Jack Spann’s Timely Approach
Jack Spann is a singer/songwriter in the old fashioned sense of the word. That’s clearly evident on Time, Time, Time, Time, Time, an unpretentious album that delivers, as its title suggests, time and time again. An easy comparison would have to be Ben Folds, given the fact that Spann’s main instrument of choice is keyboards and the songs tend to be catchy pop ditties with an illuminating sound. Spann and producer Gary Tanin keep the arrangements simple, allowing the melodies to take precedence and make a case for immediate appeal. While most of the tracks tend to be of the Brill Building variety, Spann does expand the template on occasion, opting for a sprightly pace on some of the jazzier numbers and snappy melodies when the pacing permits. Notably too, it’s a solo effort in every sense, with Spann playing the bulk of the instrumentation, with the exception of Tanin’s additional keyboard contributions and the background vocals provided by Molly Mastrangelo on “My Dinosaur” and “Games,” two tracks that benefit from the vocal variety. Interestingly enough, there are no drums present on the album at all, a contributing factor to the sparer approach that distinguishes the album overall. Ultimately, Time, Time, Time, Time, Time is an ideal showcase for Spann’s skills, and one which bodes well for future endeavors.