Mountain of Venus
Live, Volume 1

There are countless problems inherent in the so-called "jam band" scene. Some of the larger ones include: most of the groups don’t have songs; most of the groups consider a jam to be soloing en masse while paying little attention to each other; and most of the groups don’t quite get that the jam band scene did not begin with Phish. Now, Phish is a fine band, albeit an underachieving one, and although it too often struggled with its songwriting, it at least demonstrated an understanding that this was a necessary starting place. So, it’s always refreshing to find a band that digs a little bit deeper, and at least makes an attempt to grasp what being a "jam band" is really all about.

Such is the case with Colorado’s Mountain of Venus. Granted, the group isn’t the most inventive band on the planet, but at this stage in its young career, it’s normal for its members to be fixated on mimicking rather than inventing. As the group’s recent concert album Live, Volume 1 attests, the members of Mountain of Venus at least have the musical knowledge, technical mastery, and necessary chemistry to make a run at establishing itself for the long haul.

For the record, Mountain of Venus’ songs are still suspect. They’re generic emulations, and stripped of the group’s instrumental interplay, they’d flow by, one after another, in a long stream of bland ennui. But the manner in which Mountain of Venus dresses them up, makes them not only listenable, but often quite enjoyable. Rhythms percolate, keyboards circle, and guitars soar. More importantly, all are entwined in a singular dance that serves the song, rather than an individual musician. While the group is still a little rough around the edges — most notably in the vocal department — Mountain of Venus has the potential to be one of those bands that breaks its mold and finds a wider audience a few years down the road.