Jibe
Epic Tales of Human Nature
SixtyFourOnTheFloor/DS/Kobalt
2017
Jibe were a 90s band out of Texas (Dallas/FW) and they did held some promise in becoming “the next big thing” before they disintegrated among more drama than a soap opera in the mid-00s. After many years and sporting a slightly different lineup most of the old band mates made up and set their differences aside to reunite a couple of years ago and are now back with their fourth album, that pretty much picks up almost where they left things. An alternative rock amalgam that owes to Muse, U2, Jane’s Addiction and what not… as there’s quite a bit of variety in their sound, even from song to song.
“Children of the Sun” for instance sounds like 90s The Cult, meets Pearl Jam (but with better vocals).
“Broken City” is pretty gritty and aggressive, but not entirely devoid of melody.
“The Human Condition” was one of the “singles” preceding the album. It begins with a bit of RATM vibe and explodes with an inventive chorus.
“Release” is unmistakably channeling a shitload of AIC influence, in the best possible way.
“A Girl on the Hill” is tongue in cheek and pretty rhythmical while “A Shadow in the Garden” acts as an intro to “Change”, a rather melodic track that starts slowly, builds up steam and explodes with is chorus, before it comes full circle. Pretty cool.
“We’ve Only Begun” has a heavy groovy RHCP inspired riff, but a far poppier Bush meets Linking Park sort of chorus.
“Don’t Give It All Away” swings between half ballad and melodic post rocker, leading into “Waiting” with its strumming dominating everything in a way that’s pretty “British” but also alludes to a lot of post-millennial rockers, ie Kings Of Leon etc… and I suppose it’s pretty fair.
“Best I Ever Had” has a heavy as hell riff, but is pretty hippy and it even gest a bit of a solo in there.
Last but not least, “Sanctuary” is an eerie piano laden interlude that heralds “Bravery”, the album’s closing track that’s rich in melody as it is in invention, repeating the chorus after a ripping solo with a children choir in unison with the singer on the second rep.
You know I usually don’t like “alternative” stuff, because I find it too generic and homogenized, with few if any “standout tunes. These guys, without managing to pull off a “single” of enormous magnitude, manage however to offer a well-rounded and well-thought album that doesn’t stagnate and have enough talent among them to pull it off effortlessly, so they’re definitely worth checking out. After all, returning to do a band that never really took off in a big way, it probably has to do with the love of music, rather than hopes of stardom, so their priorities seem to be right too.
“Children of the Sun” for instance sounds like 90s The Cult, meets Pearl Jam (but with better vocals).
“Broken City” is pretty gritty and aggressive, but not entirely devoid of melody.
“The Human Condition” was one of the “singles” preceding the album. It begins with a bit of RATM vibe and explodes with an inventive chorus.
“Release” is unmistakably channeling a shitload of AIC influence, in the best possible way.
“A Girl on the Hill” is tongue in cheek and pretty rhythmical while “A Shadow in the Garden” acts as an intro to “Change”, a rather melodic track that starts slowly, builds up steam and explodes with is chorus, before it comes full circle. Pretty cool.
“We’ve Only Begun” has a heavy groovy RHCP inspired riff, but a far poppier Bush meets Linking Park sort of chorus.
“Don’t Give It All Away” swings between half ballad and melodic post rocker, leading into “Waiting” with its strumming dominating everything in a way that’s pretty “British” but also alludes to a lot of post-millennial rockers, ie Kings Of Leon etc… and I suppose it’s pretty fair.
“Best I Ever Had” has a heavy as hell riff, but is pretty hippy and it even gest a bit of a solo in there.
Last but not least, “Sanctuary” is an eerie piano laden interlude that heralds “Bravery”, the album’s closing track that’s rich in melody as it is in invention, repeating the chorus after a ripping solo with a children choir in unison with the singer on the second rep.
You know I usually don’t like “alternative” stuff, because I find it too generic and homogenized, with few if any “standout tunes. These guys, without managing to pull off a “single” of enormous magnitude, manage however to offer a well-rounded and well-thought album that doesn’t stagnate and have enough talent among them to pull it off effortlessly, so they’re definitely worth checking out. After all, returning to do a band that never really took off in a big way, it probably has to do with the love of music, rather than hopes of stardom, so their priorities seem to be right too.