Wiki
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Date de sortie
1 Janvier 2010
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Durée
12 titres
SKIP JENSEN
From the campfire undulations of Jessica Faulds:
http://weirdcanada.com/category/format/twelve/
Grafting a yippin’n'yodellin’ head onto garage’s grimy shoulders, Skip Jensen has created a hybrid monster, a ten-gallon-hat sporting scuzzball who fancies a two-step with the fuzzbox dialed up. Skip’s world-weary howl winds its way around the barroom, dragging behind it a mesmeric, slimy tail of guitar riffage. Skip jams several blotters’ worth of campfire undulations into wild-eyed jams like “Crows”, then drops into the lazy-drunk gait of tracks like “As Much As I Do.” Is that a honky-tonk piano I hear on “Revival” or is it just the “Spirit of the Ghost” dripping yesteryear’s blood all over the garage?
GET BENT review by Kristen Berry
Just the other day I was wishing there were more records in the discographies of the Oblivians or the Gun Club… or at least some more artists who aren’t afraid to cut loose and pull out some raunchy, wild, bluesy, sweaty, hip-shaking music that’s the nasty, smirking antithesis of the rave scene. I just can’t get enough. I will say this: Skip Jensen puts his back into it. The Spirit of the Ghost is unadulterated, southern-fried garage rock; it’s blues for fucked-up misfit kids in ripped jeans with bottles of whiskey clutched tightly in their fists. The ghosts of garage rock’s past loom over the record with the untamed hearts and souls of rock & roll’s snarky, snotty miscreant heroes providing the bedrock for these boot-stomping jams. Coming from Montreal, a city that’s known for having spawned such hootin’ and hollerin’ bands as the King Khan & BBQ Show, Jensen and his band string together a set of raw grooves that define the very essence of the spirit of rock & roll with twangy guitar work, expressive vocals, and loose percussive swagger. The results are enjoyable throughout, messy in that fun sort of way, and it’ll have you leaning back with a smug grin on your face by the end.
The LP can be found over at Red Lounge Records. If you’re short on cash, download it on Bandcamp for $5.
The Spirit of the Ghost
(Red Lounge)
Jensen has always been a jewel in Montreal’s garage/roots crown but this new blaster launches him into a whole other realm. Jensen’s true talent is the ability to drive his blues boogaloo, which could’ve fit snug on the Fat Possum label in its prime, to a primal dirge that could make Kid Congo Powers and Tav Falco blush crimson red. In a world of slumming trust-fund brats armed with pawnshop guitars, Jensen remains the real deal. 8/10 (Johnson Cummins)
CRITIQUE DE VOIR
http://www.voir.ca/infocenter/disc.aspx?zone=1§ion=6&disc=11370
ARTICLE - 3 mars 2011 Patrick Baillargeon
Toujours abonné au lo-fi, Skip Jensen balance 12 salves de rock'n'roll primal, de country-punk, de blues poubelle, de folk garage avec la même passion, la même hargne et la même émotion qui l'ont toujours animé depuis qu'il s'est fait connaître sur la scène rock garage locale avec les Scat Rag Boosters. D'un projet à l'autre, en groupe ou en one-man band, Skip Jensen (Serge Gendron) est resté fidèle à ses passions, authentique, DIY à l'os. Un parcours irréprochable mais difficile à suivre tellement il s'est aventuré d'un petit label à un autre. Souhaitons que cet énième disque le révèle à un public plus large que les quelques initiés qui le suivent depuis plusieurs années, il le mérite.
SKIP JENSEN
Spirit of the Ghost LP
Red Lounge Records 2010
SKIP JENSEN (Serge) has been at the heart of the Montreal Music scene for ages, for as long as I can remember, and has been involved in now legendary projects such as SCAT RAG BOOSTERS and DEMON’S CLAWS and then as a one man band. He’s since formed a super tight 3 piece band who recorded this in 2009. This is Johann Schlager on drums and Shawn Cotton on bass with guest Orson Presence on organ and piano who also recorded much of this! Check “Indians” on this MZ #10 Cd comp and see why I am yelling! Whatever you do, do not miss out the chance to see them live, I was floored by them when they played our MZ#8 launch, it was quite humbling and awesome. I love the polished sound of the band on this record. It’s refreshing to hear since so much of the stuff sent to us to review has distortion over the vocals. If I was to compare this collection of songs to anything it would be the exceptional double Crypt LP “When My Blue Moon Turns Red Again” by the BASSHOLES, an epic experience that also had high production values for a band that usually sounded stripped down and lo-fi. SKIP JENSEN yelps and yodels his vocals like we love it. He delivers his lines about love, loss, desperation, mortality, morality and… a ghost in his storyteller’s style. The melancholia exhibited in Skip’s tortured voice is probably the product of many years of isolation, being a loner songwriter and visual artist, and evidence that owning several cats does not necessarily result in good companionship. It’s not all downer stuff on here, there are some freewheeling feel-good songs too, guaranteed to get you dancing! Skip gives a couple of his older songs the new band treatment with great results (‘As Much As I Do” and “ All the Way to my Grave”). The title track, “The Spirit Of the Ghost” is some really incredible songwriting. The last song is like an encore, a resurrection of the Spirit of the Ghost! Miscommunication via email with Red Lounge resulted in the LP cover having white bars appearing behind the text on the LP cover. The art can only be fully appreciated on the gatefold of the record. Rest easy because this is a really strong LP and probably the best SKIP JENSEN has ever sounded! This record is downloadable on skipjensen.bandcamp.com. If you like this, seek his many releases including 2005’s Abscond LP (Demolition Derby). (Bob Scott)
mongrelzine.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/reviews-from-mz10/
Review Discorder Magazine, Vancouver
If you’re in the mood for some unfiltered rockabilly, then take five dollars, head over to Skip Jensen’s Bandcamp page and let this one-man band add some spice to your blues collection. The Spirit of the Ghost is largely a raw and unrehearsed journey. Jensen’s vocals wail about, often ignoring the suggestion of a tune, while his guitar offers some catchy riffs accompanied with a rhythm section driven by his feet. Jensen indulges us with multi-track recording tactics on a few songs, but largely the music is akin to the live experience, with slight mistakes adding a sense of intimacy. For most of the record, it’s as if Jensen walked into the studio, straddled his drum kit, strapped on his guitar, pressed the record button, played for 40 minutes and called it a day. The result is unadulterated blues-rock, void of any pretentious elements. If you require a comparison to put Jensen’s talent in perspective, think Mark Sultan (BBQ). Seeing as how they are both based in Montreal, often play as a one man band, and have that raw ‘50s blues-punk feel, the parallels are striking.
The Spirit of the Ghost is Jensen’s first full length offering, though he has released a number of seven-inches and is involved with numerous bands, including Scat Rag Boosters. The LP is consistent with his previous endeavors, highlighting his expressive guitar work and vocal bellows. From bouncy riffs in “Circling Around” to the country blues feel of “Revival,” The Spirit of the Ghost jangles its way through punchy motifs and catchy jingles. Jensen has achieved a sense of vitality by recording an album that resembles a live gig; this unfettered quality makes The Spirit of the Ghost highly recommended.
discorder.ca/discorder-magazine/index.php/2011/05/07/skip-jensen/
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