Jump - On Impulse

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Jump - On Impulse

Artist:	Jump
Title:	On Impulse
Label:	Cyclops CYCL 107
Length(s):	49 minutes
Year(s) of release:	2002
Month of review:	[10/2002]

Line up

Andy Baker - drums
Pete Davies - guitars
Hugh Gascoyne - bass
Steve Hayes - guitars
John Dexter Jones - voice
Mo - keyboards

Tracks

1)	Millionaire	4.16
2)	Brave New World	5.06
3)	Love Song Number 5	3.32
4)	Bethesda	4.45
5)	Rise	4.03
6)	Right Winger	4.44
7)	Thom's New Clothes	4.05
8)	Like A Drum	5.55
9)	Wages Of Sin	3.37
10)	Doctor Spin	3.36
11)	Cruel To Be Kind	5.26

Summary

On Impulse is Jump's seventh release, showing the result of live trials of material

The music

Opener Millionaire features a riff that reminds me very much of Aerosmith. This directly defines the rocky feel of the track, although the semi spoken vocals display its tongue in cheek criticism of those who deny wanting to be millionaires while craving for it. Nice one.

Brave New World switches to an easier mode, but the American feel remains. Like its predecessor this World is carried by a nice riff.

Love Song Number 5 is quietly laid back, with guitar playing this time reminiscent of Clapton

Bethesda's quarrymen are told about over initially peaceful guitars, which as the track progresses explode into a pretty strong mid section. Nice.

Rise is a bit of a romantic one. Nicely flowing once again, but sort of lacking in identity.

The modern country like riff on which Right Winger is based, fits in pretty well with the association with rednecks.

Thom's New Clothes tells of Thom who apparently left his friends behind for the world. This track runs over into Like A Drum, which is far more spiky and features a nice drum roll.

Wages Of Sin is acoustic guitar with vocals. Ok.

Doctor Spin is a louder track, sort of the hardrocky side of Aerosmith, musically, being set apart by Jones' vocals.

Cruel To Be Kind is a fitting closer, nice-ish riffing, sparse instrumentation, a bit of stronger guitaring, and very much unoffensive.

Conclusion

This is a pretty nice collection of Jump songs which are more poprock, or Americana in musical style even (although the vocals clearly give the band away as being British), than progressive. One might say, without wanting to criticize, that the instrumentation is pretty sparse for a six piece band. The songs themselves are pretty good, but just a little to self similar and laid back to keep the attention for a full album. And with that finding, once has to say that Jump does not really progress.