...AND ALL THE KINGS MEN

This is a reissue of Jump's 1994 album, with a couple of extra tracks. Jump have always been a hard band to categorise, as they play very much a form of English Rock that often finds them appealing to progressive rock fans but in reality they have little in common with other bands of the genre.

In the strength of the lyrics, they probably have much in common with The Levellers, and it is the passion of John Dexter Jones that gives the songs their honesty. With the battling guitars of Pete Davies and Steve Hayes, drummer Andy Barker, bassist Hugh Gascoyne and keyboard player Mo, this is a band that has played/play all over the country and the songs are honed from stagecraft. By the time they hit the studio the chaff has been removed and each of the albums is a joy.

This contains the powerful "Judgement Day" when Chrissie Hammond (Rick Wakeman) adds her to John's to provide a classic. Along with "Shed No Tears", "Share The Shame" and "All The King's Horses" this was their strongest album to date and it was due to this that Mark Kelly of Marillion got involved and produced the next album. Now again freely available, and with come bonus songs to boot, it is well worth getting.

Originally appeared in Feedback #62, May 01