JOXIFICATIONS

JOX sole release offers a hybrid of celtic and progressive styles with a sprinkling of 80s synthesizers. Names like TRI YANN and GRYPHON, the former especially on the vocal tracks and the latter on some of the more extended instrumentals, come readily to mind.

The ancient Breton sounds become more diffuse in the latter half of the album, coinciding with the complete disappearance of the vocals. That is when comparison's to GRYPHON's "Red Queen.." period can be made. Luckily, JOX is not as clinical sounding, but these longer pieces are conducive to much meandering on the part of musician and listener alike. In fact it is precisely the modernized keys that elevate an otherwise at times sleepy performance.

So for me, as a folkie lacking the fusion genotype, I lean heavily to the anterior half of the disk, courtly but not stuck up. The highlights are the opener, with its chansonnier meets piano bar jazz ambience and "Metig", a modernized traditional tune that exploits similarly strong arrangements. The rest is fair to good, but moves me only a little more than it did the record buying public in 1982.

Not yet released on CD, Jox is recommended if the light jazzy side of prog folk with an occasional celtic swirl is joxification enough for you, and you can find it.