THE JELLY JAM 2

Not as good as their debut album. This one sounds even more like any standard Alternative Rock (or Post-Punk/Grunge or whatever) album. Still quite nice background music, but nothing special and for sure not Prog! Not like the first one it's lacking completely diversity and highlights. I could not say which one is the best track because they all sound the same more or less apart of "War is" which is the loudest but also the worst one, I think. Still 2 stars I would say, for fans only!

THE JELLY JAM doesn't get a lot of love on Prog sites (haha). This is not very challenging music per se but the kind of music that that gets my blood moving and my head banging. For me this is an upgrade over their debut and definitely worth 4 stars. Ty Tabor (KING'S X), John Myung (DREAM THEATER) and Rod Morgenstein (DIXIE DREGS) make up this power trio. Ty Tabor sings, plays lead guitar and he also produced this great sounding album. KING'S X is the band they most sound like in my opinion with but without Dug Pinnick's in your face bass and vocals. On that subject I must say that Myung is prominant here and i'm really impressed with his style. He's different. And how good on the kit is Morgenstein ? Amazing drummer. I had a chance to see Tabor live when KING'S X opened for PORCUPINE TREE last year and the highlight of the whole concert was watching Ty solo for what seemed like 5 minutes as they jammed. It was like a light from heaven shone on him for a brief time, I was moved deeply by what I heard and saw.

"Not Today" is such a freakingly good track. Heavy guitar with vocals that are pretty much spoken. A headbanger's delight. Great way to start. "Coming Round" is a feel good tune but it's still heavy with strummed guitar over top. Check out the impressive guitar / drum section 2 minutes in. "Empty" opens with the guitar soloing as the bass and drums create the heavy base. Vocals join in. This is killer ! It turns psychotic before 3 minutes. "Drop The Gun" has some nice deep sounds with Myung standing out. Vocals after 1 1/2 minutes. This gets really intense. "Allison" is on fire to start before settling when the vocals come in. Contrasts continue. Nice. Holy hell check out the guitar solo 2 1/2 minutes in with the drums and bass causing tremors in the soundscape.

"Maybe" is a laid back tune as they slow it down. I like the lyrics and the tasteful guitar solo after 3 minutes. "She Was Alone" sounds so good to start out. Ty is laying it down. Rod is incredible on the drums here. "Angel Or Devil" is probably my favourite track on here. A powerful intro before it settles quickly with vocals. An emotional song and so is the guitar after 4 minutes. "You Don't need Me Anymore" is interesting with the intricate acoustic guitar and tapping. "Runaway" is powerful and uptempo. What's not to like ? "War Is..." sounds different from the rest. A ton of bottom end and lots of attitude. A very intense track. "Message" is a funny 36 second message from an answering machine.

This was a blast and it will sit nicely with my favourite KING'S X albums.

'Jelly Jam II' - The Jelly Jam (4/10)

Before any comment on the actual music takes place, let it be known that the Jelly Jam is a supergroup between John Myung (of Dream Theater fame,) Ty Tabor (King's X) and Rob Morgenstein (of Dixie Dregs.) With three established members of the progressive rock scene coming together to create something, it's implied that there would be alot of fans with high expectations for whatever might come out of the partnership. Unfortunately though, this particular supergroup doesn't seem to be a winner.

The Jelly Jam seems to be a respite for the band members from their typical, more technical musical styles. This project plays grungy hard rock with the occasional psychedelic influence. While a simpler approach to their music is fine in my books, the songwriting (while being catchy) and execution feel bland and uninspired.

Ty Tabor runs the show here almost entirely; his vocals and guitars dominate the mix and sound. John Myung and Morgenstein sound like they are both very bored playing here; everything is done very much by-the-numbers, without any showcase of their great skill. Bluesy riffs are the order of the day here, and Tabor seems to do everything he can in order to make himself the controlling member of the group. While this might have been alright if Myung had been the leader, Tabor's songwriting and lyrics end up making the project sound like a poor man's King's X.

All bad things aside though, the Jelly Jam suceeds at making some catchy hard rock. Although there is little replay value for the songs, each song is memorable in it's own right; gifted with strong melody writing. Unfortunately, none of the songs ever really get developed to the point of being 'fantastic,' and while being pleasant to listen to for a short while, 'Jelly Jam II' has little to offer in terms of depth.

Ideal for Porcupine Tree and King X fans!

When you come to listen a supergroup like The Jelly Jam you have to stop thinking in big arrangements, complex instrumentation, epic thematics, or conceptual albums. This case is a bit different. It seems like every now and then John Myung (DREAM THEATER), Ty Tabor (KING X) and Rod Morgenstein (DIXIE DREGS) just like to get together and throw in some riffs and spend a good time making just beautiful music.

The idea is very simple but the chemistry between these talented musicians made a wonderful result. With this second album, the Jelly Jam simply reached the same amount of moody vibe than the first one, just more oriented to alternative heavy rock and less "jazzy".

It's not as popular as other side projects from DT members, but it wouldn't work deeply on that kind of fans. For me, they are the best alternative rock band in history. The music is great, with space for everyone. Some moody ambience elements, some heavy riffs and the melodies fit greatfully on Tabor vocals.

If you want to relax a bit, this is a band you can try. It's maybe the best band to introduce regular people to Prog Rock, but it's not that exciting when you expect the same complex and saturated prog. Well, if you like King X, you should try it. If you like Porcupine Tree kind of music, dig into it.

I'm excited to listen to their new album. So I give a solid 4 star review. Great for me and ideal for a little time to breath and taste music without trying too hard.