Is it emo or prog? Be prepared to ask yourself that question upon hearing the 2007 release by
the Jazz June,
The Scars to Prove It. The Jazz June refuse to align themselves with either style, and the end result is a pretty darn fascinating amalgamation. What makes it all the more impressive is that
Scars is not an actual studio release by the Philadelphia quartet; it's an odds-and-ends collection of live and unreleased tracks -- which still manages to showcase the group's strengths splendidly. Cases in point: the part
Sonic Youth/part
Syd Barrett-era
Pink Floyd-esque "Lower East Side," the Middle Eastern prog indie rock funk workout (seriously!) "Nicaragua," and the brisk and speedy -- and exceptionally titled -- "Viva la Speed Metal." In an era when it appears as though many rock acts have forgotten you're supposed to put together a full album's worth of winners (not just a handful of singles mixed with filler),
The Scars to Prove It shows that
the Jazz June are not your average/ordinary band. Add to it a DVD of bonus footage, and you have a very impressively assembled package.