My Piping HOT Cat's Cradle pics 06/28/2001

Indianapolis 03/27/02

Carrboro Artscenter Acoustic Show 12/21/02
 

Chicago, The Vic 10/12/03, opening for Howie Day
 

Chicago, Schubas, 05/21/04

Three Oaks, MI, Springdale Furnishings Extravaganza, 08/28/04

Chicago, Schuba's, 02/16-17/05

Chicago, Schuba's, 08/26/05

Final Shows - Dock Street Theatre
Charleston, SC
Dec 28, 2006
Dec 29, 2006
Dec 30, 2006

Jump - Between The Dim & The Dark
(Brash Music)
Release Date: April 20, 2004
www.jumphq.com
by Gary Glauber
08/2004
Fufkin.com

     In the music business, bad luck often is the only luck going and talent doesn't necessarily translate into success. That's been the shame and the story up 'til now for the ultra-talented quintet out of Charleston, South Carolina currently known as Jump (formerly Jump, Little Children). Sporting a shorter name, a new label and a different producer, they've released Between The Dim & The Dark, a collection of ten marvelously ornate pop creations.
     Now in their 13th year together, the band features Jay Clifford (vocals, guitar), Ward Williams (cello), Jonathan Gray (upright bass) and the brothers Bivins, Matt (harmonica, accordion, mandolin) and Evan (drums). These classical musicians met at school those many years ago and started out playing Irish folk music crossed with Delta blues. It's been a long evolution since then, and years of great live performances have added to an intensely loyal grass-roots fan base.
     Their first major release, 1998's Magazine was a romp through variants of alternative rock, containing a number of various styles and sounds. 2001's *ertigo took the band to a new level of richness, as they extended their musical reach through several contemplative pop songs that required careful listens for full appreciation.
     The new release manages to evolve the group's signature sound further, offering yet more of the sort of lush, beautiful soundscapes that are unmistakably theirs. What once was a bubbling brew of disparate sounds and energies has been reduced to a powerful musical concentrate full of flavor and intelligence.
     As always, the focal point is the vocal wizardry and songwriting skills of Jay Clifford. Clifford. His breathy voice and unusual enunciations prove an effectively strong instrument for conveying a wide swath of emotions. The band, recognizing this, keeps Clifford's voice prominently front and center on all the new songs.
     The CD leads with the title track, with Clifford singing what sounds to be an urgent tale, but turns out to be something far less specific ("now I know that everything's alright / if we stay between the glow and the light"). Even in its haunting vagueness, it's a stark and lovely melody, well performed in full cinematic soundtrack splendor.
     "Hold You Down" is a bit edgier, Clifford's wonderful vocals helmed down by some fine drumming. It's an even piece, perhaps radio-ready in the sense that it somewhat resembles the kind of song purveyors of British dream pop manufacture. The lyrics are clever, questioning and playful: "Did I, did I / lend a hand to hold you down / or just a hand to hold / Did I, did I / pull the wool over your eyes / or keep you from the cold."
     There's a lot going on here musically, but unfortunately the production mixes it all together, making it flatter than it need be.
      Jump still know how to craft sweetly beautiful music as evidenced by the delightful "Rains In Asia." There's lightness to this upbeat song, the flow of the guitar chord changes, even the lyrics. It's all about the special feeling you get from a summer rainstorm and one woman's curiosity about whether everyone feels the same, even outside the boundaries of America. This is about as close a musical expression of innocent charm as one might hope to find.
     My current favorite (it changes as I listen from day to day) is the wry ballad "Mexico." Clifford's dulcet tones lay down the law for an impending break-up, dictating that he will only let her go if she goes "all the way to Mexico." It's a great song, chock full of salient details and lines that ring out the truth like this: "I won't let you leave / not with all my Django EmmyLou and Steve."
