Customer Reviews

1, 2, 3, 4

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a very good record. That said, for leader Crispian Mills to disband Kula Shaker, one of, if not the greatest rock and roll band in the 1990's, in favor of this project, it doesn't make a lot of sense. For those keeping score, The Stone Roses made the same mistake a few years ago. Two amazing bands that let ego take center stage.

There is very good musicianship and great melodic rock and roll songs on here but when listening to it in full, you can't help but wonder what this album would have been if Kula Shaker recorded it. I'm sorry but I don't normally yearn for the past unless it's warranted. It's warranted.

Bottom line: It's still better than most new British rock and roll and certainly has it's merit being for the fact that all of this sound is driven by a power trio.

Buy this record and hope for a Kula Shaker re-union. That band was simply magic. This band is a particle of that magic.

When I first heard this CD I would have probably given it 2 or 3 stars...simply because I was expecting a third Kula Shaker CD. And to me Kula had a wonderful, fresh sound that no one had come close to since "Rubber Soul" era Beatles, or "Dark Side" era Pink Floyd.

Crispian Mills latest band is also retro, but more in the early punk "Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy" era Who vein. And incredibly enough it works. Instead of the soaring choruses, extravagant productions and blissful hooks of Kula, it has a stripped down, angst ridden, sardonic quality that grows on you. And if I were to wait another week or two before writing this, I'd probably give it 5 stars.

It's basically a three man band with occasional keyboard accompaniment. And while there isn't a bad song on the CD, there are several standouts. "Edge of the World" is subdued and gorgeous...Mills at his best. "Silver Apples" has some extremely innovative vocals, "Once Upon a Time in America" and "Teenage Breakdown" would be excellent singles and "What is it For?" asks "If your heart's not broken, what is it for?"

Crispian Mills is an extremely talented artist. And though he's apparently taken a hiatus from the Indian mysticism of Kula Shaker, it's obviously not far from his heart.

The Jeevas is a derivation of the Sanskrit word "jiva" which means literally...indestructable, subatomic, particle of consciousness.

Maybe it loses something in the translation.

With Kula Shaker, although there would be brief moments Crispian Mills would shine as a guitarist, I've always thought he never demonstrated his full potential. In the same way John Squire was given a wider latitude with The Seahorses, The Jeevas offers a vehicle where Mills can unload musical ideas. Lyrically '1-2-3-4' seems to gravitate towards themes of Americana. Musically the sound is of stripped-down bluesy Britpop, in the same vein as Cast, The Bluetones, and Ocean Colour Scene. Obviously The Jeevas aren't Kula Shaker, rather rootsy guitar-rock, abrasive energy, and sparkling melodies.

Kula Shaker was a great band, mixing pop with 70's influences in a cool spirit making the whole thing if not innovative very creative.
The Jeevas uses the same influences, pop, 70's, but the songs are very classic, it could be any band!
The jeevas produces a pop Dylan type of music, not very exciting but still well produced and well played.
The quality is there so it's up to you to decide if you are willing to pay for more silly pop songs...far from Kula Shaker!

..I can't believe people have reviewed this album and NOT mentioned the cover of The Undertones' "You Got My Number".

Kula Shaker was really a good band. But these time are gone, even though the music is left. It would be even worse to continue along the Kula lines for a new band of Crispian Mills, since "The Jeevas" is a totally new sound, a totally different philosophy. It's more old type of rock'n'roll, something if you took out the tablas from "Mystical Machine Gun". The album is very good in my opinion. "Virginia", "Teenage Breakdown" rocks hard, "What is it for?" and "Once upon a time" rocks soft, that means "1-2-3-4" rocks!

A nice straight forward album of rock'n'roll. Exactly what the music needs today. One's major mistake is to expect a Kula Shaker album. Just forget the Cripsian Mills name and listen to it. The only thing that bothers me is that all-american driven lyrics. Enough with cowboys, american tales, etc.
Anyway, buy it!

a frickin' great CD. buy it, you'll love it.