While the press at large finally latch onto Leeds' ongoing resurgence, the rest of us continue to enjoy York's strength in depth.
I AM JACK hail from the city with the famous minster and are already making impressive waves, if these two songs are typical of their oeuvre. These two lengthy workouts are hardly regular 'single' fare and clock in at an excess-hugging 14 minutes. However, like Manchester's mighty Oceansize and Co.Durham's still undiscovered The Cliffhanger, I Am Jack are clearly not bound by 'radio hit' constraints.
Indeed, the bands who immediately spring to mind when listening to both "Stockholm" and "Subside" are Oceansize and Mogwai, in that IAJ also have a superb grasp of dynamics, enjoy going frm dreamy'n'languid to roaring'n'expansive in a matter of seconds and make the whole thing sound fresh and emotional en route.
"Stockholm" is a cavernous, shimmering beast. It's initially gentle and keening, but gets onto the launchpad for the first of its' vertical take off/ crescendoes at the two minute mark. From there, the band alternate between 'gently dreamy' and 'wicked wig out', with the lulls like rainbows between the squalls. It's effective, draws you in and seems to get to its' cimax at 6 mins 50 remarkable quickly.
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"Subside" pulls similar tricks out of its bulging sonic bag, and again ebbs and swells impressively, though this time when it comes down from its' first almighty crescendo it remains dreamily narcotic for the duraction of its' final three minutes or so. Once again, it racks up a deluxe seven minutes, but seems to fly by in flash.
I Am Jack, then, are orbiting the current crop of Libertines' wannabes from afar, knowing full well their star can shine brighter and resist burn out for much longer. They are from another plane altogether, and we should realise they come in peace with musical treats aplenty.
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