Released
1998

Label
Jack Kettle Records

Reviewed by
Donald Netolitzy

Visit
J Mundok

Visit

Jack Kettle Records

Last Edit/Update
29 June, 1999

Artichoke

Track Listing

1. The Bottom
2. Showing Nothing
3. A Long Day
4. You and Me
5. Red Walls
6. Evening in July
7. Complicated
8. Artichoke
9. The Money Man's Unfair
10. Night Lights
11. -
12. -
13. untitled

    Have one of those 'alternative' districts in your city? You know the ones. Full of piercing and tattooing (ahem, 'modern primitive') establishments, funky vintage clothing stores, coffee shops galore, some nifty and some hideously pretentious restaurants (but just guess which is which.) Been there, haven't you? OK. Good.
   If your alternative district is anything like mine, every couple meters there's a cluster of buskers, earnest looking individuals sporting frizzy hair (head and facial), beads, torn and faded clothing which you know either cost serious cash at some 'specialty' clothing store - or was thrifted. And they're sitting there, strumming a guitar, perhaps with another eclectic instrument or two, singing along, looking exceptionally earnest.
    If you're me, you snigger a little, and keep on walking, amused by the wussiness of their footgear. Or perhaps you stand and listen for awhile, and toss a few coins into the guitarcase. Well, if you're the latter, you no longer need to wander out of your house to acquire this musical experience - as with j mUNdoK, you can savor such in the comfort of your very own home.
    Though admittedly, artichoke is far more honed than the product of the average street performer; using a combination of acoustic guitar, keyboards and xylophone, j mUNdoK has produced a pleasant, non-intrusive listening experience. Percussion is absent. Instrumentally, guitar and vocals predominate, in a classic 'folk' manner, while keyboards form a distant accompanying presence. Electronic effects and samples are primarily limited to introductory elements on a number of tracks, and at times seem out of place, when coupled with the acoustic guitar and vocals compositional core - the transition in the introduction of "Showing Nothing" is particularly awkward. But the net effect is consistent. A vaguely wistful, by no means overly emotive experience, well matched by lyrics which range from playful to vaguely discontented. While the vocalist is hardly spellbinding, the delivery is unpretentious and thus, quite adequate. Given the variety of pace and tone, the album as a whole is a reasonable light listening experience, mellow and in no ways intrusive.
    Interestingly, the final 'bonus' track of this album diverges dramatically from the remainder in style, an ambient/instrumental composition, dreamy, flowing and darkly evocative with impressive subtle layering. A new direction for this project? Perhaps, the newly released "Saturated" album is described as ambient/pop instrumental by the artists, and if so, this taste of the new is promising indeed.
    For the industrial/goth/experimental fan? Probably not. But if you find yourself listening to those buskers perhaps an interesting diversion.