JACK O' THE CLOCK

Lets start with the album cover a painting done by Albrecht Durer back in 1515, in fact there's a song on here called "Durer's Rhinoceros" at 13 minutes. Just a beautiful picture and very similar in colour and in tone to the cover art on JORDSJO's latest "Salighet'. I've had these two cds sitting beside each other a lot. And with both bands I feel they've just created their best work with their latest records in 2023. JACK O' THE CLOCK's previous record "Leaving California" is the first by this band to disappoint me, so much good stuff on there but the new directions they took mostly didn't work for my tastes. Damon Waitkus the band's leader literally moved out of California to a different state while working on it.

"The Warm, Dark Circus" is a return to form and then some. Back to having double digit guests helping out and while they did try some more new things once again like they did on the previous record, it all works for me this time. My kind of album lyrically as I have Anxiety and other issues and this is about dealing with the anxieties and possibilities of the moment, the present. They mention that they range through some of the weirdist and heaviest stuff they've done yet. And how about the two track attack of "How Are We Doing..." and "...Who Will Tell Us?" two tracks that have been around since the start of the band, and they have finally put the final touches on them refining them and experimenting with them over many years.

This music is so over my head and there are so many sounds, a ton of instruments in play and that's just Damon(haha). His buddy Ben Spees from their band THE MERCURY TREE adds some microtonal guitar on one track which was cool. Nine tracks and all deserve a word or two but I want to talk about some of my favourites. The opener "The Ladder Slipped" shows why I believe Damon is the best song writer around these days. He is a story teller. The lyrics here and elsewhere are meaningful, witty and simply on another level when compared to most bands. Banjo hits us first then the brilliant lyrics. So many amazing ideas on this album and with this opener. I was gushing listening to this while writing notes. Come on!

Really it's between this song and "This Is Just What It Seems" and both are incredible lyrically. This one is more stripped down with guitar, bowed bass, harmonica, steel pedal and vocals. Love how his voice quivers on this one. Emotion here. I mentioned the old duo of songs earlier that combined are worth well over 20 minutes. The second part is more experimental although we have that on the first part too and the way that second one ends with the vocals quivering "I'll be back soon" is moving. Some power on the first part too with bass clarinet and sax helping with that.

I have to mention "Division Blues" with Ben Spees on it because this is out of character for the band, a bluesy and powerful track with attitude. So catchy too. Baritone guitar leads with baritone sax and violin but yeah once again great lyrics and this one is a lot fun. The title of this album comes from a line from the song "Stuck Inside Of Elvis". Quite a bit of bassoon in this one. "Durer's Rhinoceros" also has it's share of bassoon but this 13 minute track is a ride. Haunting, uplifting, emotional, experimental yes just another JACK O' THE CLOCK song really. The way Damon arranges music is bordering on genius.

My new favourite album from this band just ahead of "Night Loops" and those two "Repetitions Of The Old City" records. A top ten for 2023. A beautiful package overall and well worth the purchase to have the physical.

4.5 stars. JACK O' THE CLOCK had an incredible three album run beginning with 2014's "Night Loops" followed by 2016's "Repetitions Of The Old City I" and this one 2018's "Repetitions Of The Old City II". In my opinion these three albums will tell you everything you need to know about this band led by Damon Waitkus the composer, singer and producer. We get the core seven piece band along with five guests and as usual so many instruments are involved in the making of this record. It's so unusual for a band to have it's two main group of fans come from the Folk and Avant sub genres as these two are usually far apart from one another. Damon is onto something here.

This particular album is broken really into two sections, the first five songs deal with the blizzard of '78 while the final six tracks seem to be random pieces under the sub title of "Artifacts Of Love And Isolation". In between we get the "Interlude" track called "Guru On The Road" which is different, in fact when the track ends we hear laughter and a comment about it being the wildcard and I guess it is in a sense as the stand alone piece.

I can sure relate to any music about a blizzard living here in Canada. I have so many stories but really it's being on the road in a blizzard that takes the cake. You can't possibly turn around let alone pull over but just hope and pray you don't get into an accident. I did rear end a car once that was stopped dead on the road because they couldn't see anything. Neither could I. Beyond stressful. So the music on the closer to this section "Whiteout" seems so appropriate with that haunting atmosphere and samples, but then the opener also touches on these things and it's called "Damascus Gate".

