Beware the Jack Frost Blues!

Jack Frost Profile.

Highly Overlooked

In the history of music, as written by us here at KH, Jack Frost's Snow Job is featured under the section - "Highly overlooked." The press virtually ignored it. Likewise radio. An aberration they weren't prepared to deal with, it was unlike other records being made at that time. If the first Jack Frost album was an exploration of styles and influences, Snow Job, the second album, is about getting down to the task at hand.

Rock Solid

There is definitely something solid about Snow Job. The record has a fantastic rock feel to it. With a capital "R". In fact, it probably rocks in a more genuine sense, than any other record this pair have been involved in. More than that, it is both tasteful and tasty rock which never becomes a gratuitous "cocks'r'out" experience. As one would hope from such sensitive songwriters...

Bring On the Guitars

Having worked out how two such individual and identifiable songwriters could make a record together on their debut, self titled album, SK and GWM decided to record something stripped of the artifice of production - a characteristic of all real, rock records. SK had just completed the soundtrack to the abominable film "Reckless Kelly" which had left a sour taste. Being many weeks of hard work programming (all unused), the idea of doing a "live" and "real" record using mainly guitars seemed very appealing.

No one's Gettin' Fat 'Cept....

An auspicious TV special was show the night before recording began, about the Mamas and the Papas. This inspired SK and GW to make an album full of rich harmonies and intricate melodies. As is often the case, this initial idea formed an important base for the start of recording, although only a hint of it may be noticeable on the finished product. Note the harmonies on JF Blues, Pony Express and Aviatrix.

Powles Apart

It was also the recording which was to usher in the full drumming capabilities of Tim Powles. Tim had worked on the Church's "Sometime Anywhere" but became more "part of the band" with Snow Job. RK sat in on the sessions as engineer, as he was living upstairs at the time, and lends his input to a couple of the tracks. It is also the first album to be recorded at the newly christened Karmic Hit studios.

Going for it - tight as...

And so SK, GW and TP squeezed into the confines of the original KH studio in Surry Hills, began jamming and jotting their way through the album. After a basic jam, where a rough arrangement was worked out, they would "go for one" and start recording. Often the time between these processes was less than an hour. They were trying to capture the spontaneity and immediateness as it happened. A task at which they were very successful. Although this is SK's favoured method for recording, it is amazing that the record sounds so tight, considering the "band" were so unused to playing together.

Whose On First?

When all the music was written the lyrics were tackled, normally by whoever had an idea first, or felt that the other guy had the first idea last time. It is unusual to find two lyricists writing so seamlessly together. One could easily pick up a train of thought, take it somewhere else and leave it to be picked up again by the first person. Then again, if ever an Australian songwriter was going to be compatible with someone as unique as SK, it had to be G.W McLennan. Rarely did the two find any disagreement.

But Are There Any Guitar Solos?

It is interesting to note the guitar playing on Snow Job. Considering both SK and GW are renowned as bass players, the guitars are both sophisticated and dexterously handled. There are even a couple of solos!

Hanging Around

Snow Job had an extended shelf life. It sat around on tape for a couple of years before anyone got around to mixing it. Luckily, the music on Snow Job is timeless. The reasons for this time between finishing and release are unclear. Perhaps due to other projects Snow Job was put on the back burner. Others claim the affliction of "chronic musician's laziness" also may have played a part. One thing is certain, both SK and GW were extremely proud of this recording, citing it as amongst their finest work.

Find out the inside info on every 'Snow Job' track...