The Samuel Jackson Five by The Samuel Jackson Five

The Samuel Jackson Five by The Samuel Jackson Five, 2012

A Norwegian band known for their splendid instrumental music with a progressive sound bordering on post-rock, their eclectic mood combines elements of post-rock, math rock, jazz, progressive rock, and even hints of Kosmische Musik (Krautrock) and classical music, resulting in songs that stand out for their great technical complexity and sophisticated compositions.

This album features a first major change: the vocals: the band has incorporated guest vocals from other Norwegian artists.

This leads to a second change: by doing so, the band has moved away from their instrumental roots, a move that has divided critics.

The vocals:

Truls Heggero and Pål Angelskår, both Norwegian Grammy winners, each sing one song, as does Thomas Bratlie on "Electric Crayons." There's also a new member on the team, Jonny Knutsen, who also handles the vocals, while the recording is handled by multi-instrumentalist Thomas Meidell.

The Sound:

The instrumental post-rock of previous works tends to fade away, with distorted sounds and splendid bouzouki sections coexisting, soft moments and ambient noises, reminiscent of '70s progressive rock with frequent tempo changes and complex rhythmic structures, and the fairytale-like arpeggios that fans of this genre love so much.

The 2005 album Easily Misunderstood is undoubtedly an exceptional work, for its originality and its well-balanced and emotionally evocative songs.

This self-titled album is, in my opinion, an excellent album, with which the Samuel Jackson Five certainly rank among the finest representatives of contemporary progressive rock. It features sophisticated arrangements, intricate guitar work, a precise and tireless rhythm section, and a positive atmosphere that often incorporates a touch of humor. A wide range of instruments add depth and texture to their sound. The artwork is also beautiful.

Highly recommended!

Tracks
1. Never-Ending Now 03:21
2. MOCKBA 04:56
3. Electric Crayons 02:51
4. Radio Gagarin 04:32
5. Race to the Self-Destruct Button 02:44
6. What Floats Her Boat 02:10
7. Ten Crept In 03:37
8. A Perennial Candidate 04:39
9. Tremulous Silence 04:52
10. ...And Then We Met Locals 06:03
11. Low Entropy 02:12
Running Time 38:06

The Lineup
Igmund Bade - bass, keyboards, piano, acoustic guitar, baritone guitar
Stian Tangerud - drums, percussion
Thomas Kaldhol - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, field recordings
Jonny Knutsen - electric guitar, Lap-steel, keyboards, backing vocals
Thomas Meidell - electric guitar, bass, keyboards, theremin, oscillators, programming, bouzouki, percussion, glockenspiel, backing vocals
With
Thomas Bratlie Haugeland - vocals (#3)
Truls Heggero - vocals (#7)
Pål Angleskår - vocals (#9)
Sara Cools - backing vocals (#2, #4, #7)
Jørgen Skjulstad - clarinet (#2, #3, #8), cymbalom (#2)
Dag Stiberg - saxophone (#8, #10)
Magnus Nielsen - violin (#7, #8, #10), theremin (#10)