Jar of Hope - 2011 - Apple Peel

(45:44: Jar of Hope)






















Track list:
1. Apple Peel in Stereo 6:56
2. Maggot 5:15
3. Sonic Heaven Se7en 5:01
4. Jar of Hope 4:01
5. Disease 2:59
6. Back Seat Driver 4:03
7. Streets 3:57
8. Devil Inside 2:43
9. Flower and a Flooded Flat 1:36
10. In the Corner of the Aisle 5:03
11. Burn 4:10

Line-up:
Ania Zalewska - vocals
Wojtek Rogalski - bass
Michał Pawłowski - guitars, vocals, samples
Irek Jasienowicz - guitars
Czarek Baranowski - drums


Polish band Jar of Hope started out back in 2006, and appears to have had an active phase that started to ebb out sometime around 2015. The current status of the band appears to be that they are on hiatus. During their active phase the band released two EPs and one full length album. "Apple Peel" is the name of their sole full length production, which was self released back in 2011.

It is very much a curious production this one, as the band mix and blend elements from a number of different styles here. The guitars cater for a few of these, with dirty guitar riffs providing elements with an origin in garage rock and noise rock and with a sometime slight punk touch and attitude added to the proceedings to boot. But a second guitar is in use as well, and this one caters for the contrasting elements of mainly light toned, plucked and clean guitar sounds that adds an undercurrent of psychedelic rock and occasionally a bit of post-rock too.

The rhythm foundation will provide some core elements from slightly different pastures, often combining with the guitars to drive the songs closer to grunge territories on set occasions, as well as occasionally steering the landscapes closer to either indie rock or alternative rock territories.

The soft lead vocals used throughout comes with a slightly detached feeling to them of the kind I tend to encounter in psychedelic rock and occasionally in singer/songwriter excursions, vocals with a dreamladen and otherworldly touch to them where tone and mood is more important than power and command.

These elements and a few more have been tossed together here, often with a bit of a lo-fi attitude and approach. There is a distinct DIY feel and enthusiast attitude over this album, one that will make this album a bit of a niche production as far as reach and potential goes. The mix and production isn't at a level where that aspect will elevate the album experience, which rather emphasize the niche aspect of this album. I also note that the lead vocalists here by and large come across as untrained, and that this starts to have an impact when the songs demand more power and control from the vocalists in general and in the instances where a song needs the vocalists to carry the song in particular.

All in all I find this album to be one that will have a limited and finite reach and potential. This is a lo-fi attitude blend of garage rock and noise rock that has a bit of a psychedelic rock undercurrent, with a bit of grunge and post-rock flavoring, explored with what might be a little bit of a punk attitude. If that comes across as an interesting description, you should probably take the time to give this album a listen.

Olav M. Björnsen, December 2022

Links:
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