The two album series are concept albums that are
scientifically designed to bring the listener to a position of happiness. Jolly
used binaural tones throughout the albums to help bring the listener to their
state of happiness. Binaural tones are two tones with slightly offset
frequencies played simultaneously in stereo headphones. While listening to
these tones, the brain will perceive a third “phantom tone,” and this third
tone will alter the brain’s natural frequency. The result will be an altered
state of consciousness, and the listener will feel “happier.” Jolly worked with
a university professor who administered studies on over 5,000 subjects to help
the band correctly use binaural tones and achieve the best listening
experience. The two albums are made up of four stages, acknowledging
confinement, diffusing coping mechanisms, transcending the subjective, and
achieving happiness. These four stages are introduced by a very calm woman’s
voice.
With all that aside, the music of Jolly’s latest release,
The Audio Guide To Happiness Part 2,
has some good music. The band creates a balance between a hard metal sound and
smooth melodic rock. This is best represented by lead singer, Anadale, who has
some slightly gritty vocals, but can also provide smooth harmonies. With this
second album of the series having a running time of just short of an hour, it’s
a lot of music to take in, especially if one listens to parts one and two in
one sitting. Even with the amount of music, these albums contain some songs
worth the time.
“You Against The World” is a great Jolly song that
represents the band’s sound well. Anadale provides some great vocals on this,
and the band’s harmonies during the choruses are superb. Louis Abramson keeps a
great beat going with his drumming, and Andale completes the package with his
guitar playing. Anthony Rondinone’s bass skills are also worth noting in this
song.
The first song on the final phase, “Lucky” is a more
upbeat song. Joe Reilly’s video-game-sounding keyboard helps with this more
upbeat feeling. Also, Anadale’s singing has a more friendly and positive tone
on this track. Even the song’s theme of being lucky is a more positive image
the band presents.
“The Grand Utopia,” the final track of The Audio Guide To Happiness, is an
excellent song. While listening to the album, Jolly seems to be progressing as
a band from track to track, and “The Grand Utopia” is their most progressive
song of the album series. Reilly’s keyboard playing gives the song a different
feeling from the rest of the album, with it being more prominent than in
previous albums. Anadale provides his best vocals on this song with some really
nice melodies.
Jolly is great band that isn’t afraid of trying new
things with music, and The Audio Guide To
Happiness is a great example of that. Whether the albums actually make you
happy are not, they are filled with some great music. It is nice to see a band
that doesn’t stick to the same formula of a half hour of music that contains
one or two singles and a lot of filler. These albums are great from beginning
to end. I can’t wait to see what Jolly comes up with next. If you’re looking
for a new musical experience or maybe if you want to be happier, check out The Audio Guide To Happiness.
4/5 Stars
Key
Tracks: You Against The World, Lucky, The Grand Utopia
Craig Kidd - MuzikReviews.com Staff
April 3, 2013
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