The longest track on the album is "Miracle car Wash, 1978" at over 13 1/2 minutes. It's all over the place but well done with even a jazzy section. "Island Time" I believe is sung by the female bassoon player and it is different from anything I've heard this band do. I like it, there's something about it. "Errol At Twenty- Three" is something special, the way the vocals and mandolin are so in tune with each other to start. Just a wonder really when I hear this then it becomes fuller and so interesting.

"Double Door" is two guys talking and swearing as they do. They speed up that last comment which makes me laugh every time. An avant piece for sure. Love the strings. "Unger Reminisces" reminds me of GENESIS surprisingly. Beautiful is the word. Thankyou! I was also surprised to be reminded of GENTLE GIANT to start "Into The Fireplace" then it kicks into a heavy groove with piano, vocal harmonies and the bass and drums are great too. Back to that folky violin led piece but with vocals this time. Themes are repeated. So good.

And this album is so good, darn near a five star rating but as it is I am so glad I own it. How can something that often sounds so simple be so complex. The arrangements never fail to impress when Damon Waitkus is involved. There's a reason Fred Frith goes on and on about this band.

This is the first JACK O' THE CLOCK album that I am just not connecting with. In my opinion this band was darn near flawless with the three album run before this beginning with "Night Loops" from 2014 then the back to back "Repetitions Of The Old City" parts I & II in 2016 and 2018. So I may unfairly be comparing this album to those but this one just seems different. Less folky to the point that it wasn't until I got to that fifth track, the self-titled one that I felt I was listening to the band I know and love. The vocals are more straight forward, less of that hick sound to them. And this is the most stripped down version we have seen with only three guests, while "Night Loops" for example has ten guests helping out.

I loved the words I saw somewhere comparing their music to old time fiddle music but done to compositions worthy of Stockhausen. Please understand that I think Damon Waitkus is brilliant at composing and also his instrumental work and he's a multi-instrumentalist. The man blows me away but much less so here. I will be very interested to hear the new album that just came out in 2023 and I noticed ten guests helping out on it too. It will be interesting if he pulls the reigns back in to more of a folky dominated sound. The title "Leaving California" always reminds me of my Australian uncle leaving California towing a trailer when he flicks out a butt that lands in the trailer and catches fire as he drives on the highway north. He would laugh when he told that one.

The first two tracks are the two shortest and my least favourites and no not a good way to start the record. "The Butcher" is one I'm not completely sold on but man Damon can tell stories, he has a way with words. The title track is good with the folky vocals, violin and sound. Then two long tracks to end it with "Fascination" at over 8 minutes and the closer "Narrow Gate" at almost 12 minutes. I'm much more impressed with "Fascination". Yeah me and this record just didn't get along. Still this is JACK O' THE CLOCK and they are better than most.

East Coast Prog Folk artist Damon Waitkus is back with his ever-expanding Jack O' The Clock ensemble, here showing us with this amazing album his ever-expanding vision of eclectic, folk-anchored progressive rock music.

1. "The Ladder Slipped" (7:27) Wow! What a surprise! A song that starts out as a solid, great Jack O' The Clock song turns to heavy prog! Awesome! (14.5/15)

2. "Division Blues" (2:22) Microtonals! (Ben Spees!) Wow! I was not expecting this! A hard rocker! So creative and fresh! Pure genius! Great lyric and awesome vocal performance. (10/10)

3. "Stuck Inside of Elvis" (4:45) John Zorn-like in its horn-led syncopation and angular melody lines, Damon manages to make it all work together with a rather amazing vocal performance. Astonishing! (9.25/10)

4. "Sage's Song" (0:49) pretty little atmospheric interlude.

