Artist: The Jokers
Title: The Big Rock & Roll Show
Type: Album
Label: Self financed (distributed by Cargo)
Liverpool band The Jokers were formed in 2006 and ‘The Big Rock & Roll Show’ is their debut release. It was recorded in guitarist Paul Hurst’s living room but was mixed by none other than Mike Fraser; the guy who did AC/DC’s multi-million selling ‘Black Ice’, the band bio sent with this CD makes much of that fact. On the one hand it’s easy to see why a small band like The Jokers would take Mike Fraser’s decision to work with them as validation of their musical vision but on the other I feel the AC/DC connection has been a tad overplayed. It’s as though the PR Company think there is a greater chance of success based upon association. So the question is has Fraser managed to sprinkle his magic fairy dust over this release? Well it has to be said that the guy has done a sterling job and it does sound fantastic. The problem for me is that although well played throughout I’m not sure the songs are generally worthy of it. This release features 9 tracks and clocks in at a little over 32 minutes and I would think that I’ve spent more than 12 hours listening to it in an effort to be moved by it and it has to be said that I’ve failed dismally. After all that time I’m not left singing any lines, humming harmonies, playing air guitar, fist waving or foot stomping to a single track. It could be argued that the failure to connect lies with me but I don’t think so. Yes I prefer metal but expose me to commercial radio and you will find me subconsciously humming pop tunes much to my own annoyance. The fact that I’ve been exposed to this release for far longer without it having any effect upon me surely speaks volumes?
The Jokers list their influences as Zeppelin, Hendrix, Cream, The Who, T-Rex, The Beatles, Kiss and of course AC/DC. To be honest the heavier influences aren’t generally evident to any great extent. The songs don’t have the bluesy feel of Zeppelin; they certainly lack the drive of AC/DC and the guitars come nowhere near the level or scope of a Hendrix. The band says they aspire to put on a great rock and roll show, to become the world’s greatest goodtime band by allying fun and song craft. In an aspirational sense then they do at least resemble Kiss but unfortunately for them all they actually put me in mind of was The Darkness who were the last UK band with such lofty aims. It has to be said from my point of view that in comparison The Jokers lack the songs, the hooks or the frontman. I had thought that the opener for any album was designed to reel in the listener and to set the tone for what was to follow. If this is the case then ‘V.I.B.E.’ begins and ends with sampled party noise and the intervening three minutes is merely well played but pointless frivolity. This whole experience has left me confused. The fact that the best song on the disc, ‘Ocean of Kings’ is also the slowest and in many ways the least representative of the collection only adds to my confusion. You may like this disc or you may not. I’m struggling to think of anyone I know who would like this kind of thing. It’s certainly more Reading Festival than Download. I have no doubt that there will be an audience for this disc but the fact that I cannot identify it makes my confusion complete.
http://www.myspace.com/thejokersmyspace
Rich Lawson
MTUK HOME
