If I Only Had a Brain...I'd Have Checked This Album Out Sooner!
Nov 26 '02
Pros
Gifted artist and lyricist, eclectic modern jazz/rock/dance.
Cons
May be a bit too eclectic and strange for some listeners.
The Bottom Line
A lovely, promising album...it's too bad that Griffin has since disappeared off the face of the musical Earth...
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It took three albums before Mark Griffin, aka MC 900 Ft. Jesus, had much more than a cult and college following.
Griffin’s alias came from a sermon by Oral Roberts. From this humble, tongue-in-cheek beginning, the Texas mixer of music became a hit on underground radio in 1990 with his Nettwork debut Hell with the Lid Off. The jazzier, funkier sophomore effort Welcome to My Dream was a minor success. But it was with One Step Ahead of the Spider that Griffin finally was awarded some mainstream attention…probably in part due to the major label support from American.
One Step Ahead of the Spider quietly debuted on shelves in June 1994. Soon thereafter, the album got a boost from MTV and as a result of the groovy, thumping If I Only Had a Brain. While the single got plenty of support, the album itself remained relatively ignored. This is a shame because in much the same vein as Tricky or Beck, MC 900 Ft. Jesus was fearless and experimental even if at times he was a bit too adventurous for some listeners.
Griffin filled a ridiculous number of shoes on this 1994 album. He played guitar, trumpet, and keyboards, was a vocalist, and even acted as producer. Other less notable individuals played a minor part in the overall album’s creation, but it’s not worth a mention when Griffin was so amazingly instrumental. While the whole of the album is impressive, there are a few minor issues that need to be addressed. Most problematic are Griffin’s drawled, unsure, and wobbly vocals. Most of the time, it’s easy to overlook this issue because of the overwhelming focus on beat and entire picture. But at other times (like on the cover of Stare and Stare), it’s nearly impossible to see past his deficiency.
But as far as albums go, One Step Ahead of the Spider is a happy surprise. Difficult to classify, on the whole easy on the ears, and often humorous, Griffin’s product is unquestionably worth a listen. It is for this reason that it’s so perplexing that MTV ever gave If I Only Had a Brain any attention…it was unlike anything else really of the time and most certainly different than the rock and roll, dance, and pop of 1994. But it’s also for this reason that listeners (like myself) were willing to give Griffin a chance. For that opportunity, it’s necessary to thank MTV…as much as it pains me to do so…
That aforementioned watershed single, If I Only Had a Brain, is a flawless song. While great, it’s not an accurate representation of Griffin or the album as a whole. It is too overtly upbeat, electronic and funky in a more modern way than the other ten tracks. But with that said, these none-too-subtle differences are also what make the song a standout and the most commercially appealing of One Step Ahead of the Spider. The layers of keyboards, drum machines, and Griffin’s talk-rap-sing method are all refreshing. And to make it even more resonant, the lyrics are both witty and catchy:
Suppose I accidentally got my sh*t together
Would I get a medal?
Or a pat on the back and a little feather
I could stick in my cap or pin it to my shirt
Go out in the yard and poke it in the dirt
Or leave it in the woods where it couldn’t be found
If it fell over, would it make a sound?
And if so, would it be the sound that you like?
Or should I do it over, until I get it right?
Featuring the guitarist Vernon Reid’s (of acclaimed hard rock band Living Colour) talented fingers, Stare and Stare is the only track on the album not written by Griffin. In actuality, the track was written by Curtis Mayfield…and seems more fitting to the writer rather than this Texan. The music is flawless, but Griffin’s spoken lyrics are just too forced, warbling and ultimately annoying. It’s probably the worst track on the album.
But fortunately One Step Ahead of the Spider has eight more tracks, each with wonderfully rich and inviting funky jazz lines combined with more common dance and rock elements. Tiptoe Through the Inferno is a diverse and clever track meant to be taken serious on a musical level but laughed at on a lyrical level. Once again Griffin excels in his lyricism…it’s easy to imagine him standing on a darkly lit stage in a smoky bar dictating softly over the top of a jazz band consisting of a keyboard, saxophone, and drums. It’s brilliantly fascinating.
I personally have never been locked up
But that is because I personally have never been insane
Nor have I ever personally, that is to say, as a person, been a criminal.
You, on the other hand, are obviously crazy
This is a scientific fact that is instinctively and intuitively obvious
To all peoples of all races, creeds, and colors.
And in all walks of life.
Clocking in at over eight minutes, Bill’s Dream is a trippy modern jazz track. It’s difficult to name influences, but logic would suggest that Miles Davis is to blame for Griffin’s fascination with the entire genre and subsequent seamless recreation on this album. As already mentioned, much of the album is funk/jazz instead of what you’d expect by listening to that aforementioned single hit. Also of note is the album closer, Rhubarb. Lighter and layered with samples on top of keyboards the track is certainly eclectic and injected with an ambience unlike the other selections. Strangely compelling, Rhubarb is somehow one of the more interesting tracks and a must listen.
Overall, One Step Ahead of the Spider is an interesting and enlightening experience. It’s not what one would expect out of a classically trained musician hailing from Texas…especially one self-dubbed MC 900 Ft. Jesus. The album isn’t for all listeners, but those already interested in jazz, experimental music, or even that one hit single might enjoy the tracks. Strange, yes. Compelling, yes. But buy with care.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. New Moon
02. But If You Go
03. If I Only Had a Brain
04. Stare and Stare
05. Buried at Sea
06. Tiptoe Through the Inferno
07. Gracías Pepé
08. New Year’s Eve
09. Bill’s Dream
10. Rhubarb
Recommended:
Yes
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