Just Jack - Overtones
Release Date: January 29, 2007
Label: Universal



You have likely heard (or soon will) the first single from this new Just Jack record. Starz In Their Eyes, from its building drumline to its disco-funk guitars, is closer to hip-hop nirvana than any artist has achieved for a few years now. It will be a massive hit. There are also at least two other guaranteed smashes on the record (that�d be opener Writer�s Block and down tempo Disco Friends). So, how about the rest of the album? Well, take a cue from the artist�s chosen moniker and it�ll give you a hint.

Other than its few inspired moments, much of Overtones is just Jack. And, quite frankly, he�s just not interesting enough to fill in the filler. Lyrically, he can�t touch The Streets or Eminem. He�s better than a rapping Robbie Williams, but really who isn�t? When Jack doesn�t have the tunes to back up his rhymes, the record falters and ends up being all too forgettable. There are the bright spots, of course. I Talk Too Much is a welcome dance cut, and No Time�s stabbing string accompaniment and sing-song rhymes are catchy enough. Still, unremarkable tracks like Lost and Symphony Of Sirens are simply too repetitive and dull to care much about.

Just Jack has a unique sound and can certainly carry a tune better than most MCs, yet he is more often than not let down by his hooks. A trio of cuts bolsters the beginning of Overtones. Starz In Their Eyes alone has enough power to work listeners into a frenzy, but that track�s energy is in short supply throughout the rest of the album. C+

Key Tracks: Starz In Their Eyes, Writer�s Block, Disco Friends