By: David de Young
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Members: Sarah Khan - vocals/keyboards Official website: http://www.jonasmpls.com |
Jonas is a Minneapolis band that has found their sound and their niche. That's no small achievement, and is often the determining factor between mere local success and actually having a fighting chance for rock stardom. Rising above a local scene requires a sound that can be picked out even as a band veers stylistically from one song to the next. What I've heard of Jonas leads me to believe they could easily be one of the next bands to break out of the Twin Cities music scene.
Jonas' vocalist Sarah Khan not only has a great voice for rock and roll, but one that withstands comparisons to other female pop vocalists. As you search for comparisons, Siouxsie Sioux of Siouxsie and the Banshees comes to mind---but in the end, Khan's voice is all her own.
Khan is complimented by the singing guitar of Mark Illaug, the solid drums of Scott Haughawout and the more recently added (since their debut album anyway) John Ancell on bass. At Thursday's Jonas show at the 400 Bar I was impressed both sonically and visually, as well as being drawn in by the vibe this band presents--or should I say conjures up, since some of their vibe is on the magical side.
Stylistically, I might say Jonas sounds like a marriage of The Cocteau Twins and Placebo, The Cocteau's for their shimmery, room-transforming abilities and Placebo for their tense, engaging euro/brit rock and roll. You'll hear both such influences immediately in from the first couple songs on their excellent and diverse CD, Vodka Fondu House (MySpleen! Records, 2001.) Song one "Jagamuga" (a former Pulse, Twin Cities song of the week) being a beckoning Cocteau Twins-like ballad, and song two "Skin" being a haunting sort of Placebo meets Liz Phair or Polly Harvey rock and roll song.
There is no doubt in my mind that in their current manifestation that Jonas would be a hit in England, especially on this summer's festival circuit, if they were given that chance. They've got that dreamy quality to their music is amplified by the outdoors and the sunshine. Also Khan appears to be the female answer to Brian Molko (Placebo), albeit without Mr. Molko's occasionally nasal and whiny vocals, and finally, Jonas is not just a good band headed up by a charismatic female singer with a great voice. Jonas really knocks how to rock!
Opening Thursday with an appropriately titled song called "1-2-3 Go!" Khan was looking both punky with her nose ring and glittery in a long back sweater coat. Her performance Thursday was downright exuberant at times. (Sadly I was without my digital camera this night, but if anyone has a good photo of this show I would be glad to publish it here.)
Khan moved to the keyboard for the second song, "Sun Sequence." Cool Cure-like phlanged and echoey guitars gave the sparse stage a kind of small kingdom-like look over which Khan presided as matriarch.
The full sound of their album, produced by Bryan Hanna (Dylan Hicks, the Hang Ups) is well-represented in their live performance. Khan's personal and vocal style is a perfect match for the music and drags you into it, as she wrings her hands, and moves them gracefully in the air as if she were some kind of thousand-handed Avalokitesvara or Kannon, all the while making eye contact with the band and audience members. You realize that she knows you are there, and that's a reassuring feeling.
Live, the album's second song "Skin" comes across with Ride-like guitars and hollow Joy Division drums. It was immediately obvious that Jonas is just plain more interesting to watch and listen to than a lot of bands; and there are no weak links.
"God Shagged the Queen" is practically hardcore-infused rockabilly, but again with those singing guitars and Kahn's deadpan spoken vocals "God Save the Queen of Rock and Roll." Hell, right now it just might be Khan.
If you haven't seen Jonas yet, put some credibility back in your rock talk and do so. Pick up a copy of their album as its energy, passion and diversity will be sure to impress. Having listened to it Jonas may still surprise you live. But in a world where so much is predictable, pleasant surprises like this are very nice to come by.
Location Info:
400 Bar
Artist Info: Jonas
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