     "Education" finds Jump heading into contemporary radio sounds, with Matthew Bivins adding in harmonica parts. It's a great song of advice about the horrible hurts that can befall one in love: "battered and chained / there is no way you can be saved / from a broken heart's education." Still, I shudder to think that anything from Jump might remotely resemble a Dave Matthews or John Mayer song.
     The first single is the powerful "Young America," examining the fate of a young and innocent focus of a fickle country's desires. It features some of the strongest lyrics on the album: "Too bright to be faded / too light to be weighted / too effortless, lucid and true / Will she fall out of favor? / Will the stars not save her? / Will she walk on the razor's edge or be lost when she burns that bridge? / Will she take what I gave her on her way to young America."
     "Broken" recalls songs from Vertigo in the way that Jay Clifford gets to explore a wider range of vocal nuances. His expressive voice highlights a truly wonderful song - the kind of track that truly defines the musical excellence that is Jump. Again, the lyrics are smart and well-wrought, telling about a man who has made peace with the world's injustices through the magic of a "dark and gentle kiss from the mouth of blinding bliss," yet is broken by the give and take of one certain someone.
     "Requiem" conveys a powerful message - to preserve the past and emotional truth and passion no matter what. Sadly, the music isn't nearly as interesting as the lyrics (or as catchy as many of the other songs here), and it drags a bit as it goes beyond the five-minute mark.
     There's a grandeur to "Midnight" (dedicated to John F. Bivins, Jr.), a song of tribute and memory and poignant observation: "Midnight's never dark enough to hide us from tomorrow." Just as morning follows night, so does "Daylight" follow "Midnight." The album's closing song features beautiful string arrangements, a nice guitar solo, and then some. It gives you a sense of the immense musical talent contained within this quintet.
     Let me state for the record that my admiration and support of Jump remains steadfast. Their lush aural tapestries often remain breathtaking; their songwriting is complex and compelling and Jay Clifford's voice is reason enough to love them. As they move forward, they seem to have perfected that uniquely rich harmony-laden sound to a tee.
     However, I do have some quibbles with Between The Dim & The Dark. For one, I'm not crazy about what new producer/mixer Rick Beato has done on some of the songs. While obviously going after a more polished radio-friendly sound, he's managed to flatten some of the songs, sacrificing personality for commercial gain perhaps. Those that have heard these songs in live performance may be in for a rude surprise when hearing them on the new album.
     Also in the interest of presenting a more uniform, cohesive album, the current offering virtually ignores the quirky songwriting additions of Matt Bivins. I understand this, but still miss his eclectic contributions. The new album seems more business-like and less artsy than its predecessors. The songs remain grand, but there seem fewer risks taken throughout. I guess I can understand that too - and should it lead to long-deserved mass popularity for Jump, then I'll happily bite my tongue.
      Like Vertigo, this record is one for listening. It's full of nuanced mid-tempo gems that beg for the full headphone treatment. These hard-working well-trained musicians create gorgeously grand pop creations - you owe it to yourself to put the time in to appreciate it properly.
      Despite my minor qualms, I remain a fan of the new album. Between The Dim & The Dark is a mature step forward, a smartly integrated effort from a courageous and talented band that has weathered many a music business storm en route. They really do have a unique sound, and now that they've got it down to a science, one can only hope it leads to bigger and better things. The bottom line is always about the music - and ten new solidly crafted songs from Jump is a welcome treat, end of story

