Love Jones

Powerful Pain Relief (Zoo)
by Chris Adams

Love Jones‘ label is called “Bourbon With A Splash of Music” and their press release sports a cartoon of a beatnik chick luxuriating with a smoke and a martini. Naturally, I assumed that Powerful Pain Relief would contain the glorious fromage of that highest form of kitsch – lounge music – which, if done correctly, can transform the most banal bedroom into a faux-leopardskin-lined bachelor boudoir, complete with etchings. Imagine my vexation when this album turned out to be nothing more than diluted Sergio Mendes vibes meshed with the excruciating Wonderbread funk of Level 42, largely considered the most hated band of all time. The press release states that the band takes everything personally; well, so do I. Therefore, in the name of the great Dean Martin and all things swank, I hereby proclaim this to be Hate Love Jones Day. Enjoy!