Post by thesoundmonitor on May 28, 2004 8:30:22 GMT -5
BRYCE JACOBS
Bryce Jacobs
(demo)
For a young fella guitarist Bryce Jacobs has packed a lot in. Completing BA in Music, Jacobs has also toured South Africa, played for late Princess Diana, and performed alongside such virtuosos as Tommy Emmanuel, and James Morrison and now teaches music at a variety of schools across Sydney. Given his formal training and a number of prestigious awards his progressive rock demo is expectantly of a high level of proficiency, though typically lacking in the excitement stakes.
Listing influences from Debussy and Wagner, to Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull, to Nine Inch Nails and The Chemical Brothers, to Miles Davis and John Coltrane Jacobs is walking, playing, musicopedia.
But as is common with prog-rock the technicality far outweighs the songwriting ability. Indeed, if Jacobs is keen on the style perhaps he should turn his Guns n’ Roses off and check out Dream Theater or King’s X – two of the better songwriting prog acts in my mind.
Jacobs is not completely incompetent, just lackluster. His non-confrontational style is awash with synths and self-harmonies, making his rockier moments just too safe for these ears. Vocally, Jacobs is equally competent, but again he is more likely to appeal to Volvo driving soccer-mums than to chance-taking, rebellious youth.
There’s no denying Jacobs’ ability and the strong future he has in front of him as either a session muso or playing alongside some orchestra somewhere, but as a songwriter he is otherwise forgettable.
By warren Wheeler
www.brycejacobs.com
Bryce Jacobs
(demo)
For a young fella guitarist Bryce Jacobs has packed a lot in. Completing BA in Music, Jacobs has also toured South Africa, played for late Princess Diana, and performed alongside such virtuosos as Tommy Emmanuel, and James Morrison and now teaches music at a variety of schools across Sydney. Given his formal training and a number of prestigious awards his progressive rock demo is expectantly of a high level of proficiency, though typically lacking in the excitement stakes.
Listing influences from Debussy and Wagner, to Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull, to Nine Inch Nails and The Chemical Brothers, to Miles Davis and John Coltrane Jacobs is walking, playing, musicopedia.
But as is common with prog-rock the technicality far outweighs the songwriting ability. Indeed, if Jacobs is keen on the style perhaps he should turn his Guns n’ Roses off and check out Dream Theater or King’s X – two of the better songwriting prog acts in my mind.
Jacobs is not completely incompetent, just lackluster. His non-confrontational style is awash with synths and self-harmonies, making his rockier moments just too safe for these ears. Vocally, Jacobs is equally competent, but again he is more likely to appeal to Volvo driving soccer-mums than to chance-taking, rebellious youth.
There’s no denying Jacobs’ ability and the strong future he has in front of him as either a session muso or playing alongside some orchestra somewhere, but as a songwriter he is otherwise forgettable.
By warren Wheeler
www.brycejacobs.com