Mastedon "It's a Jungle Out There"

Mastedon

It's a Jungle Out There

1989 Regency Records

Produced by: John & Dino Elefante

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Track Listing

It's a Jungle Out There (3:54)

Glory Bound (4:17)

This is the Day (4:14)

Love Inhalation (4:39)

Islands in the Sky (3:42)

Get Up (4:00)

Love That Will Survive (4:02)

Innocent Girl (3:42)

Shine On (4:24)

Right Hand (6:05)

Musicians

John Elefante: drums, guitar, keyboard, lead vocals on This is the Day, Islands in the Sky, Get Up

Dave Amato: guitar, lead vocals on Glory Bound, Right Hand, Love That Will Survive

Perry Lee: lead vocals on Innocent Girl, Love Inhalation

Dave Robbins: lead vocals on It's a Jungle Out There

Dave Pack: guest vocalist on Shine On

David Raven: drums

Phil Rowland: drums

Dino Elefante: bass

John Pierce: bass

John Patitucci: bass

Jimmy Johnson: bass

Steff Burnbaum: guitar

Mastedon is more of a studio project than a band. Just look at the list of musicians and you should see this was a "all-star" like team. John Elefante started his music career as the lead vocalist for the band Kansas, taking lead vocals for two albums (Drastic Measures and Vinyl Confessions). Many of the songs on this album he sings lead could easily pass for a Kansas song in my opinion. Many people lent their talents to this project after Regency Records requested a full album. Dave Robbins (X-Sinner), Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon), Perry Lee (Tracer Fox) and David Pack (Ambrosia) held the Elefante brothers put together a great sounding project.

Picking a favorite song or two is tough, as I really enjoy the majority of this album. In particular I love Perry Lee's gritty sounding vocals on Love Inhalation. The Elefantes have a way of making choruses sound really, really good. Vocal harmony at it's best. For that reason alone many of the sounds have a very distinct "Elefante" sound. I've always enjoyed John Elefante's singing so the 3 sounds he sings lead on really stand out. 

Even after 25 years I still find myself listing to this album somewhat frequently. Until Frontier Records re-released this album in 2009, it was very hard to come across on the secondary market and fairly expensive too. I was lucky to pick up the original Regency Records version in the early 90's thanks to my brother who worked in Christian retail and had a passion for music as I. In my book the Elefante brothers are synonymous with slick sounding music production. I'll buy just about anything they are associated with as I know it'll be a great sounding album, no matter the genre.

I may prefer Mastedon's follow up effort, Lofcaudio, a little more, but this is a great sounding musical project that deserves its on place in your music library.