The Lost Archives Surfacing the reviews of our forgotten youth
    Back to The Lost Archives
    The Phantom Tollbooth January 2001/Jonah

    Jonah

    U

    (2001)

    Reviewed by James Stewart

    Label independentThe Phantom TollboothJanuary 2001
    hard rockmodern rock

    In the sleeve of their debut EP, Jonah warn the listener: "This CD contains some heavy drums, bad riffs, and religious lyrics. It is not advisable to listen to this recording if you have any kind of heart problems, delicate hearing or allegiance to Satan and his minions."

    Having been duly advised of the band's starting point, the listener can discover that they've been a little hard on themselves. The riffs, while perhaps lacking in the freshness department wouldn't qualify as "bad"; they fit the songs fairly well, but it would perhaps be a good idea to inject something a bit more distinctive there. The drums too don't quite fit the description. They're clearly present but producer Dave Pick hasn't let them overpower anything else.

    The EP as a whole is a straightforward rock release, clearly showing an enthusiastic band but not bringing anything to make the band stand out. They're probably good live but on record could do with some stronger hooks and something to make them stand out from the crowd.

    More from Jonah

    2003Enthroned

    Also in The Phantom Tollbooth January 2001

    2000Nathan JohnsonIn Search of the Flip2000Elton JohnOne Night Only