Album review: Connan Mockasin, Jassbusters

Connan Mockasin has a new album out titled Jassbusters

Jassbusters, the third album from local psych-pop adventurer Connan Mockasin, is a journey through jazzy, foggy funk.

The album was recorded with a band, a first for Mockasin, resulting in a pleasingly loose jam of an album that's so breezy it runs the risk of floating right past you.

It may be easy listening but Mockasin had a heavy concept in mind; the album is a soundtrack to "a melodrama film" that he created. Titled Bostyn 'n Dobsyn it's apparently about a music teacher and his student. Having not seen the movie I can tell you that this affects your enjoyment of the music not at all, although it might help explain the odd song titles, like B'nd, Les be Honest and Con Conn was Impatient.

Then again, this is the fellow who titled an album Forever Dolphin Love so, ya know, maybe not...

Cinematic ambitions aside, the eight jams here are all well worth your time. The provocatively titled Charlotte's Thong is a cracking opener which rides a smooth jazz-funk groove for almost 10 minutes while Mockasin croons wildly over the top, his vocals slipping erratically around the scale to disguise the majority of his lyrics. A frequent tic of the album.

Elsewhere, Sexy Man is a summery delight, the aforementioned B'nd rides a tasty UMO-esque groove, while Last Night dims the lights for some seductive, bedroom-eyed R & B.

Mockasin has long travelled his own path and here he's stayed true to his ideals and oddities while still making an album that's relatively accessible and highly appealing.

Artist: Connan Mockasin
Album: Jassbusters
Label: Mexican Summer
Verdict: An easy-breezy jam album that's as appealing as it is odd.