5. "Dürer's Rhinoceros" (12:55) a gentle, dreamy opening is filled with beautiful nuances all softly muted or while Damon sings softly to set up the scene. (And, as we all know, Damon's lyrics all tell very visual stories.) The second motif has European and Asian musical traditions interwoven beautifully as Damon and special guest Thea Kelly adds a "female perspective"; it sounds very 1980s Peter Gabriel ("San Jacinto" and Birdy). By the time the fifth minute comes around we've entered another, more dynamic and "daytime" motif (meaning there is a spirit of working, laboring here--like a smithy's craftshop). I love the industrial percussives with walking fretless bass and assorted strings (including microtonal guitar). Multi-voiced choral vocals take over in the eighth minute before Damon leads us into an eery passage ("the storm"--in Buffalo--as from the great tale about the great Blizzard of 1978 in Buffalo from Repetitions of the Old City, Part II ). Some amazing melodies--both vocally, harmonically, and instrumentally--in the rest of the song--making this one of my favorite epics of 2023 (23.75/25)

6. "This Is Just What It Seems" (3:30) singing in a very delicate, vulnerable voice (amplified by the frail warble in his voice), Damon sings over an assortment of acoustic instruments. There is a rural, old-timey feel to the sound palette and style choices here. Very pleasant and inviting. The music gradually builds beneath Damon and harmonizing vocalist Thea Kelly, introducing new instruments, even replacing ones that the song started with. A very nice song. (8.875/10)

7. "How Are We Doing..." (13:16) wind, distant flutes, and continuous stream of some news show on the television open this one before some psych guitar arpeggi and industrial drums enter and take over. Horns of a variety of sounds and styles arrive together as the drums get a bit unruly presenting a kind of UNIVERS ZERO-like "controlled chaos." Into the fourth minute and it's still all instrumental, but guitars and basses have arrived and come forward to add their muscle. Next tuned percussives take a turn at the fore before strings, reed instruments, and raunchy electric guitars (MIDIed?) take over the presentation of the nontraditional (chromatic) melody. The chromatic minimalist weave continues without rock rhythm section as chorus voice bank enter to present the word and melody. The rotation of instruments is of such a wildly wide variety that it feels as if we're on a merry-go-round or carousel. I don't know if this effect (and its metaphoric significance) are what Damon & Company have in mind, but it's amazing! Plus, there is such a mix of familiar and totally unfamiliar sounds and riffs bombarding us (thanks Ben et al.!) Enter a spoken vocal muted by a horn and yet coming from the derriere, followed by another set of television speakers (including Noam Chomsky), culminating in a fairly cohesive bass-dominated passage with the choral vocals clearing the way from within. Overall, this is an astonishing, awesomely inventive song that seems to bend and reshape time from the linear to the circular but suffers slightly from a lack of engaging melodies: the experience is invigorating and intellectually fascinating but ultimately not as emotionally pleasing to make me want to come back with any great frequency, thus my less-than-stellar rating. (26.75/30)

8. "...And Who Will Tell Us?" (8:21) the title indicates that this song should be considered a continuation of the previous one. Very mellow weave of early GENESIS-like acoustic guitars (and dulcimers?) set a peaceful, pastoral setting for Damon to sing over (sometimes with multiple tracks given to his own voice). This reminds me a lot of the sound presented by WOBBLER's "This Past Presence" from their wonderful 2011 release, Rites at Dawn, minus the Mellotron and piano. Nice melodies established by the third minute as the instrumental content of the weave increases and amplifies. Then, halfway through the third minute, there's a development into a kind of YES feel to the music. This continues for about 90 seconds before a palette of metal-percussion joins in and slowly takes over despite the resistance of rock guitars and power chords jumping in and out. Around 5:30 this coalesces and morphs into a smooth rock palette before an awesome piano- and electric guitar-supported motif supports a dulcimer solo. At the end of the seventh minute the rock instruments begin to back out, subdued by a gentle wave of acoustic stringed instruments woven together to serve as buoyancy for Damon's ethereal voice, which then closes out the song. (18.5/20)

9. "Snowman on a Ledge" (3:31) gorgeous solo hammered dulcimer work sets the stage for Thea Kelly to sing over starting around the 1:20 mark. And that's pretty much it: Damon's dulcimer with Thea's gorgeously emotive vocal. (9/10)

Total Time:

It's taken me a while to get to know this album because it is so full of layers, nuances, and innovations. I am so glad to have this album in my possession as it is truly a creative masterpiece of modern prog fusion (that is, a fusion of many, many elements from many disciplines and sub-genres contributing to and informing the progressive rock genre of music.

A/five stars; a refreshing masterpiece of eclectic progressive rock music from this formerly-folk-rooted ensemble. Definitely a top 10 album for 2023. Easily Damon's best album yet.

