JOSS/If
Not For the Hovering... On If Not
For the Hovering... indie rockers Joss rest sultry, jazz-tinged
romps like "Good Weather" alongside minimalist, riff-sturdy
keepers like "MM." Although the upbeat "Mojave Desert Highrise"
— complete with jagged chords, military drumming and distorted vocals
— is both bold and inviting, nothing here can beat the self-deprecating
sway of "Rumour Of A Monkey Clown." There's an intoxicating
lure beneath that song's oddball proclamations (like "[I'm] stealing
looks from a boogie down laundrymat") that keep otherwise solid tunes
like "Mooncake" and the The-inspired "Careless" from
measuring up. But Joss have plenty to be proud of with If Not For
the Hovering... despite the fact that the dour late album offering
"Good Grace" is a sluggish, endless stab at art rock.
by John D. Luerssen