With a name like "the Jingle Kings," one might expect the band's music to be pop ditties, but instead these tunes are light and airy electronics pieces, more ambient than anything.

The electronics are delicate, pensive. Sparse texturals establish moody backdrops which are then tempered by auxiliary electronics of a rather mellow nature. These atmospheric aspects often exhibit a heavenly character, so gentle are their resonance. Tender keyboards contribute pleasant riffs that drift like leaves on the slow-moving surface of a country brook, buoyant and lovely. Sparkling chords achieve a manifest clarity when presented in this minimal fashion.

Some percussives are used in a few pieces. In one track the rhythms are sedate, the beats soft and imbued with more of a gurgle than any bang. While another song offers traditional drums, albeit in a subdued manner.

For all their serene qualities, these compositions are quite melodic. While the structure is almost simplistic, the result is particularly satisfying. The tunes convey a pacific demeanor, designed to enhance relaxation. The listener finds themselves immersed in an affable milieu whose passive predilection becomes quite infectious.
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Okay, I admit it: When I opened the envelope and I saw The Jingle Kings written on the CD cover, I groaned and braced myself for the worst. I mean, there are some unusual names out there, but how could I possibly take seriously a name like The Jingle Kings? Instead of worrying, what I should have done was just start listening. Because The New Megalopolis is a set of thoughtful, emotive, slow-moving drifts and downtempo tunes that ease their way through your head, fully intent on making you relax. This is must-loop material; set on repeat it comes across as long, lush stretches of warm colors and soft tones punctuated with strong, attention-grabbing sonic elements--the dramatic whir that moves the title track along, the gorgeous vocals in "The Islam Courts," the sudden burst of folk singing in "Watch Out Africa." These are mile-markers charting the course of your journey, rising up briefly along the smooth road laid down in tracks like "Turn to Dust," "Eco Pain" and the hypnotically silky "No Man's Land," just to make sure you're still there. Kudos to the Jingle King himself, Jeffrey Bridges. In The New Megalopolis he has created a genuinely deep, varied and fascinating CD.
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