JONATHAN KANE – JET EAR PARTY

Jonanthan Kane – formerly a drummer in the New York band Swans – has released in to the world an instrumental album that will defy a lot of the labels thrown at it. The promo calls it “ass-thumping Americana”, elsewhere it’s a “blues” album, and that kind of influence is certainly there. The title track is a ten-minute long Telecaster hoot-nanny, Lynch-ian in it’s hypnotism and it’s sudden, violent drum solos. Kane shuffles elsewhere too, and there’s a bit of “big hat” country slide-work likely to put some off, but for me this album’s heart is drone and noise, even if it won’t wear it on its sleeve. A track like Super T-Bone could only be described as the kind of long, psychedelic guitar jam you find in certain Sydney pubs on Tuesday nights – in the best possible way. The guitars are never showy, more like a texture. The drumming is compelling: album-closer Roller Coaster has got the serious drumming, a couple of extended solos where Kane busts out impeccable Steve Gadd sixes and tom-heavy rushes. But mostly Kane’s willing to be the cyclical pulse-element for these songs, letting the wall of guitars take over. Shortest track is six minute long. Sprawling guitar-jams. You have been warned.

***1/2