Jaugernaut (A.D.) - Contra-Mantra

Year of Release: 2005
Label: independent
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 57:05:00

Stylistically, this is routine fare. So if you're looking to stock your shelves this Christmas with ground-breaking rock, you should continue on to the next aisle. Conversely, its essence is better than rudimentary. For those who know what they're getting into; I see no reason for them to invoke the return policy.

In many instances, glitters of Rush is crushed upon the surface of this gaudy product. "Damage Is Done" is my favorite for its prosperous use of this influence. In other cases, they pilfer from the Progressive Rock of old. Rather than ascertain who's naughty or nice, refer to the standard list that's been defined many times. The practice of re-gifting seems to be impartial from Kansas to Camel.

To be fair, the epic called "Doing It The Hard Way" is the exception - as it uses many innovative tricks. Due to the length of this track and the fact they leave some bits of this CD-ROM unburned, the album only has seven songs in total. For this reason, there may not be enough presents to judge it from tip to toe. Likewise, this is the resurrection of a band that's been dormant for over twenty years so it's hard to compare it to relative antecedents. Not to mention, there are noted deficiencies in this second-hand material. As Jim Johnston writes, "The album before you is a reunion album of sorts... There is Me, Myself and I." The potential is obviously there and it's an honorable un-retirement and debut for a single artist who is missing three-fourths of his quartet. If there is no more Jaugernaut, it suffices for last rites. However, if Johnston continues to mature and evolves the reanimated project to a fuller crew, it would be worthwhile to keep this as backup or used in fair trade for an upgrade.

Also if you're wondering about the A.D. in the name, the explanation is simple. Don't worry; everyone originally involved is alive and kicking. What's posthumous about it comes down to legalese. Johnston doesn't own his institution's deed but wanted to keep this one in the family. By adding a suffix, it's technically different in the eyes of the law and makes for a clean break from the label.

Personally, I loved the bass and keyboards. With that said, the instrumental sequences were superior to the rest. In lieu of soundproofing material, quality filler was used to plug up lulls between the walls of sound. It may not cure the nagging cavities of a critical listener, but it'll do all right for those looking for something non-abrasive to pick the plague out of their niche.

Tracklisting:
Anthem (Salt In A Wound - Overture - The Lightbringer's Lament - Art Of Deception) (12:32) / The Damage Is Done (4:59) / Better Living Thru Anarchy (5:19) / The Hard Way (Creatio Ex Nihilo - The Hard Way - The Shepherd - The Hard Way Reprise) (14:51) / Vanity (6:28) / A Different World (5:43) / All I See Is Gray (7:12)

Musicians:
Jim Johnson
Jim Brammer - guitar
Marty Prue - guitar (4, 7)

Discography:
Jaugernaut (1980)
Take Em There (1984)
Jaugernaut (a.d.) - Contra-Mantra (2005)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: December 29th 2008
Reviewer: Joshua "Prawg Dawg" Turner
Score:
Artist website: www.jaugernaut.com
Hits: 3641
Language: english