Search - Jessamine :: Jessamine

One of the most overlooked albums of the decade.

Lee L. | 08/23/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In my opinion, of course that shouldn't mean anything to you, this is one of the best records to come out of the nineties. The brilliant blends of guitar chaos and moog composition combined with a bass line that shakes the foundation of the soul and relentless pounding of the drums reminds one of something that you have never heard all over again. The sounds range from the aquatic feel of Ordinary sleep and Cellophane to the intensely psycedelic swirls of Inevetibly. One trick Pony pulls at the heartstrings while building a symphony of electronic notes to create a shimmering crescendo of spinning noise. If you haven't heard these guys you are missing out on something incredible."

A gem from almost a decade ago...

Lee L. | Washington DC | 05/13/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I guess everyone was too caught up in grunge to take notice of this fantastic album. Full of fuzzed out guitars, strong drumming, infectious bass lines, and very nice female/male vocal harmonies, this is probably one of the most underrated albums of the nineties. It doesn't take long for this album to get inside your head and stay there. This group was definitely ahead of its time, but they did make a dent. The relatively better known Bardo Pond picked up where Jessamine left off, so if you're a fan of Bardo Pond or any other spacey fuzzy rock music, this album is a must have."

Blissfully in their own world.

RockerDad | Renton, WA USA | 08/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jessamine was a wonderful band that never quite seemed to find their audience in their own hometown. Originating in Seattle, they easily got lost amidst the whole 'grunge' shuffle going on in the early/mid 90's. Sure, there were a few other bands doing a vaguely similar space rock/drone/electronic thing (Sky Cries Mary and Diamond Fist Werny come to mind), but not quite as perfectly honed as these guys. Somehow, Jessamine managed to capture the aura/essence of several different, yet related, strains of rock, and form it into their own new sound. Take 'krautrock' (can), 'shoegazer' (Slowdive), and the burgeoning 'post-rock' movement (Slint), toss it in a blender, and you have the basis for the great Jessamine smoothie that appeared on this album.



Their minor college-rock 'hit' Cellophane (KCMU used to play the hell out of it) is what originally drew me to the band. Somehow, its surreal beauty always makes me think of an imaginary David Lynch film. There are several other great otherwordly rockers as well (Ordinary Sleep and Secret in particular stand out), but the band was attempting more here than just being the west coast Swirlies. A couple of tracks start to hint at their interest in experimental and improvisational music that they would focus on in their next album-One Trick Pony being the best example.



It's not often mentioned, but current local rock luminaries Kinski owe a lot to Jessamine, particularly on their album Airs Above Your Station. It's interesting (and awesome) that the music climate has shifted, so there is now a place for a band like Kinski to find success. Hopefully, their fans will come and discover this spectacular album filled with amazing sounds."