When you first put Licorice Tea Demos in your CD player it's like holding a peach in your hand.  You wonder if it will be ripe, grainy, sweet, sour, or possibly have no taste at all.  You take a small bite of the peach, testing it out, not wanting to get juice all over you if it is too soft, wanting to find out what you're in for before you commit.  You are pleasantly surprised.  The peach is firm - but not hard - sweet, with just enough juice to wet your whistle but not to make a mess.  It makes you remember why you like peaches in the first place and you think it has been way too long since last summer when you had a peach this good.   It makes you want more but you have to wait awhile for your second bite.

Then you put Buzz into your CD player.  You know what you're in for - you think.  You are looking forward to another tasty morsel so you risk taking a bigger bite of the peach.  Oops - some juice drips out of the side of your mouth.  This bite is a bit tangier than the first.  Your teeth scrape the pit as you think - this bite is even better than the last.  It's riper and more full of flavor and has a zing the first bite lacked.  You are pleased and surprised that you picked such a good peach that improves with each bite.  It makes you think peaches are your favorite food and you'll be sure to pick up some more but you have to wait a bit longer for your next bite.  Will it be worth the wait?

Then you get Magazine and with all your heart you want it to be as good as that last bite of peach. You hesitate to put it in your CD player because peaches are tricky and just as surely as the last bite was tasty, this bite could have a bad spot in it to trick you.  You throw caution to the wind, though, and sink your teeth in deep and are richly rewarded.   The peach has ripened to perfection.  It is a riot of flavor.   Juice is spilling down your chin, onto your fingers, down to your toes - which are happy for the unexpected shower of peach rain. You are torn between wanting to eat it fast to keep the mess to a minimum or just to linger over each bite, never wanting the end to come.  You take bite after bite and each one is as good as the last, no bruises.   Complex but consistently satisfying.  You decide to become a peachatarian and only eat peaches the rest of your life because nothing else could make you so happy.

And then finally Vertigo.  Emphasis on Finally.  But you have to wait for a fine peach wine to age to perfection. Emphasis on perfection. And like drinking a bottle of wine, listening to it leaves you intoxicated.  Mellow and not quite in touch with reality, you have been transported to another dimension.  There, love is a wistful, longing, swirling thing, both simple and complex, filled with a mixture of pain and ecstasy, longing, certain doom,  and the languor of afterglow.   The full-bodied flavor swarms your tongue with velvety notes, a blackberry undertone, and a hint of clove for spice.  You are not yourself.  Sipping seems too slow, but you must not be greedy.  You must pace yourself and as you concentrate on one part of the taste, you are painfully aware that your mind is not able to comprehend the density of this sweet concoction.  Your eyes are peach-fuzzed and your ears are smiling and you want to pour the bottle into a tub and soak for days and days and years.  Your skin is softer and your hair is thicker and you understand the depth of an alcoholic's addiction.  Just one more time.  I'll listen to that song just one more time and then I'll be able to listen to something else. I can stop any time.  No, really, I can.  But everything else looks like rotted fruit trampled on the ground, now that you know how rare and fine a peach can really exist in a world not quite ready for the richness of it.  Reality and sobriety are overrated.  I'll drunkenly drown in this peachy sea for a long, long time.  Just try and rescue me. I will bite you.

When you wake from the hangover of Vertigo, your mouth wants something perhaps less dense and complicated.  You feel the need to turn back the quilt, wander downstairs, to feel sunlight brush your hair through the leaves of the peach tree.  Maybe you'll skip when you get to the back yard, you haven't done that in a long time.  There's no one else in the house.  Alone with the sunrise, the quiet is comforting.  When you open up Between the Dim and the Dark, it's like opening the freezer door on a hot summer morning.  You didn't realize how sultry it was until you felt that cool air on your damp skin.  Mmmm, a bottomless bowl of peach sorbet.  How did that get there?  Enjoying it in the swing outside seems just the right idea.  As you slowly start to swing, the breeze kisses the back of your neck.  You begin to taste the freshly layered notes and your heart seems lighter.  The sweetness is offset by just the right amount of sass.  When you think the smoothness might lack variety, there's a tangy chunk of peach bringing just the right surprise.  Each spoonful cools you from the inside out and you see why sorbet is used to clear your palate between courses of the richest meals.  And that voice, that soothing voice of many colors, how it tingles your tongue and lightens your heart.  Even when the words turn poignant, the music keeps the flavor from turning bitter.  Beautiful like parrot green leaves against an indigo sky which you might almost touch if you swing just a little higher next time.  You feel so light, you know you can do it.  You think the smile on your lips  is too delicate to last, that it might fade too soon, but with every taste, it broadens until the corners of your eyes are crinkled.  Your head won't stop swaying while your silky sundress tickles your ankles - that rhythym is infectious and you wonder who will hear you if you begin to sing along.  This is a superior sorbet and you feel so blessed to have found it first.  You tease the idea of keeping it all for yourself, but it's not fair to hide it's charm in the shade of a forest. You must bring it, dancing, into the sun where it can be shared at the picnic and do the most good.  Hot and restless world, prepare to be cooled and captivated.