Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Jadis
Label: Giant Electric Pea
Released: 1992
Running time: 46:53
Rating: 4/5
The English band Jadis were among the leading lights of the melodic strand of the second wave of British progressive rock. The group, which took its name from the wicked ice witch in the Narnia stories by British writer C.S. Lewis, formed in 1982, which means they missed the first neo-prog train, the one carrying the bands that are better known today, like Marillion, IQ, Pendragon, Pallas and Twelfth Night. In 1990 they recorded the LP »Jadis«, which was really just a collection of demos and is a big rarity today. Marillion guitarist Steve Rothery, a friend of the band members, handled production on it.
That obscure but intriguing effort, which still hasn’t come out on CD, was basically a warm-up for their ‘real’ studio debut, »More Than Meets The Eye«. The latter came out in 1992, by which point IQ keyboardist Martin Orford was in the band, helping them out with his keyboard wizardry in his ‘spare time’. Guest bassist John Jowitt, who later became a full-time member, was, just like Orford, in IQ at the same time, but he too found enough time to jump in and help his neo-prog peers. With a strong emphasis on melodic arrangements, Jadis always cultivated a guitar-driven approach to prog rock, while the synth textures in the background were used mainly to deepen the atmosphere.
Compared to some of the far more complex neo-prog rock bands, Jadis were at times almost melodic rockers with a sophisticated knack for building hypnotic keyboard arrangements. Their compositions can be listened to without any trouble while driving or on all sorts of occasions, with no risk that half your guests will flee mid-song or that your partner will abandon you in the passenger seat in the middle of the road. Guitarist, singer and unofficial band boss Gary Chandler always favored a melodic approach to singing that had practically no connection to other neo-prog vocalists (no vocal influences from Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins or Peter Hammill), which worked in Jadis’ favor, since it set them apart from their peers on that front too. It’s also interesting that, of all the legendary prog rock bands, Jadis remind you most of Camel after Genesis, which comes down to Chandler’s guitar style, occasionally recalling both Steve Hackett and Andy Latimer.
Despite all this ‘holy simplicity’, where longer instrumental sections and complex improvisations were a real rarity, Jadis were capable of plenty of interesting arrangement and songwriting surprises, as »More Than Meets The Eye« already proved, and it’s still one of their most treasured albums today. »Jadis/Sleepwalk«, let’s call it a two-part suite, is an ultra-melodic opener with sophisticated layers of synths, while Chandler soon shows off his sprawling and always melodic guitar variations. The quality production especially benefits his vocals, which are a key guarantor of the melancholic, ambient balance. His guitar wizardry is kept in the ‘foreground’ of the mix the whole time, while Orford, who was a true master of variety and improvisation during his time in IQ, is mostly in charge of dynamically sustaining the subtle synth curtains.
»Hiding in The Corner« is a neo-prog treat with an enviable level of melodic sensibility, where the interplay between Chandler’s guitar passages and Orford’s synth textures delivers some really beautiful harmonies. Chandler, meanwhile, proved over and over that he was already among the best singers in neo-prog back then, enjoying quality support from Orford’s backing vocals. The only serious flaw of these brilliant arrangers and virtuosos with an exceptional ear for melody is that the songs on »More Than Meets The Eye« sound quite similar to each other in atmosphere and rhythmic pulse; every one of them offers an abundance of listening pleasure, but at the same time none of them really stands out.
»G. 13« features fantastic guitar harmonies that closely echo the established habits of some of Chandler’s guitar heroes, above all Messrs. Hackett and Latimer. In the background, thanks to symphonic flourishes and a dynamic rhythm line, just enough tempo shifts happen to keep this atmospherically catchy track with its epic central motif from sliding into an overly formulaic, sentimental melodic-rock mold. Orford’s floating synth curtains also mark the wonderful »Wonderful World«, where Jadis build a truly magnificent atmosphere in a seemingly feather-light way. Chandler shows commendable vocal and guitar versatility here, while drummer Stephen Christey provides some explosive transitions.
The title track opens with Orford’s pastoral flute arrangements, which is a bit reminiscent of early Camel and Gabriel-era Genesis, while the band slowly builds a positive, uplifting atmosphere. Chandler once again proves that his vocal approach, as well as the very timbre of his voice, suited prog rock and AOR/melodic rock alike. Orford shows that his flute talent was nothing to sneeze at either, while hypnotic vocal harmonies, backed by floating synth curtains, deepen the overall ethereal mood even further. »The Beginning And The End« opens with a ‘bright’, distinctly optimistic arrangement, after which Chandler develops an emotional guitar solo, which, with the support of subtle synth curtains, builds an epic atmosphere right from the start. The excellent guitarist and singer shines with a moving vocal performance too, while Orford finally unleashes a dramatic synth improvisation on par with some of IQ’s finest feats.
The album closes with the epic instrumental treat »Holding Your Breath«, where guitar and synth harmonies weave together magnificently. With the help of sharpened yet distinctly melodic guitar passages, backed by a sophisticated symphonic backdrop, Chandler once again develops the dramatic mood that prevails throughout the entire epic. The most complex piece on the album boasts numerous atmospherically deep instrumental sections, in the midst of which plenty of interesting tempo shifts and shorter improvisational bits take place. And for the grand finale, with a ‘weeping’ slide guitar solo, Chandler ‘just in case’ confirms once more that even back then he was one of the greatest neo-prog masters of his instrument.
For collectors, the special 2005 reissue of »More Than Meets The Eye« is sure to be of particular interest, since besides re-recorded tracks it contains an extra disc of bonus goodies. That one features re-recorded tracks from the aforementioned »Jadis« LP plus a few rarities originally conceived in the eighties. A true Jadis devotee and collector will, of course, have both versions of »More Than Meets The Eye« in their collection.
Gary Chandler’s ambition, and that of his technically and arrangement-wise brilliantly skilled Jadis bandmates, knew no bounds right from the start. »More Than Meets The Eye« was one of the best achievements in the band’s history. At the same time it was one of the best debuts in the story of neo-prog rock, with the only real criticism being that all the songs on the album sit in a similar, upbeat atmospheric ‘key’. You could say that, with their lighter approach to building atmospheric nuances, Jadis represented a kind of careful balance between the dramatic (Fish-era Marillion), the cheerful (classic Pendragon) and the gloomy (IQ) strands of neo-prog.
Lineup
Gary Chandler – guitar, vocals
Martin Orford – keyboards, backing vocals, flute
Stephen Christey – drums
GUEST MEMBER:
John Jowitt – bass guitar
Production
Martin Orford and Rob Aubrey
Track list
1. Sleepwalk (7:45)
2. Hiding in the Corner (4:18)
3. G.13 (5:43)
4. Wonderful World (8:19)
5. More Than Meets the Eye (4:52)
6. The Beginning and the End (6:12)
7. Holding Your Breath (9:44)