Live album by this band who are currently based in Vermont. To describe their sound, I'd say an American indie pop band with Appalachian folk tendencies got lost in Stravinsky and avant-jazz fusion. There's a whole lot of hammered dulcimer, played by lead vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Damon Waitkus, who sings a little like Todd Pipes from Deep Blue Something. Their sound is further set apart by a full-time violinist (Waitkus' wife Emily Packard) and bassoonist, along with a particularly inventive rhythm section. Waitkus' lyrics are invariably emotionally resonant, maturely literate observations about American life. He jokes during his stage banter that they're often about old men dying. I'll bet this was an unusual and memorable live experience. The Gentle Giant-y instrumental, "Salt Moon" is a musical highlight, but it's worth listening closely to the stories being told in the vocal tracks as well.

This is an excellent album. My personal favorite album of 2016 and amongst my favorite albums in general. In fact, it motivated me to stop being so lazy and finally write my first ever album review.

It hits the perfect balance of challenging, boundary pushing music that still stays in the range of melodic and enjoyable. The multilayered nature of the music, its chamber music feel, and the large array of instruments used, seem to bring old tradition into the present without adhering to any one genre or label, simply modern and forward looking.

Unlike a large amount of music that some of us like to label as "prog", this music is very emotional and has some very engrossing story-telling-style lyrics. For example, "The Old Man and the Table Saw" and "When the Door Opens, It Opens on Everything" both deal with old and dying family members and does it with extreme candor from an interesting viewpoint. It honestly felt quite refreshing and helpful when I was dealing with my own death in the family around the time this album was released.

All in all, I can't recommend this album enough. The music and musicianship are extraordinary. The instrument mix and attention to detail is superb. The album feels well rounded with a variety of themes spanning multiple songs giving it a loose but definite theme. Everything one can ask for in a superb album which deserves much more attention that what it is getting.

The busy and genius mind of Damon Waitkus and friends follows up the late 2016 release with a new masterpiece of unusual "Prog Folk." This may be my favorite Jack O' The Clock release with some truly memorable songs and the usual level of high quality composition, performance, and recording exceeding all previous levels. My one complaint of Damon's work remains the often "closed" or impenetrable nature of his lyrics due to the extremely personal nature of the subject matter of his stories.

THE BLIZZARD 1. "Damascus Gate" (2:20) a dream-like weave of electric, acoustic, and field recording sounds within which an effected collection of voices is warbling the preface of the story that follows. "What do you remember?" The Blizzard of 1978 must have burned some powerful memories into Mr. Waitkus. (4.5/5)

2. "Miracle Car Wash, 1978" (13:41) a mercurial musical journey used to take us through a chunk of Damon's recounting of a snow storm, the masterfully composed and rendered music, unfortunately, makes the most sense to it's composer, often leaving us out on a lurch, wondering "Why this twist?" "Why this turn?" (8.5/10)

3. "Island Time" (5:26) a song that stands out for it's totally different stylistic approach--both constructively and vocally--from any previous Jack O' The Clock song I've ever heard. The male vocal performance here is amazing. (Damon performing in a more choir-classical style?) (9.5/10)

4. "Errol at Twenty-Three" (3:58) Damon and a guzheng open this as the story of the Blizzard of 1978 continues. Multiple voices join in with several other folk instruments and percussives in a theatric/stage-like fashion. I imagine a stage performance of this song with costumes and fast-moving sets while the music is played from an orchestra pit below. Gorgeous, complex, genius, worthy of a Tony nomination! (9.5/10)

5. "Whiteout" (1:10) a multi-track looping of voices, percussives and electric instruments. Not sure how this concludes the blizzard story. (4/5)

INTERLUDE 6. "Guru On the Road" (5:51) A percussion-led instrumental with lots of string and wind/woodwind instruments playing into the weave. Not unlike a Markus Pajakkala (UTOPIANISTI) song. Beautiful! Even the inclusion of the laugh and studio end comment, "That's such a wild card." (9/10)

ARTIFACTS OF LOVE AND ISOLATION 7. "My Room Before Sleep" (2:10) Damon duet with a hammered dulcimer. (9/10)

