Jackalope

Involving 37 different artists from a variety of backgrounds obviously seemed like a good idea to electronic music veteran Dave "Rave” Ogilvie. After all, involving so much talent could only ensure a great product, right? Despite featuring contributions from musical veterans like Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and members of Sloan, Jackalope is less a showcase of talent than it is proof that there is no substitute for actual chemistry between artists. The end result, which is nothing more than electronic-based pop music, features passionate vocal performances by a young artist named Katie B. This does not seem to be the best project for her talents, however, and most songs come across as easily forgettable. The synth work is decent and the songs are performed adequately, but the overall sound and feeling behind the disc is weak. Tracks like "Feel It” and "Don’t Cry” lie on the fluffy side of the music realm and this release offers little new or groundbreaking. With so much talent and experience backing the project up, it is unfortunate the outcome is watered-down. Nothing against Dave Ogilvie’s vision — this could have been creative and fresh. Instead, it is stale and disappointing.