I’m listening to Soundtrack to Your Damnation now, and I’m wound up. It’s simply music you need to hear, and live, quickly. The reason I can get away with writing while listening is because I’ve somewhat given up on understanding the vocals. I just caught “As the world turns to shit/You suck on the bugman’s neon tits” which may or may not be right. And the music is even better!

(I had to pause the track to get that last sentence into itself), and now the music’s back on, so I can tell you about the vocal problem: not loud enough! This is disheartening because the tunes have the luminescence only the purest sweat-drenched rhinestone will emit. These vocal mixes wouldn’t fly at Columbia.

The band’s influences are written all over them, but they bring the presence of mind only a worthy group of intelligent misbehavers, who simply like to rock, are capable of bringing to the feast; you can only rock this earnestly when you own the place. But I won’t tell you what they remind me of; it’s more fun to discover it on your own (and I’m confident you’ll find some things to hold on to).

I want a remastered version and a live show ASAP. A final note: Mother Jackson helps keep this town together, so you’d better get your asses to their shows – do it (do it).

In conclusion: helluva record. Mixed a bit differently, it’s top-shelf material (unless that shelf is too high to safely access with a dizzy head).

Tony Floyd

Mother Jackson celebrates its CD release at The Caledonia Lounge on Friday, Oct. 17.