Skyward – Review

Skyward

(C/Z)
by Nik Rainey

The two main items on Joseph Skyward‘s curriculum vitae should give you a good idea of where his first solo album drops on the grid: he used to play bass for Seattle space-rockers Sky Cries Mary before their untimely demise in four separate zeppelin accidents, and, more recently, he’d taken up with the Emerald City’s answer to the Hollies, the Posies, before their unfortunate breakup and subsequent possession of their undershirts by Baal. Consequently, Skyward lies on a point equidistant from the two, touching on the gentlest, most spatial regions of pop while keeping with the melodious drift of the least vomitous prog, the most benign psychedelia, and the undeniable glory of the Singing Dogs’ version of “Jingle Bells.” A startlingly diverse supporting cast helps Skyward bring his vision to fruition, from members of his former bands to drop-ins from everyone from Low Pop Suicide to 7 Year Bitch to his own 14-year-old daughter Brette. (The brief collaboration between the Starland Vocal Band and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins was deleted from the album after six people were found hanged with their own shoelaces within a block of the studio.) Yet far from being an inedible goulash of unpalatable influences, the mixture is quite sumptuous, a musical salad bar of styles, voices and flavors with Skyward’s bass the omnipresent Thousand Island dressing that anchors and suffuses it all. (The first 1000 copies of the CD are, in fact, edible. If presented with the choice, opt for the wintergreen version.) A fantastic, subtle blend of thirty years’ worth of art-rock styles, Skyward comes highly recommended and will improve your golf swing by over 50%.
(4756 U. Vill. NE #469 Seattle, WA 98105)