8. "Into the Fireplace" (6:55) opens with "tuning" strings and winds before bursting into a thick, heavy, proggy weave at 0:45. What a delicious surprise! The singing versus return to the more sparsely orchestrated opening theme, but the thick wall of sound reappears with enough frequency to keep me on edge. the complexity of the overall weave of many instruments (and many voices) is also quite impressive, engaging, and beautiful. What a masterpiece of composition and collaboration! (10/10)

9. "Unger Reminisces" (1:27) a dreamy soundscape with commensurately dreamy effected vocals from multiple tracks of Damon. (5/5)

10. "I'm Afraid of Fucking the Whole Thing Up" (5:47) a strangely out-of-place story of an insecure, underconfident youth being told to do something useful--like going downtown to get a job. For a while I thought this second half of the album was the continuation of the Blizzard story. Musically this is more straightforward folk rock with a bluegrassy jazziness to it. (8.5/10)

11. "Double Door" (1:32) odd cacophony of instruments, voices, and field recordings. To what purpose? (3/5)

12. "A Sick Boy" (9:44) a song that has trouble hooking us both musically and lyrically--the story, and its accompanying music, are just not that engaging--are too personally projected from Damon's memories. If this is a concept album, then this is a disappointing lowpoint on which to end the album. Too bad! (8/10)

4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of jazzy progressive folk music; masterful songwriting and performances that somehow keep the listener at an arm's length due to the highly personal nature of the stories they represent. What an awesome display of collaboration from a large and wide variety of instrumentalists in some quite complex compositions!

It's not easy to review Jack O 'The Clock's music! It is true that many elements of classical Progressive Rock are present in the band's music, but we also have many other sounds like chamber music and the sound of the unusual instruments they use in their records (xylophone, melodic, psaltery, violin, bassoon, flute, accordion, among others).

I've been following the band since their 2013 album 'All My Friends', which was for me one of the best albums of 2013 and it is almost perfect. 'Night Loops', their next, still carries the same quality, but it seems to me that the band has repeated too many ideas of the previous album on this one. Than they released 'Outsider Songs' that ws more like a EP of covers. When I heard about the new album, 'Repetitions of the Old City - I', I was very excited. And I can tell you this: Jack O 'The Clock's music is still doing great!

The band's rich textures and sound layers are still intact, but this time they've added a lot of 'really' Progressive moments on the record, with a few riffs and more drums, though keeping the Folk side pretty strong.

I do not believe that 'Repetitions of the Old City - I' surpass 'All My Friends' as my favorite Jack's record, but it has potential. (Okay, I confess I have not heard their first two albums yet, I need to do it urgently).

In the first few spins of the new album the impression I had was that the record is a little too long and that could have been leaner. There are several moments that sound like filler parts and this kills the 'vibe' of the disc in some parts.

But, besides that I do believe this is one of the stronger moments in Jack O' The Clock discography and I can say, without any guilt that this band is one of the most innovative names in underground music today!

Available here: jackotheclock.bandcamp.com/album/repetitions-of-the-old-city-i

JACK 'O THE CLOCK Repetitions of the Old City - I

I really liked 2013's All My Friends but it showed signs of the band not firing on all cylinders yet--not everyone seemed able to rise up to composer Damon Waitkus' expectations. I'm glad to report that, while this is, sadly, only the second Jack O' The Clock album I've listened to, immaturity and scattered energy are no longer at issue: the band is performing Damon's compositions seemlessly, flawlessly, and Damon's composition and production skills are at his most masterful high.

1. "I Am So Glad To Meet You" (1:37) Damon Waitkus singing multiple tracks in his unusual, warbly, ANDY GIBB-like voice over an atmospheric echoscape. (7.5/10)

2. "The Old Man And The Table Saw" (10:30) a refreshing prog folk composition that sounds like no one else, proclaims (or reconfirms) that Jack O' The Clock is unique to folk and progressive rock music. (9/10)

3. "When The Door Opens, It Opens On Everything" (12:08) opens with a very folk/bluegrass-sounding acoustic guitar intro. At 1:15 the music shifts to a kind of AARON COPELAND/EDGAR MEYER sound in support of Daimon's vocal. Kate McLaughlin's bassoon plays a nicely prominent role in this one. Stellar performances by all band members in this mesmerizing composition. I even hear echoes of some of the sounds, melodies, and dueling of John McLaughlin's SHAKTI music ("Get Down and Sruti" from Natural Elements) on this one. (9.5/10)

