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The Jazz June

They Love Those Who Make The Music (2001)
Initial Records

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: t-rav
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on April 2nd 2004

When an indie rock band can match any hardcore act pound for pound on intensity and emotion, you know you have something special. Originally out of print on the now defunct Workshop Records, This is the Jazz June record that set the stage for the other amazing albums to come.

Formed in the mid 90's in tiny Kutztown, PA, the band took favorite aspects of indie rock, punk and post hardcore and made it their own. The indie rock sound is evident on "Low End Automatic" then carry over to a pop punk style with "Red Light District" and "The Possibilities Are Endless" to the instrumentals of "Falling Asleep On Lincoln Drive". Each songs precision seems to be countered by just the opposite - the ever-so-often changeups can throw the new listener off a bit, creating a conglomeration of noise and melody as if 5 different bands were to play at once. The guitars are what captivate me here. The leads are relatively simple and melodic, and the rhythm is low and crunchy but never drowns out one another. For the drums, I have to draw a George rebelo comparison with the beat patterns and constant use of cymbals.

The Jazz June have always been about having fun and making their music fun for others to listen to. It still sounds as new as it did 8 years ago.

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Anonymous (April 6, 2004)

this score is for kutztown.

Anonymous (April 3, 2004)

nothing but love for this band.

Anonymous (April 3, 2004)

man, what the fuck? i've had this record for years? but anyways... its still good all these years later

lieutenant (April 3, 2004)

I have Breakdance Suburbia, but I've only listened to it a handful of times for the few years I have owned it. I know I've enjoyed it whenever it's spinning, but it's always slipping under my radar.

What's their best disc?

nepaindiepunk (April 3, 2004)

yeah this is a bad ass record. I've only seen them once in 99 i think. I used to have this record but left it over a friend's house. I especially like "When In Rome"...but the 6 song EP "The Boom, The Motion, And The Music" is incredible. "When The Drums" has to be one of my all time favorite songs. "The Medicine" I couldn't get into as much. Maybe it's time to give it another spin. I haven't heard the newer record that's out on Initial, I think it has a yellow-ish cover or something.

Anonymous (April 2, 2004)

I have the EP boom, something, something...cant remember the title. Anyway, my point is, it's pretty damn good.

Icapped2pac (April 2, 2004)

Can't comment on this record since I haven't heard it, but "The Medicine" was a damn good album. This score's for that. I saw them live on the U of Minn. St. Paul campus with Elliott a few years ago. They were really tight and put on a great performance. Too bad there was only about 30 people there, in this giant fucking ballroom. It killed me that 5 of my friends and I drove 7 hours from the U.P. to see the show, and there was that few other people there. Is Minneapolis usually that lame? It was almost as bad as Grand Rapids, MI usually is for turnouts.

maverick (April 2, 2004)

I booked these guys a show back in June of 1999 with Hot Rod Circuit. I was so nervous about the show that I don't think I said more than a handful of words to them over the course of the evening. Good live band, though.

I have the original pressing of this CD, too - 5 scene points for me.

-Scott