My Chemical Romance tip-toed around it in their album The Black Parade, but minus a few antics from Gerard Way there are very few if any bands that write music better suited for that of a cabaret than a bar. That is until you hear the recent album from Randall Shreve and The Sideshow. Appropriately titled The Jester, this album is full of top hat tipping, line dance kicking, attitude-filled tunes.
Take the first track “Alcohol”, from the first few moments you’re taken to a place with felt covered walls and dim lights. The tempo sashays back and forth between school band and a slow swing. Vocals are precise and distinct; Randall wants to make sure you hear each word.
Folk music makes a little appearance in the song “Strange”. A slow banjo pluck and a few bass brass notes bring the song in. The tempo is a touch slow and a little difficult to really get into until about a 1:30 in. This is when the other instruments take stage and bring everything to a rock level – full of angst and thrashing drums. The song jumps back and forth between these two planets of sound, which in the end works in their favor by keeping the audience intrigued.
In the song “Kiss My Ass” Shreve and the guys take that slow sway and mix it with a 60s barber shop piano melody. The vocals are so pleasant and expertly harmonized that you almost miss the random naughty words thrown in every once in a while. There’s also a sense of comradery among the members near the close of the song, you’d imagine arms over arms and smiles all across as they sang and swayed in unison.
Near album end you’ll find “Your Mother’s Fault” and a sound on a slightly different level than the rest of the album. The tempo is still about the same and fairly slow, but this time it’s riddled with electric guitar solos. This new “solo” element also shows up with the vocals at one point and together create some great drama throughout the 4 ½ minutes.
There really isn’t another band that I can compare to Randall Shreve and this is something that makes them a band to know. Their live set is just as fun as you’d imagine, but until you’re able to catch one, you’ve got The Jester to entertain.
Track Listing:
- Alcohol
- Pier 14
- Strange
- Pale Blue
- Blood
- Tango #69
- Stoned
- The Ghost
- Haunt Me
- Kiss My Ass
- Your Mother’s Fault
- The Clown
- Where’s It Hurt?
