Say "featuring a member of Jesus and Mary Chain" and you'll pique my interest. Though they may be far gone and away (okay, reunion was two years ago, where's that album if they're 'back'?), they were one of the best bands of the late 20th Century, and I'm going to give the time of day to any project that carries that aforementioned tag. International Jetsetters may not feature a founding JaMC member, Loz Colbert is a collaborator, and vocalist Fi McFall sang with them once--and even this tenuous connection is enough for me!
The comparisons really end there, though; on their debut Heart is Black, the five-piece explores a sound that is dark yet poppy, mellow yet oddly metaphysical. McFall has a beautiful voice, and Mark Crozer does, too; the splitting of vocal duties keeps the music interesting. "Inside Out" and "Inside Yourself" split the difference between bliss-pop and more traditional rock. The rest of the EP is a much mellower affair; the songs are beautiful in a Mazzy Star kind of way. Two versions of "Never Slows Down" appear here; a demo version that features Crozer on vocals, and a full-band version featuring McFall. Both are brilliant, and both are beautiful. I'm also love "Heart is Black," with Crozer sounding both menacing and melancholic. Even though the world may be overwhelmed with too many bands, International Jetsetters are definitely a necessity for this crazy world of ours.
It goes without saying, then, that I'm eagerly awaiting their full-length debut.
Listen To: Inside Out
Heart is Black is out now on Planting Seeds RecordsLabels: International Jetsetters, Planting Seeds Records, Reviews I |
