Slow Jets
Worm Into Phoenix
Morphius
Featuring Roads to Space Travel’s Roman Kuebler on drums, guitar, and vocals, Baltimore’s Slow Jets offer up a heady, sumptuous stew of art pop on their debut album, Worm Into Phoenix, perpetually walking the fine line between the two (art vs. pop). However, this sometimes works to their disadvantage, and at other times, it’s quite the opposite. With the former, Slow Jets will seem to be cooking up a delicious melody – one that’s so sweet, you can’t help but predict where those twangy notes are going next – but decide to let it go all wrong, all contorted-like, all frustrating when all you want is a sugary hook. On the other hand, with the latter, it’s admirable that the quartet (plus “magician” Marc Berrong) seeks to dice n’ spice up the party, something most pop bands feebly stab at through cheap Moogs and limp-wristed handclaps, and for that, “ambition” points must be awarded, plus the results are frequently enjoyable. So, doing some shorthand, Worm Into Phoenix will probably confuse some but delight many, as whimsy of this variety rarely comes straight out of the garage; perhaps the album should’ve been called Here Come the Slow Jets.
Morphius, P.O. Box 13474, Baltimore, MD 21203; http://www.morphius.com
