JACK O' THE CLOCK
The Warm, Dark Circus
(2023 - self release - USA)

https://jackotheclock.bandcamp.com/album/the-warm-dark-circus

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This is a concept album divided into two separate parts deeply inspired by dreams, random images that caught Damon Waitkus eye/mind/curiosity, and provided a semi ghost-like scheme of Gentle Giant, odd mixtures of eastern, avant-garde, celestial drop off, and a surreal circus of evolving acts only a lover of the eccentric can appreciate. Intricate interplay, injections of absurdity, refined framework, and a kitchen sink of brilliance surprise the willing opponent. As fragile parts dance around, often a cascade plunges down to wash the ideas further down stream. Oh there is much more.

Can you imagine a 1960's classic Beatles that was hidden from the public, fused with just as rare experimental output from The Who, a rejected Grateful Dead composition with Mickey Hart front and center, lost cuts from The Incredible String Band, unreleased Yes, (already mentioned Gentle Giant), Stackridge, Happy The Man, Ethos, and music that just had no place in time, which now does? And my comparisons only scratch the surface, because even with all these flavors, the unique sound of Jack O' the Clock resonates as they always have on every single album and provided the audience the privilege to hear. It is a one of a kind project. A once in a lifetime experience.  It does need to pointed out that this recording has more angles of progressive rock (but not entirely) than any of the former albums by Jack O' the Clock.

 Pretty odd for a smaller ensemble in the beginning (2007), who brought in far more regional folk using a large variety of instruments including  banjo, hammer dulcimer, 'Musical Fence', and then more typical electric and acoustic instruments. What caught my attention from the start with Jack O' The Clock was their hybrid of various mountain folk, avant-garde, beautiful vocal work sometimes approaching chamber music, and an overall free from constraints compositional philosophy. A truly unique  band!

To help reveal the spread of sound on 'The Warm, Dark Circus', here is a list of players and their instruments appearing on this 2023 release: Damon Waitkus – vocals, guitars, hammer dulcimers, piano, flutes, etc./ Emily Packard – violin, viola / Jason Hoopes – bass / Jordan Glenn – drums, accordion, synth / Kate McLoughlin – bassoon / Thea Kelley – vocals / Victor Reynolds – guitars, recorders, harmonica, vocals, etc./ Ivor Holloway – saxophones / Jon Russell – clarinets / Keith Waters – baritone saxophone / Karl Evangelista – electric guitar /Art Elliot – piano / Josh Packard – cello / Ben Spees – microtonal guitars (from The Mercury Tree) / Myles Boisen – pedal steel. This is the first official release that Victor Reynolds appears on. He and Damon performed all instruments and vocals on a most recent single called 'Windigo Knocking' (2024). Many guests have appeared over the span of eight albums, including Fred Frith ('Repetitions of the Old City - I' 2016).

 While a couple of the extended cuts are old compositions that never got finished or found their way to an official release, one particular song was a last minute addition that came to Damon in a dream. This was "Division Blues".  I spoke with Mr. Waitkus about the album and he spoke about this composition and how it came about. "It's not unusual that images or scenarios that crop up in lyrics derive originally from dreams, but for this one it was the music. I dreamed I was listening to outtakes I'd never heard from David Bowie's "Low," and this was among them. When I woke up, I first thought "hey, that was interesting," as it sounded so different from the rest of the album, and then I thought "wait a minute, that song doesn't exist," and then "that means I am free to make it." I then realized it was microtonal (I was in the middle of working on Ventifacts ( an extremely fine release with Ben Spees and Damon along with several others) recordings, my microtonal project, so the tones were very much in my ears at that moment). And then I basically put together the whole recording, minus the horn and sax overdubs, that day, using some unused drum parts I'd previously recorded and playing all the rest myself. The lyrics I'd had kicking around for about 12 years, just waiting for appropriate music".  Another treasure from one of the finest ensembles in America. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

 ©Reviewed by Lee Henderson 7 - 18 - 2024

 

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