JUPITER AFFECT
Instructions For The Two Ways Of
Becoming Alice (eggBert Records)
Reviewed by Bill Holmes

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Paisley retro-pop blasted into the new Millennium with a volume knob that willingly cranks itself. Long given up for dead (or mortally wounded), Michael Quercio picks up where he left off with The Three O'Clock like a man who has suddenly awakened from a coma. And that's good news for the rest of us.

Earle Mankey shows no hesitation to turn up the guitars, and Jason Shapiro and Dan Epstien take full advantage, riding herd over the solid and textured rhythm section and Quercio's somewhat fey vocals. The result is a hook-laden affair that rocks like hell. "Loved One's Lies" and "Good Time" use guttural guitar sounds to drive the verses, ripping pages out of early seventies Brit-rock for inspiration. Trumpets, French horns, flutes and keyboards add to this richly flavored collection. And if you think you hear the Stones' "Miss Amanda Jones" all through the killer track "Druscilla I Dig Your Scene", you're not alone.

But there's a lot more at work here. "Inside (Iris Rising)" is a blend of light jazz and Odessa-era Bee Gees (yes, that works). The lilting "Michael And Mary" could be a Bread outtake, for god sakes. And then, just when you're comfortable, the prog-rock psychedelia of "The Chemical Wedding Of Christian Rosencreutz" slides out of your speakers to screw with your head.

Granted, there will be some people who listen to this record with a bong and headphones who may not surface for months. But I heartily recommend a more controlled experiment; throw away all your preconceived notions about what a pop record can be, and play this record very loud.

© 2000 - Bill Holmes