The Jelly Jam -
Prophet/Profit


(CD, 2016, 46:05, Mascot Label Group, Music Theories Recordings)

The tracks:
  1- Care(5:47)
  2- Stain On The Sun(3:08)
  3- Water(4:58)
  4- Stop(3:43)
  5- Perfect Lines (Flyin')(3:38)
  6- Mr. Man(3:30)
  7- Memphis(2:49)
  8- Ghost Town(3:52)
  9- Heaven(3:54)
10- Permanent Hold(3:19)
11- Fallen(3:49)
12- Strong Belief(3:32)

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What do you get when you combine three (prog) rock/metal heavyweights? Of course, we do know a lot of super groups like Asia, Transatlantic, and Liquid Tension Experiment... But have we ever heard of The Jelly Jam? This album named Prophet/Profit is their fourth studio album, and I have to admit I never heard of them before. Who are The Jelly Jam? They are a trio, and not just a random trio; Ty Tabor of King's X on guitar and lead vocals, John Myung of Dream Theater on bass guitar, and Rod Morgenstein of Winger and The Dixie Dregs on drums and percussion. Is that something that you would consider a super group? According to me it's a big “Yes”!

When I heard the first track Care I found out that the music isn't prog, but stoner/grunge rock! Very, very good stoner/grunge rock! I love it! It starts very quiet but breaks open after 25 seconds. This could be a great single for commercial radio (all tracks are commercial radio friendly in my opinion). The next piece Stain On The Sun is a calmer song compared to Care that still carries a heavy riff. The follow up Water carries that typical lingering grunge ambience with heavy, slow riffs and drums. It is followed by Stop which is a more up tempo track, very plain and pleasant rock. The intro and intermediate pieces of Perfect Lines (Flyin') sounds like it could have been made by the band Tool, very well done! The bass work of John Myung is very present in this track and has a very cool sound! The piano piece halfway through comes as a big surprise in this song. The next track Mr. Man also has a very awesome bass riff with a great sound in this dark song with a catchy chorus, and I really like the bombastic outro. Memphis is the shortest one on the album, a real 'road trip' track. Ghost Town is one of the calmer tracks on the album, almost leaning towards soft rock, along with Heaven. Ty sings very tenderly. The outro of Heaven slowly fades out... But comes back as a fade in during the intro of the next track Permanent Hold, which is completely instrumental. It sounds like they are jamming (but what's in a name?). Fallen is also a softer and slightly more romantic song. The album closer Strong Belief starts very laidback with a heavy undertone, a heavier track compared to the previous ones.

If you are a big fan of nineties heavy alternative music with a grunge/stoner core, then this is a must have! Slow, heavy and well thought out guitar riffs abound. If you don't like that kind of music, then you still have to consider giving this album a spin! It's been on repeat since I've had it, and is going to be in my top 10 list of albums from the year 2016!

***** Iris Hidding (edited by Robert James Pashman)

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