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Reviews

Jadis — Photoplay
(Inside Out Music IOMCD 238, 2006, CD)

by Jeff Melton, Published 2007-03-01

Photoplay Cover art

Gary Chandler has consistently led the banner for Jadis for the past ten years, making the group a solid player in the melodic rock, neo-prog camp. The current line-up has been pretty consistent with Gary and drummer Steve Christy driving the band along with new second lead guitarist Steve Thorne on board to flesh out the guitar dominated sound. “There’s a Light” and “What Goes Around” begin the disc in appropriate fashion with Chandler’s lead vocal imparting a forceful set of hooks and passion six string lines. Despite the previous links to the IQ camp from Orford and Jowitt, the band has continued to slowly further their identity by focusing on songcraft and balanced arrangements. Examples of this approach are apparent on pieces such a “Standing Still” with its emotive organ lines and drums leading a persuasive verse and chorus line. Unlike a few of the band’s older recordings, the sound quality and production is top notch, making this CD one of the best in their catalog. “Make Me Move” recaptures much of the band’s earlier rock songs with a great riff pushing the track into a Marillion like ethereal section. Other notable songs include the acoustic guitar based “All You’ve Ever Known” and the closing title track. The latter is a spacey instrumental blues outro to the album.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 34, 2006 releases

Related artist(s): Jadis

 

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