This is an amazing album. From the first note to the last chord I loved the whole thing (with minor lulls around
Crazyman and
Higher—so minor they're hardly worth mentioning). The dirty rock sound, the not-entirely-unreminiscent-of-Rod-Stewart vocals, the crashing loudness, the lyrical stretch from sweet to silly to downright dirty, have all added up to make
Gypsy Trip a staple on my mp3 player since it dropped through my letterbox.
Jaded Sun are a Dublin based five-piece formed in 2003. They released an EP
Raw in 2004, the title track of which broke all download records in Ireland. In 2005 they were asked to pen the theme to the remake of 80’s cult snowboarding film
Apocalypse Snow (I’m not gonna pretend I’ve ever heard of this film before much less seen it). In 2007 they went into the studio with a view to making a rock album that felt “fresh and exciting”. I’ll nod my head to that; they did a bloody good job. Bits of it reminded me of AC/DC, bits of it reminded me of vintage The Who at their very dirtiest, but at no point did I feel this was a copy-cat album.
Jaded Sun clearly have a talent that is all their own. Whilst their influences are identifiable the album isn't overshadowed by them.
Gypsy Trip is full of tunes that really stick. Every morning last week I woke up playing
Can’t Stop full-volume in my head. That has never happened to me before. I constantly catch myself humming along unconsciously to
Crave. It’s been a really long time since any album has held my attention the way
Gypsy Trip has. I’m even recommending the band to friends.
They’re playing in Islington on June 29th. I’ll be there. If you’re in my neck of the woods I urge you to come along. I can only find one date in Scotland (The Tunnels in Aberdeen, July 2nd) and if you get a chance go along. I really can’t recommend this band enough. I’m so enthusiastic I feel mildly embarrassed by it.
Gypsy Trip is out now on SiAn records.
www.myspace.com/jadedsun
