grabs. This is more like video game music gone wild as it's all over the place. I wasn't expecting an easy listen, but I was hoping for some moments where this band would extabish something that would make me want to hear more. That just didn't happen enough. Instead they just ramble on without a real plan and the songs tend to stop rather than come to any fitting end. I admire their desire to bring numerous sounds and tones to the table, but their sense of order or lack of order just failed to make me care about this album.

3 comments:

  1. Despite the less than glowing review, this sounds like it might be interesting. I'll have to borrow it sometime and check it out.

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  2. This is definitely worth a listen. Having just listened to the album straight through twice, I have to say that this review is completely off-base. Just my opinion, but I believe this album is amazing... far from just layers of noise...

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  3. Brian-
    "Just my opinion"

    Exactly.
    There are definite moments here that had me interested, but they never follow through. They know plenty of sounds, but the placement and the building of any intensity is generally lacking on this disc. I tried more than once to find something to latch onto, but it did not happen.

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