Cap'n Jazz
Shmap'n Shmazz


4.0
excellent

Review

by hydeyomoney USER (73 Reviews)
January 29th, 2010 | 181 replies


Release Date: 1994 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Complex it is not, but if you want upbeat punches of emo, than yes, Cap’n Jazz is about as good as it gets.

Cap’n Jazz aren’t the best band in the world. This is abundantly clear. Cap’n Jazz is a band that does not possess that much skill behind their instruments, and as a result, they sound rather sloppy. Cap’n Jazz also aren’t the most emotional expressive band in the world. Their music is childish, immature, and would offend people that are looking deep into their music. In any traditional sense of musical definition or critiquing, Cap’n Jazz should have been an absurdly AWFUL band. However, Shmap’n Shmazz does indeed prove otherwise, as their immature, prepubescent attempts at hardcore and emo make that type of music not only fun, but legacy making.

The musicianship at hand works well. With pop punkish chords, rattling, messy hardcore drums, and hectic emo structures, Cap’n Jazz takes signatures of three different genres of punk, and essentially throws them into a melting pot and sees how they fit together later on. And you know what? It works! Occasional tweedles, gang vocals, and a saxophone are also brought into the mix, and admittedly it gets a bit overwhelming at times or at least seemingly so. However, despite that, Cap’n Jazz use that to their advantage, and this packing of ideals, this over-ambitiousness, makes their music all the more fun and exciting. “Bluegrassish” has a couple of folky hints, but proves to just be utterly silly, and rides right into the twiddly slower track “Planet Shhh”. “Basil’s Kite” even incorporates a saxophone, albeit unexpectantly.

Mixed in with the upbeat chord oriented guitars and all around silliness are the vocals, the true focal point of the records appeal. His voice sounds strained, higher ranged, and he belts these absurd lyrics. From purring “kitty kitty kat kitty kitty kat” on “Little League”, shouting the partial alphabet on what is otherwise the heaviest song in “In The Clear”, talking about “boys kissing boys” on “Bluegrassish”, surely this must be a kid. That, in essence, is the basic point of his existence. His shouts sound natural and throaty, while his singing voice is more of just a whimper, the cry of a pup even by comparison to his peers.

Which seals this point: Cap’n Jazz aren’t at all about power. Shmap’n Shmazz isn’t about power in voices, or true strength or emotionality. It’s stripped down, bare bones music in the best sense: it works. While they incorporate a lot of elements from all kinds of genres of punk, in the making of this it was probably not even looked over. Complex it is not, but if you want upbeat punches of mini-emo, than yes, Cap’n Jazz is about as good as it gets.



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Comments:Add a Comment 
Transient
January 30th 2010


1520 Comments


mini-emo? seriously?

GnarlyShillelagh
January 30th 2010


6385 Comments


Yeah what does that mean?

And it's a decent enough review, but I don't it reads like a 4... I'll pos anyway. Don't think I'll be looking into this though. Sounds a little too silly for me.

Athom
Emeritus
January 30th 2010


17244 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

i love this album. what the fuck is mini emo



ThePalaceOfWisdom
January 30th 2010


1134 Comments


mini emo? x4

hydeyomoney
January 30th 2010


934 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

i was talking about how they're music sounds, but if it bothers you guys that much, ill change it.

GnarlyShillelagh
January 30th 2010


6385 Comments


Their*

It doesn't bother me, I just don't understand what you mean by it.

Athom
Emeritus
January 30th 2010


17244 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

i've just never heard that before.

hydeyomoney
January 30th 2010


934 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

The album is passionate emo, but it's kidish, and thats why i thought mini would work.

Athom
Emeritus
January 30th 2010


17244 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

chibi-emo

hydeyomoney
January 30th 2010


934 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

crayolacore

GnarlyShillelagh
January 30th 2010


6385 Comments


Sounds hip

Jash
January 30th 2010


5219 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

good to finally see a review for this, such a great album

HenchmanOfSanta
January 30th 2010


1994 Comments


Why is this album called "Shmap'n Shmazz" here and "Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards in the Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We've Slipped On and Egg Shells We've Tippy Toed Over" elsewhere?

PirateSquid
January 30th 2010


1881 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Midwest emo moar like it

americanmusicmachine
January 30th 2010


3953 Comments


"Why is this album called "Shmap'n Shmazz" here and "Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards in the Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We've Slipped On and Egg Shells We've Tippy Toed Over" elsewhere?"

Shmap n' Shmazz is it's short name.

iarescientists
January 30th 2010


5865 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

i guess since this is considered it's own entity on sputnik now i have to give it a 5

Relinquished
January 30th 2010


48981 Comments


This is seriously good.

ov420
January 31st 2010


300 Comments


i was looking for upbeat punches of mini-emo, looks like i've found it omg

Plutonio
April 11th 2010


474 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

midi-emo, for the midwesterns like mehself.

Smoochy
May 12th 2010


41 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Incredible band and album.



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