listening room | A Is Jump - My Ice-Fingered Ghosts (2004)
by: Matthew Hundley
A Is Jump is one of those bands that gets their share local acclaim. Their CD release, “my ice-fingered ghost” stands as a testament to the talent of these guys.
The tracks for the CD were recorded at Clava Studios in Chicago the first week of September 2003. The album was recorded with with Graeme Gibson (Joan of arc, Califone) engineering.
First, I’ll get my comparisons out of the way...
If I was to put this in a “sounds like” category I would have to liken the sound captured in this recording to contemporaries Spoon, John Vanderslice and Dismemberment Plan.
I also hear 80’s re-coursings in this recording (purposely or not) to vocal stylings reminiscent of Robyn Hitchcock, early Smiths and bands like the Three O’Clock; some shades of XTC as well.
Let's step into the album.
peeling space
There’s a lot going on and yet this recording comes through very clean. We get introduced to instruments and then the XTC-styled vocal kicks in. The vocals are just on the verge of getting lost but manage to ride the line. I like the cacophonous bridge that takes us out in a flurry of noise.
invisible arms
As much as I liked “peeling space,” this is a stronger track. The open is reminiscent to Vanderslice’s “amitriptyline.” What I like about this is that there’s a lot going on and yet I can peel apart each layer with my ears. There are a mix of retro stylings here from 80’s alternative vocals to 60’s organ. The bridge brings on a very Pink Floydian feel.
everglade (version)
Everglade continues the triptych of songs that open with guitar tick-tock banter. The Morrissey-styled vocals continue. The layered sound approach continues here.
until the roof explodes
A single acoustic guitar line kicks this one off. Then we get noise. The flanged voice and synths bring to mind early Floyd or Dukes of Stratosphere. Even the title conjures up 60’s psychedelia. Then a minute and a half in the Jon Bonham drums kick it out.
waited so long
The production on this track isn’t as strong as some of the first. Echoes of ELO and Alan Parsons…
mercurial hours
A couple voices and an acoustic guitar. “Makes us feel the same.”
the sad-eye truth
I dig this. The vocal is strikingly similar in meter as The Smiths “Bigmouth Strikes Again” – and this is good. The backing tracks seem at times disheveled and yet the cleanliness of the vocal brings order to the tune.
brilliant late start
I’ve listened to too many records in my life because the comparison light will not be dimmed. Game Theory. And then a little trip to see the Lady in the Radiator from Eraserhead (but that was Fats Waller playing in the film). Wait a second the song is starting. There’s a certain somber tone that comes into play throughout this collection.
cursing the green wave
Intro with seemingly out of tune guitar. I’d like to hear the drums drive this some a bit more. The bass is the thread that strings through this track keeping it together.
letter of intent
”In my defense. That’s all I knew.” The voice starts the song. The instruments kick in a steady mercy-beat backdrop. Here for the first time the fuzzed out guitar track seems to grate a bit against the rest of the rhythm section.
1001 goals
The CD goes out on a darker ambient track. Pushing toward the David Sylvian cloud. This track is well produced and of the caliber of the bands who I have been shouting out comparisons with.
Overall this is a CD that will be on regular rotation in my player. I think a different ordering might have given this album more strength as a whole. There are definitely individual tracks like “invisible arms” and “sad-eye truth” that achieve greatness.
Posted: May 05, 2004  
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