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Lately Soul Junk has been heading off in a direction with a lot of hip-hop sounds and electronic experimentation (as in Absalom Recording's recent 3-inch release).  But as a fan of their earliest work, I was pleasantly surprised to pick up 1942, and EP featuring just six songs.

Musically, it is reminiscent of their earliest low-fi work, but with Daniel Smith (Danielson Famile) at the helm, there are some interesting twists and additions.  Thematically, the disc seems to center around a variety of incidents in the Bible that deal directly with the intertwining of the natural and supernatural realms.  The disc is book-ended with two variations on some passages from the book of Revelation, complete with lampstands and other items from John's vision.  The song that most brings back memories of their first few discs is "Israel & the Limping Hip," an exploration of Jacob and his wrestling match with God.  "Soon Seated" deals with Christ appearing before the High Priest prior to his crucifixion, while "3 Fascinating Smells" is adapted from the book of Ezekiel and his vision of a wheel within a wheel. 

Joining the Galaxy brothers on this disc are Slo-Ro, Sufjan Stevens, Daniel Smith (and others from the Danielson Famile), as well as Daniel's dad, Lenny Smith.  And while the sound is pure Soul Junk, there are definite Danielson influences throughout, particularly on "3 Fascinating Smells."

Its great to hear this sound again, and I hope that there will be more of this down the line when its time for their next full-length.

Ken Mueller 10/17/2001

Soul Junk took a turn in a very different direction with their 5 Minute Walk release 1956, and this EP seems to be more in the vein of their lo-fi earlier albums.  Of course, having Daniel Smith around as the producer may have had some hand in this direction.

Whatever the reason is, back are the lyrics comprised of direct quotes from the Bible (this time around, mostly New Testament passages) and back are the intriguing tune structures, with the rapping and drum machines basically absent in favour of intricately layered vocal harmonies and disharmonies.

The result is an EP that works, because it is long enough for the experiment to have a clear direction, but short enough that the concept isn't boring or tiring.  The first and last track form a framework of sorts into which the rest of the album fits.  The theme of the album seems to be looking toward the promises of Christ in the midst of struggles ("Soon Seated," recalling Christ's trial, and "Israel and the Limping Hip").

Trying to describe how the instruments work together in this album is a task beyond my abilities, but suffice it to say that there are many different instruments on this album, not all of them used in a characteristic manner.

On the whole, this EP is solid, but not outstanding.  For Soul Junk fans, however, it will certainly do for now.

Alex Klages 11/10/2001