Reviews
Ada Jane
Never Been Better
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Add to del.ico.us.Review Date: 2007-04-25
I’ve only been writing for the site a short time now. I was thinking about that. Thinking about how I should have a criterion. People have criteria when they’re criticising – constructively criticising. Glyn participates in class but does not follow instructions… That sort of thing. So I was listening to Ada Jane – Minneapolis’ Matt Marka’s new project – and I made a mental list. It is as follows:
Vox: Can the artist(s) in question carry a tune? If not, are they supposed to? Are they being ironic/punk/beaten to death with the awesomeness of their own kicking tunes? Matt Marka, and his vocal counterparts Charlie Wilson, and Larissa Anderson can all carry a tune. Marka even boasts a stylistic range… not broad, per se, but he gets the job done. Poignant, ironic, or fuck-The-Man lyrics a plus!
Melody: Not entirely necessary depending on genre, so long as there are memorable hooks involved, so long as I’m thinking about it in the shower the next day. That’s not so much to ask. Ada Jane’s tunes have a few snags here and there to keep the listener interested. Musically engaging, with a few twists and surprises.
Rhythm: Beats and Bass! Pretty straight forward, but very difficult to get right. People who get it right include James Brown, and Spoon for being so goddamned funky. Zep’s Bonzo and J.P. Jones for musically tearing us all a new asshole. And DJs Dangermouse, RJD2, and Shadow. Ada Jane has rhythm. The bass could be a little more present, but the drums are full of authority and the pace is usually full of vigour.
Production: Again, like Melody, not necessarily important, it depends upon the genre. Is the texture of the sound conducive to the overall message of the track? Does each song meet its musical mandate? For the most part, Ada Jane producer Chad Weis of Devil’s Workshop Sound Studio manages to engineer a diverse and attractive finished product on Never Been Better – although it sounds as if Weis might do well to invest in a better microphone, you begin to forget about this a few tracks in.
So that’s pretty good, right? That’s a fair criterion, and Ada Jane does all right by it. I’m not a music snob like people say. I’m not close minded. I’m fun. One time I bought tennis balls just because. I don’t even play tennis! Who but a fun guy would do that?
EXCEPT…
There is one category I neglected to mention, because I was saving it for dramatic effect. Because this category is so integral to the criterion, I really can’t stress enough, it can make or break a band. It is The Decider, and it can and will shock and awe the shit out of any band not up to code. The final category:
Lame: Is the band lame? Is it a little bit lame, or fucking lame? This is important. Lame is a very ephemeral category, it almost defies definition. But it is palpable. You know it when you hear it. And though some may argue over its borders, there are some things in life that fall clearly behind enemy lines. For example: Superman = Not Lame. Think about it, the guy could kick you into the future for god’s sake! 9/11 = Tragic, [but not lame]. People who talk about 9/11’s impact on everyday life = Fucking Lame.
Ada Jane is a lame band. They tout themselves as reminiscent of Wilco or Bruce Springsteen. I am not even a Springsteen fan, and yet it is painfully clear, Ada Jane has much less in common with The Boss as, say, The Guy From Human Resources. They both work hard, you gotta admit. But at the end of the day, there’s a reason The Boss is the boss, Wilco is Wilco, and Ada Jane is lame. This is science, people, cold and empirical. Most of the tracks on this album sound like an appropriate soundtrack to a WB drama – Smallville, perhaps, or Dawson’s Creek. Up-tempo rockers like “The Wayside” remind me not a little of Barenaked Ladies. Ooh! Or Fastball! Fuck, Fastball, remember Fastball? Yeah ya do. Ada Jane remembers Fastball.
So once again, I am a snob. I’ve ruined a fun band for everyone. Well you don’t got to take my word for it. Like I said, Never Been Better owns four outta five categories, that’s not so bad. It’s just that that last category counts for so much. But if you’re willing to risk it, lemme know, and I’ll send you my copy. Otherwise, I’m sending it to my Mum, who will appreciate it.
Just kidding, I love my Mum.
Score: 6.5
- Glyn Bowerman