Jim Johnston

Funny the things you come across when you work at Norman Records. Jim Johnston used to sing in Bristol's sorta trip-hop pioneers Monk And Canatella whose 'Who's Who?' single for some reason became part of my life for a brief period around the end of the 90's - probably due to their association with Portishead. Always thought Johnston had a fairly convincing voice and the duo were one of them anomalies that I couldn't help but be curious about. Oh, and they had that home produced White Town vibe which I liked a lot at the time. As I recall one of their tracks sampled early Mothers Of Invention - I might be wrong but that's how I choose to remember it. Nowadays Johnston is trading in the more traditional singer-songwriter genres of 'rock' and 'pop' and expanding on his guitar technique. 'Voyage Of Oblivion' is not all that far removed from his early work and his voice is such a trademark it's hard to associate it with anything else. So, the beats are gone but the voice remains. Make of that what you will. I'm too confused to make any sense of it. - Norman's Records

Funny the things you come across when you work at Norman Records. Jim Johnston used to sing in Bristol's sorta trip-hop pioneers Monk And Canatella whose 'Who's Who?' single for some reason became part of my life for a brief period around the end of the 90's - probably due to their association with Portishead. Always thought Johnston had a fairly convincing voice and the duo were one of them anomalies that I couldn't help but be curious about. Oh, and they had that home produced White Town vibe which I liked a lot at the time. As I recall one of their tracks sampled early Mothers Of Invention - I might be wrong but that's how I choose to remember it. Nowadays Johnston is trading in the more traditional singer-songwriter genres of 'rock' and 'pop' and expanding on his guitar technique. 'Voyage Of Oblivion' is not all that far removed from his early work and his voice is such a trademark it's hard to associate it with anything else. So, the beats are gone but the voice remains. Make of that what you will. I'm too confused to make any sense of it. - Norman's Records

Solo debutant Jim Johnston (one part of Monk of Canatella and one- time Banksy collaborator) is reputed to have recorded Voyage Of Oblivion live in just one day (we’ll forgive him the four days he took to overdub it). If that is the case then this neat and notable offering is all the more remarkable for that. Taut, clever, nicely arranged and with some nice dark undertones, Johnston and his co-conspirators Martin Dupras, Chris Thomas and Owain Coleman have served up what might, without too much fear of contradiction, be described as accomplished alt/indie rock.

“Misunderstood”, the first single drawn from the album, is a sinister showcase for Johnston’s wide range of influences from 70s classic rock (that’s Jon Lord’s organ in there, surely) through to the cod orchestration of 90s “dance” music, helped down with some crisp, understated guitar. Maybe it shouldn’t work but it does, believe me. “Tin Gods” kicks off in almost headbanging mode before lurching into a similar micro-range of styles as before, all rather angular and simultaneously playful and unsettling. “Halloween” suggests an intriguing Thom York/Karl Wallanger collaboration and is a joy, only slightly marred in the coda by guest singer Ellie Baker, so tastefully restrained in the chorus and elsewhere on the complex “Tin Gods”, who almost blows her big moment with some over-wrought and out-of-context lead vocals which might work perfectly in other settings but not here. The Auteurs-alike “The Last Pilgrim” is one of a fistful of standouts, quite exquisitely melodic but with the trademark brittle guitar, stop-start verse-to-chorus-and-back-to-the bridge links and quirky signature changes all present and correct. “Children of Chaos” is another fine example of what is clearly a Johnston brand and is a strong contender for this month’s iPod compilation along with a number of offerings here. Best of all, though are “Shaken by the Dawn”, simple, tuneful and with a gentle chorus that’s as infectious as chicken pox, and “Hitcher”, my own favourite if only for the closing instrumental - the closest thing here to a wig-out and which Stephen Malkmus fans could do far worse than to check out

You will delight and possibly drive yourself potty in trying to spot all the musical reference points yet Voyage of Oblivion sounds fresh rather than derivative. Granted at almost an hour long and for all its apparent intricacy the patterns can seem predictable in places and whilst lyrically clichéd on occasion, that’s all small beer when set aside the undoubted positives of musicianship, inventiveness and the sheer class of most of the thirteen cuts. We need more of this for our air waves, Radios 2 and 6 Music please take note and check this out, the rest of us would do well to watch the listings and future release pages and support what is a bit of an endangered species in these days of wall-to-wall weepy voiced divas and adenoidal-sounding urbanites talking over other people’s records, namely intelligent, indigenous indie music. Admit it, you’ll miss it when it’s gone. (Ian Fraser) - Terrascope

It is the fact that so many musicians of a certain age still playing the regional circuit slip into the lowest common denominator path of covers, poorly executed, soul deficient blues or three chord folk strums, that makes Jim Johnston such an interesting prospect. And if you think that well crafted indie music…for want of a better term, is the bastion of fresh faced adolescents in skinny jeans and ironic knitwear then think again and buy a copy of Voyage of Oblivion.



The very fact that it is hard to really pin this album down is what I really like about it. Part post-punk experimentations, part fay indie, think Suede or Auteurs, brittle, fractious guitar lines and a slight bluesy undercurrent that is more midnight at Avonmouth Docks than sunrise in the Mississippi Delta! The result is songs that are often cold to the point of being sinister, quirky, angular passages, dark and hushed vocals and an album that might sit uncomfortably with the listener at first. But that’s part of its spiky charm. A few plays on and you will realise that some of the best music is that which isn’t just given to you on a plate. Persevere with this and the end result is even more rewarding even if it will leave you feeling slightly unclean.



If Burials is Brett Anderson singing sleazy nursery rhymes and Perfect is demented homage to Beefheart, the rest of the album is pretty much aware of its own unique identity, though putting that into words is proving a harder task than I expected it to be. Best you just go and buy the album. In a plain wrapper. And don’t let your parents catch you, they just wouldn’t understand. - Green Man Music