Customer Reviews

The Thunderthief

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

John Paul Jones... stole back the 'Hammer of the Gods', and put it to work for himself with the making of this his second solo outting, aptly titled - 'The Thunderthief'. This album needs to be played loud.

He is accompanied by Terl Bryant on drums, percussion and tofaran through out the disc, with cameo appearences by Robert Fripp-guitar on 'Leafy Meadows', Adam Bomb-guitar on 'Angry Angry' and Nick Breggs-Chapman Stick on Shibuya Bop and Leafy Meadows.

Otherwise this is a true solo abulm with JPJ playing a list of instruments from the 4,6,10 and 12 stringed basses to the famous triple necked mandolin, from Koto to piano and organ and even does a great variety of vocalizations on the four vocal tracks as well as the producing and mixing duties.

The eclecticism of the nine tracks is truly inspiring. Often the music will take you back to some of Jones' more accomplished moments in his musical career whether it is the groove of 'Daphne' which could have been on either of the first two 'Jeff Beck' albums (which our hero here had played on), or the punkish 'Angry Angry' which comes across as a slight 'Meat Puppets' work-out. The lyrics to 'Angry Angry' reminds one of the commutes drivers may have up and down the I-5 here in sunny Cali.

JPJ for some of you who didn't know has had a long and illustrious career which didn't start with Led Zeppelin, it has just included them along the way. Anyone remember the Donovan single "Mellow Yellow", well JPJ did receive a gold record award for arrangment of that song. He had also played on and arranged the song 'Hurdy Gurdy Man' for Donovan, a good example of pre-LZ JP and JPJ, which coincided with his joining Jimmy Page for 'their' next venture called LZ.

The title track 'The Thunderthief' has one of the most incredibly fast bass lines heard, this in comparison to anything that Primus' Les Claypool, the Whos' John Entwhistle, or Tony Levin have ever laid down in the studio, with no injustice implied to any of them. This track truly deserves the name of 'The Thunderthief' and one listen will convince any who hears and listens. The vocals add greatly to the effect of this track.

This disc has an interesting mix of instrumental and vocal tracks in a smartly arranged running order. And unlike alot of music that is commonly sold as soloist/instrumentalist music/albums, this album just compels you to want to listen. I find it very exciting and catchy with alot of hook laden bass lines and riffing which add incredible drive throughout the instrumental work of the disc, unlike alot of the droll and predictable instrumental music usually offered by the mainstream music industry, but thankfully this is an independent release through DGM records.

'Leafy Meadows' one of the four intense instrumentals, absolutely rocks out, as does 'Shibuya Bop' and 'Daphne' which features JPJ on lead guitar!

The extended instrumental 'Hoediddle' with a running time of 7 min. is one of the most incredible and eclectic songs on the disc, incorporating irish folk melodies and instruments through a frenetic display of metal intensity/playing style with impecable capability and taste.

The live 'Down the river to Pray' is classic folk music that one would hear on a clear bright day, like one would hear at a Medieval Faire, possibly the brightest song on the disc, in the midst of dark feeling songs that 'The Thunderthief' set generally is.

The crashing and bass riffing of Shibuya Bop, follows with a sense of hot middle-eastern flavored urgency reminiscent of King Crimson of the early 80's and the instrumental music they did in songs like Discipline, Thela Hun Gingeet, or even 'The Sheltering Sky' but with a jazzier approach?

JPJ's vocals are to great affect on the Disc. The songs 'The Thunderthief', 'AngryAngry' have convincing vocals but his voice works best on the songs 'Ice Fishing at Night' which is huanting in its spare beauty, and the plaintive elegance of the discs closing title 'Freedom Song', done with just vocals and Koto (a three stringed Japanese instrument), in an irish folk song/Haiku poem rendering, which goes to show how versatile JPJ really is.

If JPJ continues in this vein I can see that there will be a mass commercial vindication for a musician that has been overlooked or ignored for far too long.

This is an incredible work. Buy it.

There'll always be people that tell you Lennon & McCartney were the Beatles, Jagger & Richards are the Stones and that Page & Plant were Led Zeppelin. Experience and individual thinking has taught me that it's the quiet ones you watch out for, because their influence is much wider than you expect. For me, the most individualistic member and influential on the music of The Beatles was George Harrison, and the most talented, grand in scope and vision of Led Zeppelin was John Paul Jones. Maybe I just think the underrated go undersung, but I know George knew alot more about the world than John ever did, and John Paul was the true shaper of the sonic world Zeppelin inhabited.

