If not for the Hovering...

Joss – If Not For The Hovering – Delmore Recordings
Reviewed by Peter 4-04-2005

Dark album of rock, indie, alternative, and maybe traces of a folk influence. Vox are good, dark male lead that usually dominate the songs. Lyrics seem weaker at the beginning of songs and get better as they progress. Album culls a variety of sounds – from its quiet opener to frenetic finish. The slower tracks felt more consistent (1, 3); tracks 6 and 9 have an in-between feel while 7 epitomizes the alternative streak.

FCC on 1
1. * 5:47 - Down-tempo, chill, dark song. Simple but solid guitar line – gets aggressive at the end, bass riff starts song off and pushes it throughout. Vocals are clear and convey the attitude of the song. FCC “mother-fucker”
2. 4:47 – Mid-tempo, still dark with more distortion and more of a rock feel. Aggressive guitars with loads of distortion towards end. Long fade with guitar coming in and out.
3. * 4:24 – Down/mid-tempo, darker vox (à la Billy Corgan). Song opens with and retains shuffling percussion and slow, steady bass line. Simple guitar line works well.
4. 7:18 – Down-tempo, slow, sparse guitar and low vox along with backup harmony. Song about the weather – lyrics don’t always fit the song. Semi-climax about 5 mins in with more distortion and passion in the vox. Long fade.
5. 3:07 – Mid-tempo, but with a driving feel. More indie-rock, but also a certain pop feel in the chorus. Cool, distorted guitar at the end.
6. * 4:34 – Mid-tempo, dark vox (harmonies) and lyrics but more upbeat, mellow guitar in background. Vox have their mellow moments as well. Nice track.
7. * 2:28 – Up-tempo, upbeat, driving, rockin’ track. Clear, indie/rock vox w/ some harmony. Lyrics get good. Change from the mellowness of the rest of the album.
8. 4:12 – Mid-tempo, but upbeat guitars. Heavily distorted vox with a distinctly indie sound. Spacey guitar soars all around in background (kind of headache-inducing) and get much more aggressive in last minute. Lyrics a little repetitive. Long fade.
9. * 7:28 – Down-tempo, bass and drum set a steady beat, slow guitar line added over. Low, dark vox get higher and clearer at times, harmonies too. Alternative feel overall. Pretty good, but I’m not sure it needs to be 7 and a half mins.
10. 7:07 – Mid-tempo, dark, heavy, steady drive. Instrumental (distorted, noisy) for the first 3 mins then entrance of distinctly Floydian (The Wall) vox and lyrical imagery. Becomes more alternative at first then gets back to The Wall. Guitar frenzy under vox at end. Somewhat abrupt end. Again, excessively long.