Jo Jo Gunne Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
After the erratic and self-consciously weird Jumpin' the Gunne, this album is a return to form. More than that, actually -- the replacement of founding guitarist Matt Andes with John Stahely resulted in a tighter, more focused, and generally more interesting band than ever before. Jo Jo Gunne was originally formed to be, in Jay Ferguson's phrase, "a hard-ass rock band," and on So...Where's the Show they finally were one. Ferguson responded to the harder edge by abandoning the synthesizer in favor of a jazzy piano sound, an inspired move under the circumstances. The combination enlivens even the dud songs; "I'm Your Shoe" starts as a pedestrian slow-grind, but has an incredible instrumental break in which the whole band rocks hard and fast, then drops out suddenly to let Ferguson take a wonderful and delicate piano solo. The element of surprise gets you the first time, the brilliant playing every time afterward. When the band actually takes on a song with a half-decent hook all the way through, the results are splendid. The title cut, "She Said Allright," and "Falling Angel" are all winners, and there isn't a single track that is actually a dud. If it was inevitable that Jo Jo Gunne was going to break up, at least they left one consistently good album behind. ~ Richard Foss, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
From the ashes of the multifaceted jazz/psych/rock combo Spirit rose Jo Jo Gunne. The band's personnel included Jay Ferguson (keyboards/lead vocals), Mark Andes (bass/vocals), his brother Matthew Andes (guitar/vocals), and Curly Smith (drums/vocals). Their self-titled debut would be the only release from this lineup as well as arguably the strongest of the four efforts to bear the Jo Jo Gunne moniker. Commencing with the upbeat pop of "Run Run Run," this album builds upon Ferguson's well-established melodic tradition, which is immeasurably enhanced by the power trio's aggressive instrumentation and arrangements. Sides such as "Shake That Fat," "I Make Love," and "99 Days" epitomize the heavy boogie rock of the early '70s. While Matthew Andes' contributions are a far cry from the flashy fretwork of Jimmy Page, he ably manages some solid leads and equally memorable riffs, such as the catchy introduction to "Babylon" or the laid-back "Flying Home" -- which could be mistaken for a long-lost Outlaws or Lynyrd Skynyrd tune. The band's versatility is continually evident throughout, with the funky and soulful "Academy Award" suggesting the influence of Little Feat. The languid propulsion of "Take It Easy" -- which shouldn't be confused with the Jackson Browne composition -- develops nicely into a midtempo groover that is again driven by Andes' fluid guitar solos. Although Jo Jo Gunne would issue another three long-players, they would each feature a slightly different personnel, with Smith being the first to jump ship prior to the band's follow-up, Bite Down Hard (1973). In 2000 both LPs were compiled -- along with a trio of previously unissued bonus tracks from the Jo Jo Gunne (1972) sessions, onto the Asylum Recordings: Jo Jo Gunne + Bite Down Hard (2000) single-CD two-fer. In 2003 both titles also became available (sans bonus tracks) separately from Collectors' Choice Music. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