4. "Epistemology / Even Keel" (5:45) opens sounding far more like an old WEATHER REPORT or JONI MITCHELL soundscape. But then all that dissipates in lieu of Daimon's nursery rhyme-like vocal. Not quite a cappela, it is supported rather sparsely with bird- and animal-like sounds created by acoustic instruments. The second half ("Even Keel"?) uses an electric jazz guitar and acoustic guitar to provide the foundational support for Daimon's voice. Double bass, shrill violin chirping, bassoon and flute provide occasional and intermittent accents and support. I like this song a lot. It's certainly a top three song. (9.5/10)

5. ".22, Or Denny Takes One For The Team" (6:58) opens as if we are getting to unleash a high-speed Celtic reel, but when dulcimer, electric bass and drums enter to support and mirror the established lead melody of the violin, it feels more rock like. At 1:30 everything shifts into a dreamy MARK ISHAM-like section. Violin and cymbal play support the baseball reference section as sung by Daimon and his support chorus. A lot of FLEET FOXES similarities in this middle section. I like it very much. The story here feels very dream-like, as if imagination (and time) is toying with the recollection of some past memory. My favorite song on the album. (10/10)

6. "Videos Of The Dead" (7:21) opens with bass and low tom thumping a slow, straight 2/2 time while the guitar of prog legend Fred Frith slide over and between. While the time signature gradually shifts, and the song develops, it is still fairly sparse and simple when Daimon's simple vocal begins. At 2:50 things become heavier, more insistent as first the low end and then the middle of the soundscape fills a bit. Flute solos in the fourth and fifth minutes while the song shifts and other instruments snake around beneath. When Daimon returns to sing at the end of the fifth minute, a full Nu-grass kind of jam is mounting an assault beneath him. then, suddenly, at the 5:40 mark, order is restored just when I thought (and hoped) that wild chaos was about to break open. Awesome, even amazing song. My other top three song. (9.5/10)

7. "Whiteout" (2:28) a foundation of odd sounds (including synths, zithers, bass clarinet, bowed double bass, and what sounds like a backwards flowing solo electric guitar throughout) supports the slow, treated play of a hammered dulcimer. (9/10)

8. "Fighting The Doughboy" (13:42) starts out with a bit of an odd, gangly plod-and-hop sound that might have come off of a MAHAHIVSHNU ORCHESTRA or JEAN-LUC PONTY rehearsal during the 1970s. By the end of the second minute it's feeling more like a UNIVERS ZERO song. But then lyrics/vocals appear. At 4:30 the song suddenly steps into a straightforward rhythm--but only for about half a minute, when it returns to the syncopated UZed sound, style and pacing. Horns, violin, vibes, and bassoon are all quite prominent. At 6:30 another foray into straightdom provides a section with some interesting background vocal activities and harmonies--and even a lead vocal from a different male (Jason Hoops?). At 8:20 a kind of calypso foundation begins over which SHANKAR-like violin melody leads before a flanged Daimon Waitkus vocal slowly emerges (and continues moving into the foreground--with accompanying vocalists). At 10:30 new section begins with a sound that is reminiscent of some of JONI MITCHELL's jazzy-world music from the mid 1970s. Voice samples from the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr. are interwoven among the Dixieland party that ensues--and plays out to the song's end. Intriguing song! High marks for creative originality. (9/10)

9. "After The Dive" (3:38) a very cool, unusual song with great, delicate performances from all--and a nice vocal from Daimon. (9/10)

A masterpiece of prog folk and progressive rock music. This band is maturing, gelling into one of the most compelling masters of the modern prog scene.

Another stellar release by this American avant-folk band. The band claim that these songs have been a staple of their live shows for some time, and they tried to capture a more live feel during the recording sessions. The performances are crisp and clear and brimming with emotion. The excellent lyrics are delivered with some of Damon's best vocals to date. The music here is a little more technically complex than some of their earlier works, but it is still delivered with real, organic instrumentation and an accessibility that will keep you coming back for more. I really love this band and this is another winner!