Press & Reviews

Daily Freeman
Kingston, NY
September 18, 1998

Sound Advice
By Philip H. Farber

The fist release from new record label Java Records could easily be a long-term winner.

Block, aka Jamie Block, is set to release his latest album, "Timing Is Everything," on the Java label early next month. The album is a quirky, yet unbelievably catchy and enjoyable mix of great neo-folk songwriting, modern rock riffs, and an acid-house collage of rhythms and sounds.

Some of the songs, like "I-95," are spare, pure folkie song structures, with an emphasis on melody and lyrics, but others, like "I Call Her Vicious," range toward hard rock riffing, and "The Pink House Must Burn" tilts well toward the technological and post-industrial. Throughout, though, Block's thoughtful and often funny lyrics stand central.

Block's first album, the indie-released "Lead Me Not Into Penn Station," featured some great players from bands including U2 and Echo and the Bunnymen. The review copy of "Timing Is Everything" that I received was lacking liner notes, so it's tough to say whether or not this is just Jamie Block overdubbing himself or an actual band, but it sure sounds like a great band. I predict that you'll be hearing Block on the radio - a lot - fairly soon.

Rating: ***** (out of 5)