Hmmm.. yeop, Grunge Jazz. I think that’s Swahili for crap. I didn’t think I could hear something the disjointed since Hannah Montana’s lip-syncing, but it IS possible! I can’t say a thing about the music on the first track “Fade” because the music, albeit very reminiscent of Weird Al polka songs, isn’t bad. The lyrics though? Ugh. Where is the cyanide when you need it?
When you do these reviews you hope to find something of redeeming quality. Be it a great guitar riff, stand out lyrics – SOMETHING. If you don’t then you have a tendency to be pretty damn mean and usually these artist’s have worked hard on their brand of music. I’m sorry Mike.
“Dead Red Summer” caught me snoring. But that tends to happen when I listen to Buble-like music. Nothing changed. You know – musically I enjoy it as a whole. Vocally it just does not fit. It’s like taking Ozzy and having him front a Barbershop Quartet.
“Cold Heat” and “Vincent” are probably the best songs on the CD. They’re more in league musically and vocally than the other. Mike needs to bring it in and pick either Grunge or Jazz. I pick Jazz just based on his vocal range. Take your arrangements and just redo pitch and tone. Make them fit. Kick one or two up and let it be at that.
A lot of people don’t know this, but I’m a huge Wizard of Oz fan. And I adore “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Mike here covers this beloved classic as an electric jazz musical piece. Musically it’s great but I want words!
If this album was all jazz then a solid 9.5 out of 10 and if it was all grunge then a solid 2 out of 10 (sorry, vocals just don’t work with grunge). The CD, however, is a combination of the two. I’m no math whiz so I’ll fake it and give it a 5.5 out of 10.
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