Soul-Junk.html |
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| Soul Junk | |
|---|---|
| Origin | San Diego, California |
| Genre(s) | experimental, Christian hip hop |
| Years active | 1993 – present |
| Label(s) | Sounds Are Active, Shrimper Records, 5 Minute Walk, Jackson Rubio, Homestead, Holy Kiss Rex, Sub Pop Records, Karate, InTransit, Quiver Society! |
| Website | www.souljunk.com |
| Members | |
| Glen Galaxy | |
Soul-Junk is an experimental genre-hopping rock / hip hop group from San Diego, California.
Contents |
Background
The roots of Soul-Junk began in 1993 when Glen Galloway began experimenting while touring in Europe with his rock band Trumans Water.1 When Trumans Water moved to Portland, Oregon in 1994 he left to produce Soul-Junk a full time independent solo project,2 eventually taking the moniker Glen Galaxy. Influences on the group's early music include Nation of Ulysses, Sonic Youth, and Can.3
Musical Evolution
Early Soul-Junk albums (such as 1950) almost exclusively feature low-fi, Indie rock style tracks of Glen singing Bible verses interlaced with instrumental noise tracks. As Soul-Junk gained members its sound advanced toward rock and pop. 1953 and 1954 show signs of this continual change.2 Alternative Press stated in a review of 1953 that their indie musical arrangements are outstanding, "tuneful, energetic and original (almost to a fault)."4 1955 is transitional, both in terms of Soul-Junk's sound and market stance. Like previous releases most of the lyrics came directly from the Bible, but 1955 was their first album released on a Christian record label.3 The double-disk set consists of pop / Indie rock / hip hop influenced sounds.5 It is also the last disk to make extensive use of Biblical quotes before 1960.67
| “ | The whole point is to make something that people would want to puzzle over | ” |
|
—Galaxalag on Soul-Junk's music in CCM Magazine5 |
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While there are fewer lyrics derived from scripture, the albums 1956 through 1958 still reflect on the groups' Christianity based viewpoint, sometimes offering critiques of the Church and in a stream-of conciousness manner.8 On 1956 the sound shifts toward hip hop,9 leading CCM Magazine to describe it as "beyond offbeat, beyond eclectic... beyond the grasp of it's market."10 This poisition is intentional according to Galaxy, who seeks to reach both the churched and the unchurced, and states "We do need to rock the boat... I dont particulary want anyone to think they know what they can expect from Soul-Junk."11
The albums 1957 and 1958 are based in experimental, abstract hip-hop12 which sometimes adds elements of "avant-jazz."8 Glen explained this period to HM Magazine, stating "energy-wise I'm feeling the drum n' bass, I'm feeling chaotic turntablism. But texture-wise I was feeling hip-hop."2 The resulting sound is fragmented; Soul Junk's "berserk-hop"6 on these albums is "hip-hop so out-there, so deconstructed, so avant-garde"7 that it creates a "carnival aesthetic".6 Between 2003 and 2007, no albums were released. Instead, Glen embarked on an effort to put the entire text of the Bible to music.12 The first results are 1959 (released in 2007) which consists of Psalms 1-23 verbatim. Glen has also released the entire book of Genesis through his web site.
Recurring members
- Glen Galaxy
- Slo-Ro (2001 – 2005)
- Brian Cantrell (1995 – 2000)
- DJ Mizzicah (1997 – 2003)
- Ron Easterbrooks (1995 – 1998)
- Jon Galaxy(1995 – 2001)
- Nathan Poage (1998 – 2000)
Many others are credited per album or track.
Discography
Album naming convention
The first Soul-Junk release was called 1950. Its' name was derived from the musical style of the era, a fusion of rock and free-jazz. According to Glen 1950 "...was a good year for music".1 Subsequent albums have been numbered up from 1950; Extended Play releases have been numbered down, but futher numbering does non reflect the music of those years. Soul-Junk songs have also been released on innumerable compilations.
Albums |
EPs |
References
- ^ a b Wiitala, Christopher (1999). "Soul-Junk Interview". Cornerstone Magazine 28 (117): 61,64-65. ISSN 0275-2743.
- ^ a b c Agnish, Jai (November / December 2002). "Soul-Junk: Keeping Themselves off Guard". HM Magazine (98): 38-39. ISSN 1066-6923.
- ^ a b Knight, Steve (January / February 1999). "bankshots / Soul-Junk". 7ball Magazine (22): 36. ISSN 1082-3980.
- ^ Pecorelli, John (April 1997). "Reviews / 1953". Alternative Press 11 (105): 83-84. ISSN 1065-1667.
- ^ a b Greg Rumburg and Sarah Aldridge (November 2000). "Untwisting Soul-Junk". CCM Magazine 23 (5): 27. ISSN 1524-7848.
- ^ a b c Bowers, William (2002-12-16). "Soul Junk 1957'". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved on 2008-10-10.
- ^ a b Bowers, William (2003-11-18). "Soul Junk 1958'". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved on 2008-10-10.
- ^ a b Boeckel, Gentry (2003-12-10). "Soul Junk 1958'". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved on 2008-10-10.
- ^ Wiitala, Christopher (2000). "Album Reviews / 1956". Cornerstone Magazine 29 (120): 48. ISSN 0275-2743.
- ^ Selby, Derek Scott (September 2000). "Reviews / 1956". CCM Magazine 23 (2): 51. ISSN 1524-7848.
- ^ Caviness, Brad (November / December 2000). "Straddling The Fence". 7ball Magazine (33): 20-21. ISSN 1082-3980.
- ^ a b Bartholomee, Russell (June 2005). "Soul-Junk: Making a Lot of Joyful Noise". Being There Magazine (10). ISSN 1718-5033, http://beingtheremag.com/feature.php?issue=10&id=243&page=1. Retrieved on 21 April 2007.