1-2-3-4!

by

The Jeevas

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When I first heard this CD I would have probably given it 2 or 3 stars...simply because I was expecting a third Kula Shaker CD. And to me Kula had a wonderful, fresh sound that no one had come close to since "Rubber Soul" era Beatles, or "Dark Side" era Pink Floyd.

Crispian Mills latest band is also retro, but more in the early punk "Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy" era Who vein. And incredibly enough it works. Instead of the soaring choruses, extravagant productions and blissful hooks of Kula, it has a stripped down, angst ridden, sardonic quality that grows on you. And if I were to wait another week or two before writing this, I'd probably give it 5 stars.

It's basically a three man band with occasional keyboard accompaniment. And while there isn't a bad song on the CD, there are several standouts. "Edge of the World" is subdued and gorgeous...Mills at his best. "Silver Apples" has some extremely innovative vocals, "Once Upon a Time in America" and "Teenage Breakdown" would be excellent singles and "What is it For?" asks "If your heart's not broken, what is it for?"

Crispian Mills is an extremely talented artist. And though he's apparently taken a hiatus from the Indian mysticism of Kula Shaker, it's obviously not far from his heart.

The Jeevas is a derivation of the Sanskrit word "jiva" which means literally...indestructable, subatomic, particle of consciousness.

Maybe it loses something in the translation.

This is a very good record. That said, for leader Crispian Mills to disband Kula Shaker, one of, if not the greatest rock and roll band in the 1990's, in favor of this project, it doesn't make a lot of sense. For those keeping score, The Stone Roses made the same mistake a few years ago. Two amazing bands that let ego take center stage.

There is very good musicianship and great melodic rock and roll songs on here but when listening to it in full, you can't help but wonder what this album would have been if Kula Shaker recorded it. I'm sorry but I don't normally yearn for the past unless it's warranted. It's warranted.

Bottom line: It's still better than most new British rock and roll and certainly has it's merit being for the fact that all of this sound is driven by a power trio.

Buy this record and hope for a Kula Shaker re-union. That band was simply magic. This band is a particle of that magic.