Jelly Jam, The - The Jelly Jam


Year of Release: 2002
Label: InsideOut
Catalog Number: IOMCD 096
Format: CD
Total Time: 45:07:00

The Jelly Jam is Platypus minus Derek Sherinian; in other words, the remaining members are Ty Tabor of Kings X on vocals and guitars, John Myung, of course, from Dream Theater on bass and Rod Morgenstein from the Dixie Dregs/Steve Morse Band on drums. I actually don't like the new name The Jelly Jam, but without Derek it just wouldn't be another Platypus album. No keyboards means the songs are dryer with the guitar becoming the most prominent instrument. Platypus played some extraordinary music disguised in a wall of melodies and even though the quality of play has remained, The Jelly Jam have lost some of the easiness and therefore seems somewhat less accessible. Still it contains some 70s progressive rock and some of the relaxing Platypus phenomena, but the modern approach doesn't go well with me.

I have had that promo now for a couple of weeks and still find it very difficult to get into some of the songs, whilst others grabbed me instantly and have stuck ever since. This is slightly more up beat and heavier than Platypus in the guitar department, while lots of produced vocals have crept in to give it a more modern psychedelic/funk feel which I really can't relate to too much. It's something that Ty as the producer of the album did on purpose, no doubt. I have no end verdict at this stage, since this appears to be one of those albums one has to hear many times before the penny drops and I am still looking for the spare change lying somewhere on the floor.

For me, this is still in the getting used to bracket in my CD collection but this may change with time?

[This review originally appeared November 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]


Tracklisting:
I Can't Help You (3:01) / No Remedy (4:05) / Nature (0:59) / Nature's Girl (5:12) / Feeling (5:22) / Reliving (4:12) / The Jelly Jam (5:50) / I Am The King (4:38) / The King's Dance (2:11) / Under The Tree (9:37)

Musicians:
John Myung - bass
Rod Morgenstein -drums
Ty Tabor - guitars, vocals

Discography:
The Jelly Jam (2002)
2 (2004)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: December 28th 2004
Reviewer: Peter Fundeis
Score:
Artist website: www.kingsxonline.com/jellyjam
Hits: 2519
Language: english

  

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