so much time on my hands - wish i could inspire myself to write!
so much time on my hands - wish i could inspire myself to write!
Member since:26.07.2008
Reviews:16
Members who trust:87
I was recommended this album by my brother-in-law as he knew that, at the time, I was listening to music by bands like the Beach Boys, Queen and Supertramp amongst others. It was a good recommendation. I loved the music and it's only recently that I bought a copy for myself.
Jellyfish: The Band
Jellyfish were an American band hailing from San Francisco at the start of the 1990s, playing indie rock / power pop music. During their brief existence, they released two studio albums; the debut is called 'Bellybutton' and 'Spilt Milk' is the follow-up album. The band broke up in 1994 due to 'creative differences' between the two founder members, Roger Joseph Manning Jr. and Andy Sturmer.
Album Details
Release Date: 1993 Band members: Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Andy Sturmer and Tim Smith. Additional guitarists: Jon Brion and Lyle Workman. Album Duration: 46 minutes (approx.) Cost (as at 31/07/2008): £7.98 (+postage & packaging) from amazon.co.uk
Track-by-track
Hush (2:10) - rated 4/5 A smooth lullaby sound, great a-capella, and a good lead-in to...
Joining A Fan Club (4:02) - rated 5/5 A great mix of piano, guitar and strong vocal harmonies. A very upbeat sound with a certain leaning to Queen. One of the stand-out tracks of the album.
Sebrina Paste And Plato (2:22) - rated 3/5 A happy, pop-style tune, with a fun-fair style sound. Nod to Beach Boys. [4/5]
New Mistake (4:02) - rated 4/5 A decent song where the strings, keyboard and harmony remind me of Supertramp sound.
The Glutton Of Sympathy (3:48) - rated 3/5 A ballad song with a nice acoustic start and decent background harmony.
The Ghost At Number One (3:36) - rated 5/5 A catchy chorus and (again) some great harmony. Reminiscent of Beach Boys sound from mid-way through the track.
Bye, Bye, Bye (4:02) - rated 5/5 Nice little bit of accordion-playing, a memorable chorus, with an 'oompah' tuba melody. Part-way through I think there is a bit of polka also thrown into the mix. Great track.
All is Forgiven (4:09) - rated 3/5 Sounds more rock than the rest of the album. Reminiscent of ELO and Queen.
Russian Hill (4:44) - rated 5/5 Smooth acoustic sound, wonderfully dreamy yet haunting chorus. For me, this is the best track on the album.
He's My Best Friend (3:43) - rated 3/5 Quirky pop, elements of ELO, nice little piano ditty which reminded me of Ben Folds Five midway through.
Too Much, Too Little, Too Late (3:14) - rated 3/5 One of the weaker tracks. Quite disappointing.
Brighter Day (6:11) - rated 2/5 A promising start with accordians in the background but the 'oompah' tuba, fairground sound just seems a little slow, almost dragging along. It's a weak ending to a decent album. It is almost saved by the last minute: a warm orchestral ending with a nod to the first track, but the song just doesn't fit that well.
Opinion: 'Spilt Milk' album
I think this album deserves more attention for a band that had barely started when they split up. This is one of my favourite CDs of the early 1990s. Originally released in 1993, some three years after their debut album 'Bellybutton'. It has a great mix of styles and strong vocal harmonies. It is upbeat, has some catchy tunes and a dreamy sound in the main; only slightly let down by the last couple of songs. It really deserves a listen; you may be surprised what you've been missing.
If you liked this album, you might be interested in...
'Bellybutton' by Jellyfish [their debut album]. 'Ben Folds Five' by Ben Folds Five [part-influenced by Jellyfish] 'The Land of Pure Imagination' by Roger Joseph Manning Jr. 'Alpacas Orgling' by L.E.O. [one-off supergroup with Andy Sturmer]
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