Jolly: Forty Six Minutes, Twelve Seconds of Music

Recently, veteran labels such as Frontiers and InsideOut began to branch out — releasing styles of music beyond those on which they built their reputations. Now add ProgRock Records to that list: With Jolly, the California label whose roster includes Frameshift, Presto Ballet and Sylvan expands its reach even further with atmospheric alternative rock. Taking musical influences from Radiohead, Depeche Mode, Mike Patton, Muse and Tool, this New York City quartet also seemingly took some title inspiration from Yes' 90125 (which was named after the LP's catalog number). That said, Forty Six Minutes, Twelve Seconds of Music boasts enough progressive moments to warrant a spot in the ProgRock lineup, as moody guitars, ambient keys and subdued vocals recall vintage Porcupine Tree and Radiohead. And once the band builds up the momentum — as it does by the time the expansive "Red Sky Locomotive" surges ahead with driving guitar and piano riffs, as well as subsequent wall-of-sound tracks such as "Downstream" and "Carousel of Whale" — Jolly may leave progressive-music fans feeling pretty good.

46:12 also gives into another prog tendency: It's a concept album (of sorts). Apparently, various forms of brainwave stimulation are embedded throughout the disc. Known as binaural tones, they have been scientifically proven to enrich feelings of happiness — or jolliness, if you will — focus, creativity and relaxation through inaudible changes in audio frequencies. Doesn't all music, to some degree, have that power? Anyway, don't let trying to figure it all out detract from your enjoyment of these 46 minutes and 12 seconds.

Track Listing:
1) Escape from DS-3
2) Renfaire
3) Peril
4) Red Sky Locomotive
5) We Had An Agreement
6) Downstream
7) Carousel of Whale
8) Solstice
9) Inside the Womb

Added: October 14th 2009
Reviewer: Michael Popke
Score:
Related Link: Official Jolly Web Site
Hits: 4646
Language: english

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