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Juno
A Future Lived in Past Tense DeSoto Records After listening to Juno, you remember why brains are so goddamned sexy. It's not that the members aren't skilled musicians, because guitarist/vocalist Arlie Carstens, guitarist/organist Gabe Carter, guitarist Jason Guyer, and drummer Greg Ferguson (plus fellow Seattle-ite and Future guest-bassist Nate Mendel) have had five years together to hone their craft. But if you find that the thunderous, ponderous sound of Juno and Arlie's deep, dreamy voice prevent you from contemplating the lyrics in anything but the most oblique way, maybe you should check out the band's Web site at www.bosski.com/juno. The LP opens with instrumental "A Thousand Motors Pressed Upon The Heart"-a wheezy church organ leading the way. The guitars chime in, and the magic happens: a swelling wall of sound so pleasurable as to render lyrics superfluous. When did Juno get so damned good? Five years ago the guys in Juno were earnest and energetic, playing their hearts out, but in the meanwhile something wonderful happened: they became a tight music machine, driven by a thoughtful, cerebral computer that still knows how to rock. A Future... is a moody slice of other people's lives you don't mind visiting, from the pounding of "When I Was In _____" to the slow and somber "The French Letter." Oh, and there's some spoken-word over Station To Station-sounding beeps and blips, and it's not icky: "Your blood will boil a volatile mixture of sex and sentimental yearnings." Go get yourself some new Seattle sound-and if you like it, find Juno's previous longplay and various singles, EPs, and collaborations with other bands. -Sharon Harrison Source: courtesy Transworld Skateboarding Magazine; upcoming issue; Please visit their website and look for their future magazine issues. |
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