JESTER'S JOKE

Before speaking of this album, just a few words about justice.

As you can see, the only release by Jester's Joke is one of the lowest rated albums here on PA. Its rating is as low as the rating of Nattdjurstid by Kaipa (one of the ugliest prog albums in history, indeed). To me, it's another proof for the sentence I heard from the associate professor Romanov in my student years: 'Justice is a relative concept'.

Sure! Otherwise, how to accept so evident double standards? Nobody bridles when Fripp messes up, or Gabriel goats instead of singing (though he did that almost constantly in 1970s), or Wright plays piano in the opening part of Sysyphus (do you remember?), and nobody claims about 'false notes' when Stevenson (of Zopp) builds a musical phrase from incompatible sounds. But Jester's Joke became an object for obstruction due to much lesser sins. Their vocalist does not let out a squeak, he just sings quite competently but uninspiring. Their instrumentalists never mess up, they just play not as good as Petrucci, Emerson, Peart etc. (Maybe after reading the reviews you think Jester's Joke don't know how to play their instruments at all? If so, then you misunderstood, sorry. Their musicianship is technically worse than Genesis' but better than Pink Floyd's. Just listen.) Their composition technique is also quite good, and none of their irregular sounding instrumental passages is illogical enough to be claimed as false.

So, maybe in addition to a few words about justice, there's a need for a few words about luck? About a good fortune, yep yep. Otherwise I cannot explain Jester's Joke's failure. I found nothing in their music that could deserve so devastating feedback. But due to some mysterious reasons, they failed to get any favour from the audience. There were many prog bands who started with a product which was much worse than Just A Reason To Be Out There. But they got a success - while Jester's Joke were almost unanimously booed. I was unaware of that until now, I bought their CD from Musea in late 1990s and waited for next releases from this undoubtedly promising band... Really, justice is a relative concept. I do realize that my 5 stars is an excessive rating. But the current 1.86-star rating is a low-down trick.

I descover this band tanks to Prog Archives, because the band has such a low rating i was curious how it gone touch my ears this italian band, so i give it a try. At first listning not really bad like the others said, but with lack of passion in my opinion. It's clear that they are begginers in music bussines, the sound and almost everything on the album is childish. But, there are some good parts like the opening track One in a crowd is really good, the riffs from the beggining of the piece is super, no doubt the best from here. Songs range from 14 minutes to 4 and cover a nice range of moods and different tempos.The band also remaind me from a band from the same period from my country Romania, named Compact, the voice specially is one on one. So not a really bad album the prog elements are all over the album, the guitar work is quite enjoyble in places, the keys is where belongs but with a lack of enthusiasm. I will give 3 stars, but this Reson to be out there is less good than others albums where i give 3 stars, more like 2.5 rounded to 3.

On good fortune I bought this album about 13 years ago. I played it and threw it in a dark corner to never play it again. Since I want to review all my prog albums I gave it another listen, maybe my taste had changed or something, you never know. But alas, that was not the case, it still is what it was then: simply not good enough. That is mainly the execution, the performance I'm talking about, these guys are no great musicians to say the least. The only positiv point are the compositions, they are absolutely not bad. Actually, they had better be songwriters than musicians. Just a piece of advice, but I read here that this album of 1990 is their only one so I don't even know if they are still into music at all.

No really, the voacals are poor, the instrumental handling is below moderate, I even hear some false notes in the songs. Too bad, if these songs were played by a class act like Arena, Pendragon or Clepsydra for instance it could have had 4 or 5 stars. But now it has to settle for one.

Good lord this is bad! First of all, this is flat out Neo'ish Italian prog of the lowest order, (sorry guys, but I wasted semi-good money on this disc) not Italian Symphonic. They pretty much mimic American bands like Cruicible and Iluvator who mimic 80's prog, (think Marillion, but with not one iota of their talent). Second, Andrea Cordara's vocals are just horrendous. I wish he would have stuck with his native tongue, he may have sounded better; very uninspiring and flat as a sheet of paper. The only track that has him singing halfway decently is the last song, "The End Of A Tale" which also includes their most original musical compostion and most techincally proficient playing. But one song does not an album make, I don't care who you are. Third and final bit of criticism is the god-awful album cover, BLECCH! Hey, I only have myself to blame. I didn't read any reviews of this disc as I found it in the used bin and bought it only because it LOOKED like a prog album. Yeah, sure it's prog. Bad prog! It has the distinction of being the worse disc in my collection. Any takers?

An excellent Prog band from Italy with a real bite! I have had this album in my collection for several years now which is given time and space to be re-discovered every now and then. JESTER'S JOKE offers stand out guitar work which does at times carry a slight Robert FRIPP influence. Keyboards and drums are also quite good and offer nice progressive passages and rhythms. Vocals are mediocre to be honest and although they do not ruin the music, it also does not really enhance it either... kind of plain. The song writing is excellent and sort of has an IQ/MARILLION leaning in aspect. Songs range from 14 minutes to 4 and cover a nice range of moods and different tempos.