Customer Reviews

Snow Job

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A friend and fellow Church fan bought this cd for me. At first listen I thought it strange, but with each subsequent listen I've gained further appreciation for the blend of styles it represents. It's easy to tell what Kilbey brings to the table and which parts come from McLennan, and while they're stylistically different, they mesh well together and share a common thread.

My favorite song is Cousin/Angel. I'd like to locate the previous recording released by Jack Frost, and I look forward to further collaboration from these two gents.

For diehard fans of The Church (like myself), the side projects of its members are extremely interesting and divergent recordings that, if nothing else, fill in the sometimes lengthy time periods between new Church projects. Of all the members, lead singer/songwriter Steve Kilbey has had the most interesting and varied solo career, but for the most part, nothing he nor any member has recorded can match what The Church produces as a group.

But Jack Frost, one of Kilbey's many side projects, comes very close. Jack Frost is collaboration between Kilbey and Grant McClennan of the Go-Betweens. McClennan's influence may account in part for their strong pop sense and solid songwriting, which is very evident on SNOW JOB.

What's surprising about this record is how much it rocks! Unlike the majority of Church recordings, Kilbey really lets loose here on "Jack Frost Blues," "Shakedown" and "Dry Dock." Traditional - some might say simplistic - rock songs, but carried out with gusto. It's hard to underestimate the influence of drummer Tim Powles, who would later join The Church and contribute to their updated, ambient-type sound in the late 1990s. He is perhaps the most powerful drummer Kilbey has recorded with, and pushes Jack Frost sonically.

But most of the album is the sort of "jangle pop" that early Church records, and nearly all of the Go-Betweens' back catalog, are known for. Kilbey and McClennan make an excellent duo - at times, it's hard to distinguish one voice from the other. The result is the sound of a tight new band that is truly the sum of its parts, without carrying the baggage of the members' "day jobs." Very catchy melodies and superb musicianship throughout.

If you search through the cut-out bins, you may find the first self-titled Jack Frost record, which is also excellent, if not more Church-sounding. But SNOW JOB is a highly recommended disc that tends to surprise those who know, or think they know, all about The Church.

If you are reading up on this disc, then I have to assume you are at least a casual fan of The Church and/or The Go-Betweens. Jack Frost is the moniker for the collaboration between Steve Kilbey of The Church and Grant McLennan of The Go-Betweens. Snow Job is their second effort and a fine one at that, much more polished and flowing than their first. That is not to say that Snow Job is commercial sounding. The only cut with commercial single possibility would have been the excellent "Dry Dock" with an outside chance for the quirky, two minute plus "Little Song". Steve and Grant really seem to groove well together throughout the whole album resulting in songwriting, music, and vocals that are quite cantabile for a collaboration. Both play bass, guitar, and keyboards while alternating lead vocals through most songs. The other will sing backing vocals then along with Russell Kilbey. Steve's trademark neo-psychedelic ambiance does pervade Snow Job but, Grant's level-headed storytelling keeps things from drifting off course.

The bottom line: Buy it if you already really dig both Steve and Grant's solo material (or The Church's 1990s material). Jack Frost is like barleywine or Scotch. It can be revolting at first but, rewards greatly once you have completed training on the aural road less traveled.

Fans of Steve Kilbey and Grant McLennan/the Go-Betweens will enjoy this eclectic album. The more you listen, the more you think this is a crash of the Go-Betweens and the Church with some rock, some edge. It is more of a grower too, so don't give up after the first listen.

On this album, the duo Steve Kilbey and Grant McLennan have matured greatly since their last self titled album, Jack Frost. On their first album, which I loved, they sang their lyrics separately, but on this new album, they interweave their voices so it is almost impossible to tell which singer is which. They have blended their voices well and also added heavier and rich guitar layers to the music. With every listen, the songs on this album get better and better. This disk reminds me of the Re-Formation disk that was made by members of The Church - Steve Kilbey, Peter Koppes, and Tim Powles. What a great partnership that you can hear on the album.

In a time where alternative is overplayed, it is nice to find some music no one has heard of and no radio stations play. I spend most of my time looking for such music, and this fits the bill. I would like to find their first self titled album. I don't find anything fancy about the tunes, and that is what makes them enjoyable. If you like The Church, you will like this.