Don't take my word for it. Buy "Zooma" first, then buy "The Thunderthief". Then compare it, if you like to just about anything Page or Plant have done in the past 20 years. You tell me afterward what you think.

To me, John Paul Jones has been in the music business for 40 years, and he doesn't sound like it. He sounds fresh, original and prepared to take new steps to replace the old. His music is very real, and makes for an absolute turn your stereo way way up to hear it all.
The Thunderthief even improves on Zooma by encompassing even more instruments that this man can play pretty flawlessly. But what matters is the material that he comes up with, which makes alot of other stuff look rather, lame.
So don't believe the hype --- Lennon at times an egotistical ..., McCartney a man who would do anything for publicity, Page a sometimes very very sloppy guitarist live, Plant more interested in sounding like your cat on a hot summer night. Listen to the guys who don't get much of the glory, you'll find they have a lot more to say worthwhile than those that say it all - all the time to anyone who'll listen.

Thunderthief marks a definite progression in Jonesy's solo work. His latest career as a solo musician (his fourth career in as many decades?) basically started with (or because of) his collaboration with Diamanada Galas in the early 90's. She suggested that "if you're going to put that much energy into music, it might as well be your own" and there was no looking back from there.

Thunderthief, while maintaining the same elements and many of the same musicians from Zooma is a definite progression. From songs that incorporate Banjo, Mandolin, and driving, blistering bass & drum work (Hoediddle), to a song my girlfriend compared to Tori Amos (Ice Fishing at Night), this album exposes more sides of Jonesy's multi fasceted personality.

Even the artwork seems more and more "Jonesy" and seems to hearken back to the Dream Sequence of the Song remains the Same where cloaked riders with hideous faces were revealed to be friendly faces when they returned home. This album too, I think, is in many ways a coming home. More confident and comfortable than Zooma, this is yet another glimpse into the man with multiple faces.

The Tori Amos conversation, by the way, went something like this. "That song sounds very Tori Amos influenced." "Well, Tori Amos was a big Led Zeppelin fan, and who played keyboard for Led Zeppelin?"

I'm not quite sure what to do with any of the lyrics on this album, but I never really processed lyrics well anyway. Yes, that's right, Jonesy sings on this album. As far as the lyrics go, are they tongue in cheek? Maybe they're allegorical and I'm supposed to read something into them. Didn't they call Entwhistle "Thunder Fingers" and doesn't an 8 string bassist who also plays mandolin, piano, and a list of instruments as long as my arm "steal the soprano?" as the title track's lyrics suggest.

In my review for Zooma I said that between the latest Page/Plant stuff & the latest John Paul Jones stuff you begin to gain an understanding of "just who did what in Led Zeppelin." This album makes me seriously think about Jonesy's contribution as multi instrumentalist and arranger/composer. Perhaps he did even MORE than I had thought.

As a fan of John Paul Jones, I'm sure you've heard about "Angry Angry" the "punk" song by now, but I think it deserves mention again. The first time I heard it it had me laughing out loud. Very tongue-in cheek, and kinda makes me think twice about this mild mannered British man that drove one of the most bombastic bands in the history of the world.

Of course, it's tempered by the rather beautiful traditional song "Down to the River to Pray" an acoustic instrumental gem, which immediately follows.

One song, Daphne, starts with a scratchy LP sound, and has extended synth parts, and contains what seems to be a nod to Radiohead, but I won't say anything more here, you'll have to listen to this song to 'get' it.

Shibuya Bop is more blistering than anything Zooma had to offer. The story of how B. Fingers was a melody he had come up with and had a difficult time learning comes to my head when hearing this song.

Freedom Song, the ender, sounds like a traditional Irish tune, and I think is the only one that features Jonesy solo (mandolin and vocals) without any overdubs or extra instruments.

At the end, one statement stands out in my mind. In an interview with Jonesy I read he said that people had been imitating Led Zeppelin, but they were one sided because they had only one influence. Led Zeppelin listened to all kinds of music and where multi dimensional. If you were only listening to Led Zeppelin, you were going to sound like a pale imitation.

This album then, stands out as a symbol of an individual, both influenced by and an influence on musicians worldwide.

