Recording artist: Rob Jacobs
Release: So Many Eyes
Notable tracks: “the babysitter,” “body of a whale” and “who will pick the seeds”
Rob Listens To:Sun Ra, Lata Mangeshkar, and Cateano Veloso


Soul. Progressive. Tropical.

These are the three words chosen to describe the music of Rob Jacobs. I suppose if you could only pick a few, those words are adequate. But why stop at three just because Myspace says to? This isn’t exactly the kind of music you can box into a neat little package. No, the genius behind Rob’s work is in the details – those fine little details that slink out of the box with a mission to confuse and delight your ears. The truth is, even if I had all day to pick a hundred more words, I would probably still fail to describe Rob’s style.

Challenge accepted! As it so happens, I do have all day today. Let’s throw a few hundred more words at you and see what develops.

The first time I listened to So Many Eyes, a release by Solar Shadows Records, I was physically moved … to confusion. Yes, we’re talking full-on squinty eyes and furrowed brow. Why were these beautiful guitar melodies peppered with bangs and yelps? Why does this guy stick his foot out to trip me the second I slip into a pleasant reverie of strings and clarinet? The whole thing felt so deliberate, I knew there had to be an explanation. So I asked, and he was kind enough to indulge me with an answer:

“Discovering opposite meanings behind a specific essence is something that has been very inspiring to me for awhile. People should be seeing, teaching, and learning about the multiplicity of things and music is a perfect way to demonstrate this multiplicity.”

Understand multiplicity and you’ll understand Rob’s music. Then you can move on to the next phase of your journey – sincere, genuine appreciation.

First, appreciate that Rob Jacobs is a multi-instrumentalist. His live performances may be solo acoustic, but this album treated me to Rob on guitar, Rob on violin, Rob on creepy horse hooves, etc. Second, appreciate that he actually uses his voice as an instrument. Yes, words come out in the tradition of “singing,” but his voice also hisses, waves and wiggles throughout each track. Sometimes it’s downright sinister and unstable in quality, but equilibrium is often restored with the clever addition of Lars Heemskirk’s clarinet or a perky string arrangement. Let it be known that Lars and Rob make a pretty great team. I don’t normally like the clarinet that much.

So what should you listen to first, when every track is unique and strange in its own right? Possibly the most accessible piece is the last one titled “the babysitter.” There was something in this song that had me going back to it several times. For a taste of the sinister sound I mentioned earlier, try “body of a whale” or if you really want to be challenged, try “material graves.” The angry banging that pops up throughout “material graves” catches me off guard every time I hear it.

And I believe (at least, I hope) that was the desired result. Opposite meanings abound within So Many Eyes, lending a certain vibrance to my overall listening experience. It’s not something I’m likely to forget anytime soon, and I would call that a successful demonstration in multiplicity.