JOSTABERRY
Greener Grass
[Tangy Citrus-2020]
Jostaberry (the stage name of one Bruce Hamilton) is a one man wrecking ball out of the Pacific Northwest with designs on tearing down your preconceptions of what art/avant garde/prog rock is supposed to be.
On this debut album, Greener Grass—an almost hour-long worth of twists and unpredictable turns—an alluring and seductive piano part can segue seamlessly into a disconcerting but appealingly schizophrenic detour or a grinding assault with a catchy melody can leave you grinning in satisfying disbelief. That’s what this one’s all about.
Although certainly a lo-fi record whose charms are accentuated by the method used to preserve it, at times one can’t help but think what it could’ve sounded like if it had been recorded under more hi-fidelity circumstances. Regardless, the high-caliber quality of the songs themselves are the selling point here and the album delivers the goods in that department, without question.
A promising opening salvo recommended for fans of Cornelius, Flaming Lips, Todd Rundgren’s A Wizard…A True Star phase, and Super Furry Animals.
Highlights: “Zeus”, “Mountain Song”, “Nocturne”, “All Ears”, “Someone Else”, “The Bus” and the title track.