Before buying this cd a few almost a year ago I had begun to lose faith in music. It seemed that to get good music I had to endure utterly depressing lyrics or go with no lyrics at all. Then came this cd the lyrics are often humorous and the music is OUTSTANDING I really can't describe it well enough. Every song is very strong. JPJ's playing is superb, he plays almost everything minus the drums and Fripps guitar on "leafy"

On the whole I found it very original; it like a breath of fresh air. One of my most highly recommended albums.

John Paul Jones, former bass player of Led Zepplin, delivers an outstanding disc of great rock instrumentals.
There was never a question if the man could play bass, but listening to this disc you'll realize how underrated he was with the legendary rock band. He kicks.
From the opening track Leafy Meadows with his driving bass lines and King Crimson legend Robert Fripp accompanying him on guitar the disc grabs you from the get go.
I also enjoyed "Hoediddle", "Daphne" and "Down to the River to Pray" all exceptional instrumentals on this cd.
I didn't particularly care for the tracks with Jones on vocals for instance the title track "Thunderthief" and "Ice Fishing at Night"
Give this one a listen. Hear one of the "other" Zepplin legends at his finest.

After thoroughly enjoying Zooma and seeing JPJ live three times, I waited for this album with great anticipation. JPJ did not disappoint! This is a much more nuanced and eclectic album than Zooma, not relying so much on skullcrushing bass as JPJ plays more guitars and mandolin. Overall, the album is quite a bit more mellow with tracks like Freedom Song, Ice Fishing at Night and Down to the River to Pray. That being said, tracks like Leafy Meadows, the Thunderthief and Shibuya Bop will remind fans why JPJ was an essential component of Led Zeppelin's sound. Jonesy actually sings on a few tracks and his voice isn't too bad. Another great outing by one of the most talented musicians around.

"The Thunderthief" takes the powerful composition, driving rhythms, and exquisite musicianship of "Zooma" and runs with it. With exceptionally clever lyrics and the surprise treat of vocals by JPJ, "The Thunderthief" is a bit more accessible than JPJ's debut; however, that doesn't mean it's dumbed down. Not by a long shot. There isn't a weak song on the album, and the selections are so diverse that listeners of any bent will quickly find a favorite. This has quickly become one of my faves, and will be for a long time to come.

After thoroughly enjoying Zooma and seeing JPJ live three times, I waited for this album with great anticipation. JPJ did not disappoint! This is a much more nuanced and ecletic album than Zooma, not relying so much on skullcrushing bass as JPJ plays more guitars and mandolin. Overall, the album is quite a bit more mellow with tracks like Freedom Song, Ice Fishing at Night and Down to the River to Pray. That being said, tracks like Leafy Meadows, the Thunderthief and Shibuya Bop will remind fans why JPJ was an essential component of Led Zeppelin's sound. Jonesy actually sings on a few tracks and his voice isn't too bad. Another great outing by one of the most talented musicians around.

The Thunderthief is a very well done album. I think most people who enjoyed Zooma should like this one. It is extremely hard to classify what sort of "Rock" This album is. JPJ has a very unique and distict sound, especially with his bass. I suppose it is a mix of progressive rock, led zeppelin, and all of JPJ's musical influences.

A few highlights:
Leafy Meadows - Very good opening track. It doesn't sound like "leafy meadows" in the sense you might think of it. There is a good hint of evil, or at least something lurking about, in this song. This hint is brought in by some excellent sounding guitar work by Robert Fripp.

The Thunderthief - Leafy Meadows flows nicely right into this song. You get the feeling you are not far from the same location as the leafy meadows. JPJ singing fits in very well with the song. (He pulls off the vocals!)

Hoediddle - Very good intro that builds into a great middle section and then it brings some very irish sounding mandolins, or some sort of stringed instrument. I think the intro is done on an electric mandolin which sounds great.

Angry Angry - OK it's very very obviously that John Paul Jones is not "angry angry" in this song. It is very tongue-in-cheek. The song works perfectly with his singing. Basically a middle-aged typical office worker is mad and threatens to do various things because he is so mad. It is quite humorous.

Shibuya Bop is just great. It is probably the most "Zooma" sounding track on here with a mad bass riff and layered instruments.

Overall this album, to me anyhow, has songs that either feel like the country or the city and they complement each other very well. If you are a fan of music in general I think you probably can't go wrong at least giving this a try. Like any good album multiple listens are required to fully start to realize how you are going to interpret the songs.

This is what you should expect from any album. You put it in your CD player... you play it once, you play it twice, you play it again and it rocks. Excelent music from an excelent "rock" musician, one of an elite of rock musicians.