...AND ALL THE KINGS MEN

My only prior exposure to JUMP as via a chance encounter with "The Myth of Independence". I enjoyed their brand of neo meets crossover meets olde English folk. This album was its immediate antecedent and proposes more of a hard rock mix at the expense of the neo prog and folk. Its dependence on unimaginative riffs makes it less casually listenable, and while the group has a lot to say, particularly about the monarchy and the government, and perhaps how the emperor has simply changed outfits, I'm less interested in the message than its oppressive medium.

Beginning with the quasi title cut, the album introduces clever well thought out concepts and executes them poorly around a hurried chorus devoid of melodic sensibility. This is seen again in "Seize the Day", "Judgement Day" and "Dangerous Devotions", while "George's Revolution" doesn't even provide that hook, which wouldn't be so bad if the track was more musically coherent, which it isn't.

So when this is bad, altogether too often, it's almost beyond redemption, and they could have employed any vocalist from JADIS or whomever, so why waste JOHN DEXTER JONES' glorious pipes? Luckily "Camera City", after starting like all the rest, morphs into a clever and catchy rocker, while "Share the Shame" and "Someone Else's Prayer Part 1" both showcase Jones and company in a better light. Even though "Two up Two Down" is somewhat cliche wit its a cappella start and riff ready figures, it does conjure a dreamy atmosphere that offsets the clunkier aspects agreeably.

I admit to being perhaps mired in unrealistic and unfair expectations re JUMP, but even as a compact song oriented take on neo prog it lacks dynamism at the expense of muscularity. If this had been playing while Humpty Dumpty sat on the proverbial wall, I think our egg friend would have enthusiastically jumped to his untimely demise.