Review Summary: A fortunate and original mix of R&B and post-hardcore with an experimental twist. Before you ask, the singer is, in fact, African American.
Truth be told, I was not expecting to find this album. I was not expecting to find more than one song, and the only reason for that being, "HEY! IT'S FEATURING JERRY JONES!" whom I quite enjoy. Seeing as they 'friended'
Trophy Scars, I listened to a few of their songs on their MySpace, and the whole time I had a grin plastered on my face. Like every other reviewer, I will state: the musical future is looking bleak. Almost everything is unoriginal. Bands are looking for new and improved ways to raise the bar. Unfortunately, along with them comes every fan who devotes their time to learning all the intros, and ultimately, makes rip-off bands of similar nature. (If you're on of those people, you know who you are.)
Jacobi Wichita, fortunately, breathes something fresh into the scene. The secret ingredient being... R&B?
One of the first things you will notice with Jacobi Wichita is their lively vocalist. He's stand-out, to say the least. Mixing R&B crooning, harsh (usually enjoyable) screams, and whatever else he feels like weaves itself into every song creatively. The guitarists manage to swim between jazzy, post-hardcore, bluesy, ambience, and hell, I think you're getting the idea. This CD doesn't stagnate into a single genre for long. The bassist quite literally keeps the flow, giving everything a concise feel and keeping the songs flowing and controlled. A keyboardist appears subtly (and I mean subtly) on many songs, stands out in others, and just adds to the depth of the music. Drums with a quick, jazzy flair are commonly accompanied by bongos, and with every little quirk like this that band whips out, it leads to the Zen of underground music: Something that makes you sit there and realize you're not listening to a re-hash.
Bonez Malone is not the most mature CD on the market. It's the first full length of a promising band, and it shows some amazing potential. For a first try, it's incredibly diverse and far reaching. Luckily, that reach pulls you in closer and illustrates how much can be put out there into music while maintaining a fun, energetic sound. From the straight up hip-hop of "Mental Crown" to the sprawling energy of "Belly Up", Jacobi Wichita sprint through genres while keeping everything listenable and highly enjoyable.
