Jacqui L - Planet Parallel 5
Based on the name, most listeners may think Jacqui L is a
female solo artist, but a glance at the Bandcamp page of this interesting new
dark wave/prog rock outfit will have people wondering. Indeed the music
intimates that there is definitely more than one artist involved in this
project, and both the music selection on debut album Planet Parallel 5 and the project’s bio seem to connote something
more…creative.
According to the band description on both Bandcamp and the project’s website, Jacqui L is a “….scorpion of sorts,” who lives on Planet Parallel 5, which is the name of this project’s debut album. Jacqui L also apparently has eyes on her scorpion tail which “…takes a great deal of warming up and limbering for her to apply her mascara each day, but she does because vanity is as powerful a force on PP5 as it is on earth.”
The story continues: “The PLANET PARALLEL 5 Tourism Board (PP5TB) very much hopes you enjoy your stay and in the interest of your continuing pleasure and safety, strongly advise that you refrain from venturing too near the trees and do not feed the birds - both have been known to bite.” Not much else is given in the way of description or storyline with regards to this album, but the audience is led to believe that more will be revealed in coming releases.
In the meantime, musically Planet Parallel 5 is pretty banal. That’s not to say it’s not any good. It’s actually very well-composed and produced, and each member of whatever this outfit is supposed to be is clearly proficient in his or her chosen instrument. Style-wise, the project tags itself as prog rock, but that may not be entirely accurate. There are certainly a number of progressive-sounding tracks on Planet Parallel 5, such as “I’ll Covet”, “Decaying Orbit” and “Stroke It”, but there are other elements to Jacqui L’s sound as well.
Jacqui L - Frankenstein from Jacqui L on Vimeo.
The strange story-based project is more experimental in its instrumentals than the average prog rock band, with lashings of metal, dark wave and goth in tracks like “Frankenstein”, which is the project’s first video on Vimeo, and “Under the Noise”. Experimenting with emo metal and dark wave isn’t atypical to a prog rock band, but what is surprising is the jazzy bent that can also be found in many of the songs on Planet Parallel 5. Two tracks, “Cold” and album closer “Distraction” are quite definitive in their jazz and blues tones, and are also arguably and surprisingly two of the best tracks on the album. The voice of the vocalist, who it has yet to be determined is actually Jacqui L, lends itself particularly well to the jazz and blues format, and if the project were to give up on the more progressive and experimental bent, they’d likely have a great career as a jazz ensemble. In that case, of course, they’d have to determine whether or not to tank the weird alien goth scorpion back story.
Since this is the first full album from the Jacqui L project and it so many elements to it, Planet Parallel 5 seems a little busy and frenetic. With a number of different musical styles represented and a strange fictional back story which doesn’t seem to relate much to the lyrics in said chaotic songs, audiences may get lost in the many directions this new group or project or person or alien or scorpion is looking to take. All the elements of Jacqui L are good on their own, so perhaps the answer is to separate each from each and make individual projects. Saving that, hopefully prog rock, jazz, blues, metal, dark wave and sci fi fans will all find something to enjoy about this album and scrap the rest. Or not. They might not want to tangle with a scorpion who can watch herself while she stings her victims.
Jul 31 2017
According to the band description on both Bandcamp and the project’s website, Jacqui L is a “….scorpion of sorts,” who lives on Planet Parallel 5, which is the name of this project’s debut album. Jacqui L also apparently has eyes on her scorpion tail which “…takes a great deal of warming up and limbering for her to apply her mascara each day, but she does because vanity is as powerful a force on PP5 as it is on earth.”
The story continues: “The PLANET PARALLEL 5 Tourism Board (PP5TB) very much hopes you enjoy your stay and in the interest of your continuing pleasure and safety, strongly advise that you refrain from venturing too near the trees and do not feed the birds - both have been known to bite.” Not much else is given in the way of description or storyline with regards to this album, but the audience is led to believe that more will be revealed in coming releases.
In the meantime, musically Planet Parallel 5 is pretty banal. That’s not to say it’s not any good. It’s actually very well-composed and produced, and each member of whatever this outfit is supposed to be is clearly proficient in his or her chosen instrument. Style-wise, the project tags itself as prog rock, but that may not be entirely accurate. There are certainly a number of progressive-sounding tracks on Planet Parallel 5, such as “I’ll Covet”, “Decaying Orbit” and “Stroke It”, but there are other elements to Jacqui L’s sound as well.
Jacqui L - Frankenstein from Jacqui L on Vimeo.
The strange story-based project is more experimental in its instrumentals than the average prog rock band, with lashings of metal, dark wave and goth in tracks like “Frankenstein”, which is the project’s first video on Vimeo, and “Under the Noise”. Experimenting with emo metal and dark wave isn’t atypical to a prog rock band, but what is surprising is the jazzy bent that can also be found in many of the songs on Planet Parallel 5. Two tracks, “Cold” and album closer “Distraction” are quite definitive in their jazz and blues tones, and are also arguably and surprisingly two of the best tracks on the album. The voice of the vocalist, who it has yet to be determined is actually Jacqui L, lends itself particularly well to the jazz and blues format, and if the project were to give up on the more progressive and experimental bent, they’d likely have a great career as a jazz ensemble. In that case, of course, they’d have to determine whether or not to tank the weird alien goth scorpion back story.
Since this is the first full album from the Jacqui L project and it so many elements to it, Planet Parallel 5 seems a little busy and frenetic. With a number of different musical styles represented and a strange fictional back story which doesn’t seem to relate much to the lyrics in said chaotic songs, audiences may get lost in the many directions this new group or project or person or alien or scorpion is looking to take. All the elements of Jacqui L are good on their own, so perhaps the answer is to separate each from each and make individual projects. Saving that, hopefully prog rock, jazz, blues, metal, dark wave and sci fi fans will all find something to enjoy about this album and scrap the rest. Or not. They might not want to tangle with a scorpion who can watch herself while she stings her victims.
Jul 31 2017
Off label
Official release released by the artist themselves without the backing of a label.
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Jacqui L Bandcamp
New Order - Ceremony is available at POPONAUT from 18,95€
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