The Rock Blogger

Jarboe/Justin K Broadrick. J2. 2008. 2.5 stars.

When I first heard that Justin Broadrick (of Jesu and Godflesh fame) was collaborating with Swans vocalist Jarboe on a new EP, I was thrilled. Broadrick’s knack for crafting haunting and powerful drones and serene shoegaze riffs, along with Jarboe’s chillingly beautiful soprano voice, seemed like a match made in post-metal heaven. Unfortunately, after trying my damnedest to get into this record, I find myself being immensely disappointed, knowing that both artists have accomplished so much more in the past.

While Broadrick’s industrial melodies are still finely composed, unfolding meticulously layer by layer, they don’t really go in any particular direction. While his work on the Jesu releases featured astounding progressions and inspired climaxes, his jams here just seem to hover in the middle, remaining locked in subtle repetitions that never get their chance to explode.

You could suggest that Broadrick scaled back his compositions to make room for Jarboe, and that’s fair, but her vocals rarely reach any remarkable emotional peaks to justify the musical restraint. Rather, she seems entranced by here own avant-garde aspirations, offering jarring chants, coos and wails that are indeed lovely, but soon become grating over the course of the songs’ 5 minute plus durations. While experimental and uninhibited, her efforts end up sounding rather pretentious, becoming a distraction from Broadrick’s melodies and beats, rather than a complementary accompaniment. “Tribal Limo” is the worst offender, as her weird, cyclical chanting overpowers the subtle ambient changes happening in the background.

There are some redeeming moments on this EP, like the more relaxed “Magik Girl” where Jarboe sounds more humble and subdued, providing a better match for the Broadrick’s plodding melancholy. The closing track “8mmsweetbitter” is also more focused, with hypnotic beats and piano lines leading out into peaceful ambient drones. However, the experience is once again marred by the repetitive and confounding vocals that seem to jump in hastily to bring you out of a more comfortable trance.

Overall, J2 is a brave effort from both parties involved, but suffers from their inability to balance their distinct sounds, allowing them to overpower each other. While I would welcome more future collaborations between the two, I just hope that they can find a common path to follow, rather than getting lost in their arty meanderings.

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 15th, 2008 at 10:34 am and is filed under Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.