CD, self-released, 2004
www.cdbaby.com/cd/jerrycolburn
Not without wit or moments of quality, Jerry Colburn’s solo release “Smell The Love” is a departure from drumming in Little Rock punk bands and is marked by consistency and curiosity, but this arguably won’t be a hit with every listener.
Steady electropo-styled synth bass thumps offering echoes of New Order in the opening track, “Buzzy the Squirrel” – with icy drums chattering in and out framing pretty string arrangements. The track quickly becomes an “Evening in Newark” – listeners will find short attention spans quelled as the whole disc collects many shorter songs into one constant drive – perhaps a reflection of Colburn’s punk roots.
Synth bass steadily holds up a decidedly fusion jazz riff to create a sense of soundtrack – each song blending and pushed forward by the beat. Matters go pleasantly awry somehow with “Watts for Dinner” – which is more of the same, but chopped up frenetically and shotgun-peppered with strange sampling. There are elements of krautrock here – the Autobahn-like keyboard lines weaving in and out of funk guitar chords.
Overall “Smell the Love” is a strange piece of work, a punk drummer having a sharp crack at electronic music – using instrumentation like bright acrylic paint thrown in haphazard patterns across the canvas of the sequencer. On repeated listening it tired and confused me, but it has points of cleverness and listenability.
[5/10]
— James Ryan