The drummer Jack Irons has a resume that’s as impressive as it is lengthy, and includes playing in or with Eleven, Pearl Jam, The Wallflowers, the Mark Lanegan Band, Joe Strummer, Neil Young and, perhaps most noteworthy, being a founding member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
These 11 tracks bring together a pair of EPs (Dreamer’s Ball and Walnut) where his inimitable drumming presence welcomes synth for a sonically exciting and very diverse listening experience.
“Race Against Everything” opens the listen with wild and very animated drumming that spends nearly 10 minutes mesmerizing us with its hazy cinematic qualities. “Seeing The Light From Underwater” follows with a distinct buzzing which is complemented by the animated drum progressions, while “A Wave Unknowingly Rises” finds a more introspective place to reside with heavy emphasis on mood.
The last two tracks from the front half are among the best, where the rapid-fire drumming of “Compassion” is immediately striking, and “Left The Building” offers a busy, dense and dynamic display of meticulous songcraft.
Walnut is a bit more experimental in scope, where “Walnut One” offers both calm and thick gestures via the swirling drumming acrobatics. “Going Interstellar” then enters sci-fi territory with its sonic manipulation of sound, and “Shortbread,” even at just one minute, engages us with the unparalleled attention to detail.
“Allusion” and “Eye In The Universe” exit the listen, where the former makes great use of the throbbing synth in an ’80s post-punk sort of fashion, and the latter radiates a mysterious melody buried under the hazy synth and fluid drums.
An effort that covers art rock, funk moments, ’90s alt-rock and punk rock nods, this collection shows that Irons is as eclectic as he is talented, and anyone with an ear for the drums would be wise to pull up a seat.