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Sour Jazz | Dressed To The Left

Not bad for something recorded by a bunch of bitter, lazy rock 'n' roll veterans.
CD, Munster/Sonic Rendezvous

Tekst: Martÿn ter Haar

Publicatiedatum: 08 januari 2002

Gilbert "Mr. Ratboy" Avondet had had it with the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. You know, dragging around heavy amplifiers, being poor, getting stuck in a tiny van with people that get on your nerves to play for 50 people and just as many dollars, that kind of stuff. So he drafted some similary bitter & lazy rock veterans and formed Sour Jazz to make music just for fun. 'Dressed To The Left' is a compilation of their two vinyl only releases 'No Values' (1999) and 'Lost For Life' (2001) with 2 new songs and a video added.
As can be expected from a band with such a mentality and so much experience, Sour Jazz has a rather laidback and suave sound, comparable to that of fellow New Yorkers Speedball Baby, but without the Beefheartian insanity. Mr. Ratboy combines raw rock 'n' roll and jazzy sophistication in his guitar playing, Lou "Mr. Popular" Paris' croons sarcastic lyrics in genuine Iggy Pop style, the rhythm section actually does swing at times and keyboards and brass add depth. It's still undeniably punk rock though and probably even more so than all those fucked up mad as hell punk rock kids. Sour Jazz is simply too jaded to get mad about anything. Or as Lou "Mr. Popular" Paris sings in 'Mountain High': "Feeling waves of pressure of a youth I've thrown away / Knowing things are all right, because I'm happier today." Still this is not only Sour Jazz's strength, but also its weakness. In the end naive idealism is still more infectious than "been there, done that" cynism. But for something recorded by a bunch of bitter veterans 'Dressed To The Left' is one hell of an album.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/sour-jazz/dressed-to-the-left/1096/
Meer Sour Jazz op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/sour-jazz