Various Artists: Green 15 - The Jib Machine Records 15th Anniversary Compilation

Jib Machine Records are a name introduced to me by their recent link up with hard rocking bluesman Mike Onesko and also his Blindside Blues Band. It would seem, however, that I’ve missed out on 15 years of fun from this Cleveland, Ohio label, who are releasing the Green 15 compilation to both highlight the work they do and celebrate that first decade and half of releasing music by independent artists. Interestingly this collection, curated by label President/CEO, John Templeton, doesn’t just feature tracks from Jib’s past, but also their future, some previously unreleased tracks and in a bout of altruism, some from acts not signed to the label, but who are seen as extended Jib friends and family.

Split across two discs - the white and the green - there are actually 30 tracks, all by different artists, to get your teeth into and if there’s one thing that I’ve picked up from this compilation it’s that Jib Machine are an eclectic collective. Yes, there’s the heavy blues rock I was expecting, Blindside Blues Band’s “Hit The Highway� hailing from their recent live release, Live At Satyr Blues, while Mouth Of Clay offer up a more countrified slice of ripping roaring rock that leans into Black Crowes territory. Eli Fletcher and his “Cold� also falls into this world, an instrumental guitar piece impressing as it does so, whereas 7th Day Creeps implore “Somebody Get Me A Drink� with a more impish, punkish grin. And that is an indicator of another aspect you’ll find here, Gwazi heading to “Macintosh County� with a shouty snot nosed attitude I hadn’t expected. But then The Drug Fux add a garagey fuzz to “Do U Wanna?� and I have to be honest and say I’m not sure if I do… Johnny Mowhawk And The Assassins are much more straight ahead with their shout and point “American Punk� but, even then, this is barely half the story.

“Suffocate� from David Curtis Band sounds like an emotional building ballad that Little Angels would have been proud of a couple of decades ago, while Dave Brooks & A Cast Of Thousands takes us to “Mexico� with an acoustic sleaze-like surge. The War Toys then bring another acoustic slant with the 60s inflected vocal harmonies of “The Major Fall Of Minor Men�, before Dizzy Dizzy MK II are “Seedy Undesirable� in such a loose way that you’re always preparing to catch things as they just about fall apart; so ramshackle is this punk pout. With Pat Zelenka sliding through a restrained blues workout in “Patrick Je Blues� and 9E$VS (w/Charlie) heading in a more bulgingly Clutch direction with “Damned If I Lose�, the diversity keeps on coming.

And we’re not done yet, Poor Ass Leon landing somewhere between punk and extreme metal, Brad Demiter providing a short, loosely cajun guitar interlude, while Philomena Gales then offers up a reasonably straight, if expertly rearranged, take on “O Holy Night�. Leaving “Old School X� by The Penfield Experience to be a thumping, bumping dance workout, “Goof 4 U� to be another strummed acoustic number that might not have been out of place on Tesla’s Five Man Acoustical Jam and “Kristen The Sex Kitten� to grind its garage grunge into submission. And that’s really only scratching the surface of what can be an, at times, overwhelmingly diverse journey.

Credit to Jib Machine, any label able to survive 15 years while supporting less celebrated artists deserves our praise and attention. The 30 songs on Green 15 might not be to everyone’s taste and it’s unlikely that many of us will like each and every one. However, if ever there was, this is a case of something for everyone and long may this organisation continue in that very same ethos.

Track Listing
White Disc (CD1)
1. Hostile Omish - Harley Girl
2. Hot Ham & Cheese - 12-Step Billy
3. Blindside Blues Band - Hit the Highway (LIVE)
4. Eli Fletcher - Cold
5. The Natch - New New Wave
6. 7th Day Creeps - Somebody Get Me A Drink
7. Johnny Mohawk and the Assassins - American Punk
8. The Drug Fux - Do U Wanna?
9. Dizzy Dizzy MK II - Seedy Undesirable
10. Pontius Pilot - Mister Sinister
11. SMF - Evel Knievel & God
12. Poor Ass Leon - You Know They Are
13. the j. pyramid - Barkie’s Revenge
14. The Penfield Experience - Old Skool X
15. “Slowhand� Jack Lobgold - Kristen the Sex Kitten

Green Disc (CD2)
1. Slammin Gladys - Dragon Eye Girl
2. Mouth of Clay - Light Me Up
3. Alcoholik Spok - Starship Chainsaw (2019 Remix)
4. Gwazi - Macintosh County
5. The Kwik - Big Party
6. David Curtis Band - Suffocate
7. Dave Brooks & A Cast of Thousands - Mexico
8. The War Toys - The Major Fall of Minor Men
9. Dennis Baker - Bleed
10. Pat Zelenka - Patrick je Blues
11. 9E$V$ (w/Charlie) - Damned If I Lose
12. I.D. - Suicidal Ride
13. Brad Demiter - Sophie
14. Philomena Gales - O Holy Night
15. J TEMP 13 - Good 4 U

Added: May 25th 2019
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Green 15 at CD Baby
Hits: 1313
Language: english

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