Introspection: A Faine Jade Recital

AMG Review of Introspection: A Faine Jade Recital

Richie Unterberger
All Music Guide

It's hard to imagine that a 20-year-old New York guitarist fresh out of garageland would have been infatuated with Syd Barrett in 1968. However, Faine Jade's 1968 album sounds as if he was besotted with Pink Floyd's first LP, which was barely known in the States at the time. Jade's vocals and songwriting uncannily evoke an American Syd Barrett with their evocative, cryptic lyrics, thick organs, and psychedelic guitar lines. "Cold Winter Sun," and in particular, never fails to inspire comparisons to Barrett when played for those unfamiliar with Jade. Faine, it's fair to say, is somewhat blunted in comparison to Barrett's madcap edge. More laidback and grounded, he also deals more explicitly with hippie-era concerns like being hassled for being different and the necessity of being compassionate toward your brother, without being sappy or preachy. The 1994 CD 25th Anniversary Silver Series Edition on Jade's Sandiland label was remastered from the first generation tapes by Faine himself. It also adds a few bonus cuts: backing instrumental demo tracks for a few of the songs, the previously unreleased brief instrumental "Piano Interlude," and a 1993 "reunion" performance. The extra tracks are of only minor interest, and it's disappointing that the Introspection-era demos released on It Ain't True were not included as well.