Fool (Jameszoo album)

Fool
Studio album by
Jameszoo
Released13 May 2016 (2016-05-13)
GenreJazz[1]
Length43:26
LabelBrainfeeder
ProducerMitchel van Dinther
Jameszoo chronology
Fool
(2016) 		Blind
(2022)

Fool is the debut studio album by Dutch record producer Mitchel van Dinther under the pseudonym Jameszoo.[2][3] It was released on 13 May 2016 through Brainfeeder. It received generally favorable reviews from critics.[4]

Background

Jameszoo first emerged as a DJ in the 2000s.[2] Subsequently, he began producing music.[2] His debut 7-inch single, "Leaf People", was released in 2011.[2] He then released the Guanyin Psittacines EP (2012), the Faaveelaa EP (2012), and the Jheronimus EP (2013).[2] Fool is his debut studio album.[2]

Fool was recorded within six months.[5] During the making of the album, Jameszoo drew inspiration from the albums by Arthur Verocai, Steve Kuhn, and Robert Wyatt.[6] The album features guest appearances from Verocai (on "Flu") and Kuhn (on "The Zoo").[7] It also includes performances by multiple musicians.[8] The album's cover art is Jameszoo's portrait painted by Philip Akkerman.[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic80/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
ConsequenceB–[11]
Exclaim!9/10[12]
Pitchfork6.9/10[13]
PopMatters9/10[1]
Record Collector[14]
Resident Advisor4.0/5[7]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Fool received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 80 out of 100 from 8 critic scores.[4]

Paul Simpson of AllMusic described the album as "a playful amalgamation of influences ranging from outer-space jazz-funk to Brazilian rhythms, painstakingly crafted to sound spontaneous and unpredictable."[10] He added, "Fool is the type of album that defies logic, moving from discordant moments to heartfelt melodies to whimsical, childlike glee within the span of minutes."[10] Derek Staples of Consequence stated, "In true Brainfeeder-fashion, Fool is a narrative constructed through the shared ethos of experimentation in both the left-field jazz and electronic communities."[11]

Emmanuel Elone of PopMatters commented that the album melds "Jameszoo's sonic eccentricities and experimentation with great performances, stellar musicians, and off-the-beaten-path instrumentation."[1] Will Pearson of Exclaim! stated, "The musicianship of the guest artists is impressive, and Jameszoo's interpretations of their work are startlingly creative."[12] He added, "The whole package is likely to be one of the year's best, and certainly one of its most original."[12]

PopMatters placed the song "Flake" at number 44 on their year-end list of "The Best Songs of 2016".[15]

Track listing

Fool track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Flake"
3:51
2."Lose"Dinther4:07
3."Soup"Dinther4:01
4."Flu" (featuring Arthur Verocai)
  • Dinther
  • Broos
5:08
5."Wrong"Dinther3:37
6."Meat"
4:53
7."The Zoo" (featuring Steve Kuhn)Steve Kuhn5:00
8."Crumble"
  • Dinther
  • Broos
2:33
9."Nail" (skit)
  • Dinther
  • Broos
2:29
10."Toots"Dinther5:17
11."Teeth"Dinther2:28
Total length:43:26

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.[16]

  • Mitchel van Dinther – synthesizer (1–6, 8, 10), other instruments, production, recording, mixing
  • Niels Broos – piano (1), synthesizer (1–4, 6, 8–10), Wurlitzer piano (4, 8, 9), Rhodes piano (7), organ (10)
  • Dries Laheye – bass guitar (1)
  • Frank Wienk – percussion (1, 7)
  • Raphael Vanoli – bass guitar (2, 9, 11)
  • Marzio Scholten – guitar (3)
  • John Dikeman – tenor saxophone (3, 6, 11)
  • Julian Sartorius – drums (3–6, 8, 10, 11)
  • Carlos Dafé – vocals (4)
  • Arthur Verocai – guitar (4)
  • Frans Petter Eldh – bass guitar (4, 7)
  • Oene van Geel – viola (4, 7, 11)
  • Richard Eigner – prepared piano (5)
  • Eric van der Westen – double bass (5, 10)
  • August Rosenbaum – organ (6), synthesizer (6)
  • Stephen Bruner – bass guitar (6)
  • Steve Kuhn – vocals (7), Rhodes piano (7)
  • Mete Erker – tenor saxophone (10)
  • Vincent Helbers – recording, mixing
  • Daddy Kev – mastering
  • Adam Stover – design, layout
  • Philip Akkerman – cover painting
  • JHoeko – painting photography

References

  1. ^ a b c Elone, Emmanuel (2 May 2016). "Jameszoo: Fool". PopMatters. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, Paul. "Jameszoo". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  3. ^ Kearney, Philip (10 May 2016). "Exclusive: Stream Jameszoo's Debut LP on Brainfeeder". XLR8R. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Fool by Jameszoo". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  5. ^ Fintoni, Laurent (13 April 2016). "Jameszoo's Strange, Funky Debut Doesn't Fit in Anywhere, and That's the Point". Vice. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  6. ^ Louche, Liz (15 March 2016). "Jameszoo announces debut of naive computer jazz on Brainfeeder". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  7. ^ a b Pearl, Max (18 June 2016). "Jameszoo - Fool". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  8. ^ Elone, Emmanuel (31 May 2016). "Fool's Gold: An Interview with Jameszoo". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  9. ^ Gillespie, Blake (19 May 2016). "Jameszoo Talks Birth of the Fool". Impose. Archived from the original on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  10. ^ a b c Simpson, Paul. "Fool - Jameszoo". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  11. ^ a b Staples, Derek (10 May 2016). "Jameszoo – Fool". Consequence. Archived from the original on 10 May 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  12. ^ a b c Pearson, Will (11 May 2016). "Jameszoo". Exclaim!. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  13. ^ Scheim, Benjamin (17 May 2016). "Jameszoo: Fool". Pitchfork. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  14. ^ Needs, Kris (15 June 2016). "Fool | Jameszoo". Record Collector. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  15. ^ "The Best Songs of 2016 (page 3)". PopMatters. 7 December 2016. Archived from the original on 9 December 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  16. ^ Jameszoo (2016). Fool (CD booklet). Brainfeeder.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.