An excellent collection of Junior Jack's best
ghibli99 | Arizona, USA | 07/19/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I've always been wary of the sink-or-swim world of The Artist Album. Oftentimes, I'll hear a great song by an artist in a club or on the radio, rush out to buy the album, only to find that the vast majority of the other tracks don't come close to matching the quality of the single. With Junior Jack already having several great tracks loaded in the chamber, and most of which are all featured within the first 20 minutes of the disc, I decided to take the dive.
Trust It wastes no time in getting down to business, and after a short intro, you're right in the middle of the album's title track, Trust It. The next two songs build upon the first, leading into this arc's crescendo, Stupidisco, one of the album's best and most energetic tracks.
From here, things swing into a more Latin groove, leading off with The Roots, and transitioning into my favorite song of this batch, Alone, which is simply fantastic... smooth, clean, and dreamy. Hola didn't leave much of an impression on me (although I do like the sax), and E Samba reminded me of Trust It, with the addition of a samba flair, so once again, passable.
The next song, Luv 2 U, is by far my favorite song on this disc, and I turned it up once the vocals kicked in. Dripping with euphoric, sexual energy, it reminds you of the fun and loveliness that comes with being with the one that sweeps you off your feet, whether it's on the dancefloor or in the bedroom. Positive, upbeat, and represents the kind of house music I enjoy the most.
Moving into more tech-house territory, Thrill Me is a song that's been used in many other mixes, and will no doubt remind you of mixes from the likes of DJ Dan or Carl Cox. I really didn't care for the next song Depression, which as the title suggests, is a dirty, dark song that doesn't sound right on this disc.
Do It takes you right back into Glaude/Cox territory, and is a solid track that can no doubt move a crowd. Must Be The Darkness also took me by surprise, seeming completely out of place here. Guess it shows Junior Jack's versatility, but it didn't really do much for me.
The final track, the vocal version of Da Hype, is a great way to end the CD. Featuring Robert Smith from The Cure (one of my favorite bands of the 80's), I'm still trying to get used to the idea of Robert Smith's voice being paired with music like this and the trance-heavy sound of Blank & Jones with the remake of The Cure's A Forest. Still, it works, and for those who grew up with Smith in the days of Boys Don't Cry, Just Like Heaven, Inbetween Days, etc., hearing him again is a treat in itself.
In closing, I think Junior Jack's Trust It hits the target more often than it misses, and is worth taking a listen to if you enjoy high-energy club anthems and the various tiers of music that define the house sound."
The Album Of The Year????
ghibli99 | 07/19/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It may just look that way. Finally, the most anticipated dance album makes it's debut states side after enjoying much success in Europe. Trust It contains dance anthems that have already made Junior Jack a force to be reckon with. E Sambe, Stupid Disco (...), and of course Da Hype. Finally an album that may bring house music to the mainstream and just may in fact enjoy chart success in America. This album works on so many levels. It actually makes you want to go out and become a DJ just so you can share this album with as many people as you can because it's just that good. I had to give this album 5 out 5 because it is a flawless album and if you disagree then so be it. I can only say so much about this album and how great it is. You'll just have to buy it yourself and hear what I'm talking about."
House catching the freestyle flu
Matthew Lee | United States | 11/15/2004
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Junior Jack's been around for a bit now, crashing the UK regularly with tunes from this CD like "E Samba" and the wriggly hit "Stupidisco." This is house music for now, and what that means is light Latin percussion ("E Samba"), sexy horns and looped vocals ("Luv 2 U"), and that jingle-jangle that fills the floors ("Thrill Me"). JJ's a bit under the weather though, as where the CD lags is on tracks that sound like they've been co-produced by Latin freestyle purveyors, which if you're a New York guido, you'll probably love.
This CD is right in the middle of the road, not pushing any envelopes, and doing a good job of selecting the right beeps and whistles and vocal samples. It's good pre-party stuff. Shout to the goth crowd: there's a strangely good mix of "Da Hype" featuring vocals from Robert Smith from the Cure.
Honestly though, the best dance music this year (2004) came from rock artists (Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, The Futureheads, Interpol), so if you need a house music fix and you can't wait for the next Basement Jaxx, Junior Jack can fill in the gap."
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1
