Cap’n Jazz stands above many bands being the pioneers of the Emo, Midwest Emo, and post-hardcore sound. After the short-lived cult band disbanded, members of the band went on to form some of the most influential Emo music of all time such as Joan of Arc, American football, and The Promise Ring. Studio Album Shamp’n Shmazz is a collection of 12 of the most original songs of all time, which in my perspective has stood as a piece of media that most songs feel derivative from. Analphabetapolology is a compilation of many other Cap’n Jazz songs which released in 1998. So I’ll really only be commenting on the first 12-13. Right from the start of the album on Little League we are hit with the unique vocals of Tim Kinsella, and the strange yet emotional lyrics that embody this album. Moving on to the next track Oh Messy Life the chorus You are colder than oldness could ever be has meaning hollering every time I hear it. Tim’s extremely emotional and amateur voice lead us to a point of musical youth, these songs all have that same element of “garage band, breakup, teen movie”. Track 7 Basils Kite starts off with a dirty guitar tone into one of the coolest breakdowns ever. The song throws us a curveball in the middle building up with some horn and then selling it to everybody with one of the coolest forms of lyrical play I’ve heard. The next track 8 gives us something completely different, a 1 minute mainly instrumental song with strange and youthful lyrics. All in all this album is so diverse and raw to me that it will always be something that I come back to and reflect upon. 10/10 Masterpiece
