LIVING IN A PROMISED LAND

"Living in a Promised Land" demonstrates marked maturity over the prior pair of JUMP releases. As per normal, the concepts and lyrics are almost as outstanding as the vocalist JOHN DEXTER JONES, but here we can actually tell what Jones is saying. This raises the caliber of basic rockers like the opener "The Man Who Worked". The messages affirm the band's identification with the commoner, consistent with the prevailing attitudes of folk music. However, as before, this JUMP album only flicks folk tints into the palette and remains primarily a crossover prog work rich in rockers and ballads, often on the same track.

Unfortunately, there are still times when the lyrics cannot save the musical concept from executing a mini Titanic. The ABACAB like "December's Moon", the hackneyed "Promised Land Blues", and the dreadful closer "Used to the Taste" all suffer from self inflicted wounds. But otherwise this is a pretty strong effort, even if only "Dreaming of Angels" and "The Pressed Man" might qualify as excellent. For instance, "April Day" begins as a sumptuous semi acoustic ballad before transforming into a rocker that succeeds in spite of a rather cliché chorus. The choice to eliminate pauses between tracks enhances their connectivity. Another favorite is "My Magic Touch" in which Jones dons a particularly pronounced Scottish inflection, but again a few of the similes verge on embarrassing, and not just, or even primarily because of their sexual references.

JUMP is a band that developed its own intriguing sound on the periphery of prog. In "Living in a Promised Land" they continue to sputter in efforts to balance their attack and refine their musical and lyrical message. Still, they know how to rock with conviction far better than most of the neo prog brethren with whom they are often compared, and remain a worthwhile listen as we wait for them to deliver on promises made or perceived.