For the better part of the '90s
J. Robbins and
Bill Barbot served as the dueling lead singer/guitarists for hyper-intellectual post-punk outfit
Jawbox. That influential D.C. outfit rode the ups and downs of the industry, causing a stir in the underground when they left the revered ranks of Dischord for the corporate clutches of Atlantic. Folding after two exceptionally solid, if underexposed, major-label efforts,
Robbins and
Barbot resumed their tag-team approach in the less fierce but still mildly math rock-tinged
Burning Airlines. Releasing only two albums,
Burning Airlines retired their wings, leaving
Barbot to concentrate on running DeSoto Records with his wife, former
Jawbox bassist
Kim Coletta.
Robbins built a strong name for himself as a producer, working with outfits like
the Promise Ring, and continued to make music, this time with a band called
Channels.
Channels issued their debut EP,
Open, for DeSoto in 2004. The album shows flashes of the intricately interwoven musical lines and sharp lyrics that made singer/guitarist
J. Robbins' past work with
Jawbox -- and sometimes
Burning Airlines -- so exciting. Unfortunately,
Open often sounds as though the typically high-octane
Robbins is half-hearted in his playing and delivery. Perhaps this apparent lack of verve is due to the absence of his musical sparring partner
Barbot.
Robbins' counterpoint this time around is bassist/co-vocalist/wife
Janet Morgan, who adds pretty, droning
Stereolab-esque vocals to tracks such as "Win Instantly." Like
Robbins, she sounds almost robotic at this point, with
Channels' first effort offering little in the way of emotion or intensity. It's not a bad effort, but unfortunately for
Robbins, it just isn't
Jawbox and, like it or not, that's probably what fans are hoping for each time they pick up one of his records. After another album or two by
Channels and perhaps
Robbins will be able to really take charge of his new direction and move fans past the feeling that the songs are just lesser
Jawbox knockoffs.