JANE GETTER PREMONITION – Division World (Album Review)

Somewhere in between Steven Wilson and Suzanne Vega resides a hidden gem of the rock world: Jane Getter. A little bit jazz, a little prog, a little shred, a lot of rock, and increasingly a good dose of singer-songwriter, the Jane Getter Premonition confidently occupies a niche that will feel familiar to many listeners, yet is unique in its fusion. 

Following up from the brilliant “Anomalia”, Getter heads even more into songwriting territory but the instrumentation remains top-notch. Let’s celebrate her band first off: keyboardist Adam Holzman is a legend in his own right and is a delight to hear in this rock context, Paul Frazier’s bass brings incredible tone as his technique holds the material in firm hands, drummer Gene Lake makes these songs take flight time after time, and celebrated guitarist Alex Skolnick adds in edgy flourishes as needed. Past albums have featured scores of special guests but on “Division World” this core band brings the goods, augmented only by Randy McStine on a couple of tracks. 

The only element better than the band itself is the engineering and production which makes each instrument gel so seamlessly with the others. Jane Getter Premonition albums are a supreme pleasure to listen to just for their sonic beauty. Combine these production values with a band as skilled as this and the stage is already set for a most rewarding listen. 

The title track opens the album, its lyrical content hitting home with every line: “The words are getting darker, the message more severe, the beliefs are further apart, the ideas are getting broader…” Holzman takes the first solo on the keys before the guitar comes in to launch us out of this division world, orchestration getting thicker underneath and other Holzman effects driving the point deeper. 

“Dissipate”’s metal mindset amps up the claustrophobia, especially courtesy of its phased vocals, illustrating the lyrics that teeter on the edge of collapse. “The darkness is where it lingers, I can’t find what will deliver.” Here we get solos from both guitarists while the incessant rhythm section pounds relentlessly until sweeping vocal breaks offer momentary pause. “The Spark” continues the withdrawn lyrical songwriting (and a little too-similar cymbal hits from Lake, which becomes ubiquitous throughout the album) but now there is a glimmer of hope too, with Holzman’s breezy piano solo lifting us out of the dark. 

The only instrumental of the album this time around is “Compass”. Sporting a nasty main riff, Frazier’s beefy bass shines as Lake provides all the drum hits to support whatever the guitars and keys want to lay on top. We get more than a little head-banging out of it before returning to the songwriter stance with “End The Blame”, one of the album’s best moments. Getter’s voice sails through the mix on the bed of tasteful production, acoustic and clean guitars mixing with a little crunch and piano once again sailing forth. This could be the voice of rock’s future. 

The second half of the album suffers a bit from the repetitive nature of the signature sound, it almost plays like a repeat of the first half. Still, there’s solid songwriting here, especially in “Rewind Regain”, not to mention fiery Holzman’s sounds flying around in “Mixed Up”. McStine lends his distinctive voice for two songs, including the orchestrated “Waiting For The Light” which finally brings much-needed new colors into the mix. In retrospect, maybe the bevy of guests featured on previous albums was indeed a better approach, as it added more diversity to the overall album. 

The Jane Getter Premonition once again lays down an ideal template for how rock albums SHOULD sound. It’s a high bar, apparently. And once again, Lasse Hoile designs an enigmatic album cover and booklet to splash some color into the proceedings. Don’t miss a chance to bask in some sonic goodness in this “Division World.”

Released By: Cherry Red Records
Release Date: March 1st, 2024
Genre: Rock / Fusion / Singer-Songwriter

Musicians:

• Jane Getter / Vocals, Guitars
• Adam Holzman / Keyboards
• Alex Skolnick / Guitars
• Paul Frazier / Bass
• Gene Lake / Drums

“Division World” track-listing:

1. Division World
2. Dissipate
3. The Spark
4. Compass
5. End The Blame
6. Layers
7. Devolution
8. Another Way
9. Mixed Up
10. Rewind Regain
11. Waiting For The Light

Order “Division World” HERE