Drive Safe, the debut record from New Orleans' Jai Alai, is a big, ambitious record. It's so big and ambitious that after several listens, I'm really not sure I understand who Jai Alai are or what it is they're trying to accomplish. On the surface, you're expecting big, grand epic post-rock; the cover art is rather blurry and trippy, and the album's nearly seventy minutes long. True, such things are superficial, but it's the thing that sets the mood and tone for the listening experience. Instead of post-rock, you'll soon discover that Jai Alai, for all intents and purposes, is a jazz band, and a pretty good one to boot.
Because they've loaded down their album with songs, Drive Safe--which never rises above being anything less than pleasant, if not occasionally generic indie-rock/jazz a la Sea and Cake--really never seems to solidify. Jai Alai's music is really good, but because they've loaded down their album with so many, the band effectively kills any chance of creating a strong, cohesive album. Sure, when you listen to each song individually, you're impressed by their musical skills, but when you try to listen to Drive Safe, you can't really find an identity. Thus, no one song really stands out; the mellow feel of the record is nice, but that alone doesn't make for a great record. Drive Safe is a good record that's unfortunately been smothered by ambition. To be fair, the album lists fifteen songs, and the unlisted track goes on for ten minutes, with half of the song being silence, but still, the fact remains--Drive Safe is top heavy.
People, when you release your debut record, edit it, please. Let this be a lesson for you young musicians out there: had Jai Alai been a bit more strict about their editing, they could have released a really impressive debut album and a wonderful follow-up EP, or, heck, this could easily have been two wonderful albums! Instead, Drive Safe is an album that's overwhelmingly underwhelming, which is a shame, because I do believe that these guys have potential.
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.jaialaimusic.com
Label Website: http://www.sunseasky.com
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