MOJO JAZZ MOB (Pacific Daybreak Broken Nights) CD
After the release of many EP's Germany's MOJO JAZZ MOB has finally recorded their first full-length for Swamp Room Records. Actually this album has been released in 2007, but Cosmic Lava received a copy one year later, so that's the reason for the belated review. If you take a look at the cover art you could receive the impression that MOJO JAZZ MOB play heavy doom, but that's a wrong conclusion. Well, there's an element of darkness to their songs, because it's obvious that they like early Black Sabbath as much as Kyuss. The album kicks off with heavy groovy riffs, accompanied by a solid rythym section and there's no question about their technical skills. Well versed and tasteful, MOJO JAZZ MOB show that they are no newcomers and that they've played a hundred of shows over the past ten years.'Seraphyne U.S.D.' is a promising start and the next track 'Postideological Sehnsucht' is in that same vein, but with a stronger approach to rock 'n' roll.
'Autoaggression' has a lot in common with early Queens of the Stone Age, whilst 'Knutsen '73' is their adaption of Kyuss' 'Green Machine' and one of my favourite songs here. They strive to keep their songs varied and very often they achieve their goals with the help of changes in volume and mood. Nevertheless, here are a few passages where they lose power and intensity and especially the vocals annoy me a bit here. I think a good example is 'Monster Muccate', where MOJO JAZ MOB come up with some sort of NWOBHM-infected riffing, but the vocals seems to be out of place. That's the impression I've got and unfortunately I feel the same about halfway through the included twelve songs. Maybe you'll feel different because once again it's a matter of taste. Despite my criticism, it's definitely no mistake to check out MOJO JAZZ MOB, because they write better songs than most of the bands in the same territory.
(KK)