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moe.
Tin Cans and Car Tires
By Jeff WafulOne of the biggest dilemmas that a "jam band" faces is making a living. Most fans of the genre are attracted to the very aspects of the music that make it a tough sell to the mainstream: long instrumental sections, atonality, odd time signatures, diverse influences and of course, improvisation. These same fans can be selfish in wanting "their" bands to evolve musically, but never grow out of the intimate venues in which they started.
While moe. has outgrown Broadway Joe's (a Buffalo, NY bar which served as their initial home venue) don't look for them to "sell-out" any time soon. On their latest studio effort, cleverly entitled Tin Cans and Car Tires, they find a happy medium between commercial and obscure. There is a tiny gray area where music can be catchy and fun without being cheesy. Well, I for one am lactose intolerant when it comes to music and I really dig this album. Upon first hearing it, I was a bit skeptical. However, after listening a few more times, I was hooked. After all, the band has stayed true to its roots while also adding new flavor to their sound. The album begins with Bassist, Rob Derhak laughing just one measure into "Stranger than Fiction" , and ends with guitarist, Al Schnier saying, "…and I'm weird". Gotta love a band that can maintain its sense of humor even with a major record deal.
Musically, this album is much more diverse than previous moe. releases. There is an eclectic mix of rock, funk, and country. "Spaz Medicine" features the Yolk horn section weaving in and out of 6/8 time signatures and straight-ahead 4/4 funk before leading into a middle-eastern climax. "Nebraska" stood out as an early favorite, with its "super thick chunks of broken life and reality". I still can't get the song and the swinging talk-box guitar solo out of my head. Next comes "Head" which sounds like "Seattle Grunge" until the textural jam section redeems it. "Hi and Lo" features some beautiful, watery guitar tones. It flows nicely and helps maintain an overall continuity to the album. One of my other favorites, "Plane Crash", demonstrates the band's appreciation for the Beatles and there's no shame in that. This song is truly epic and if not for a certain four-letter word and its nearly nine-minute duration, it might receive some radio airplay. "Letter Home", in contrast, is a ballady country tune with some nice acoustic guitar. Al makes reference to the Furthur Tour with the line, "Dog days of summer, further on down the road, all the kids keep on dancin' long after the show." "Big World" is a slow, funky, "artist formerly known as Prince-ish", groove with falsetto vocals. Listen to this song through headphones. The guitar is panned from left to right and you can feel it pulse through your head, which is always fun. "Again and Again" and "It" are mellow, yet really well-crafted songs. I particularly like the self-demonstrative line in "It"; "sometimes you'll find you can rhyme anything with anyone".
I absolutely love "Happy Hour Hero". It's one of those rare songs that just grabs you right away. It's upbeat and melodic and has a Steely Dan sort of feel. This song will put you in a good mood. This is the song you put on at the beginning of a party. This is the song you sing along to in the car, especially the line, "forget about the pretty girl, a Saranac will do just fine" (personally I enjoy both). The song makes you smile. Sax, piano and great guitar make this song a gem. Finally, "Queen of the Rodeo" a traditional country tune with some funny lyrics, rounds out the album nicely.
It is refreshing to hear a solid studio album from a band that has made a name for itself in the live setting. Tin Cans and Car Tires is proof that it is possible to produce great music on a major label without alienating your fan- base to attract the masses. Even I like the album. (and I'm weird).
Medeski, Martin & Wood
Combustication
By Andrew SparklerOne of the most interesting aspects of Medeski, Martin and Wood is how easily one can chart the development of this band, simply by listening to their albums in chronological order. The first album, Notes From the Underground , is practically straight-up jazz. Next came, It's a Jungle in Here, their most light-natured album. This album, while still rooted in jazz, definitely has traces of a style unique to the band. Friday Afternoon in the Universe further exhibited the MMW brand of jazz; traditional combined with hip-hop, funk with traces of the blues, all coming together in the right proportions to create a permagroove. With Shack-Man , this style had become the band. Gone were the new spins on old tunes like "Caravan" or "Moti-Mo", the music being created at the Shack in 1996 was all their own, and it was grooving. Shack-Man seems to represent the pinnacle of MMW's brand of jazz, as listeners have come to know them. From here on, it seems the band will be evolving in new, uncharted directions.
It is these exact directions that the band explores on 'Combustication. A paradoxical brand of MMW is unveiled within, whereby the listener can easily identify the MMW "sound", yet this aforementioned sound has been, by and large reworked. Combustication is not the rump-shaker of an album that its predecessor is, yet it is also much more complex. Perhaps most notable throughout this album is Chris Wood's bass work. It is undeniable and appears to power many of the tracks. Three of the tracks on the album have guest appearances by DJ Logic. Logic met up with the band during their Knitting Factory sessions and the two have worked closely ever since. His presence adds another dimension to the already complex sound of MMW, making songs like the first track "Sugar Craft" an absolute treat. The best track with Logic, however, is the appropriately named "Church of Logic." Here, Logic takes center stage and samples not only the traditional DJ "scratch", but also fiddles expertly with different "house" sound effects and even throws in some distorted barking for good measure. This entire piece is, of course, backed expertly by MMW.
With this new sound, the band sometimes sounds a bit lost, or maybe their just really taking their time. In pieces such as "Nocturne", it is the bass of Chris Wood that leads the band through their musical fog. The "Non-Logic" highlights of the album are the beautifully flowing "Latin Shuffle", which despite clocking in at nine minutes, moves seamlessly through complex changes and the ultra-funky, super-sexy "Hey-Hee-Hi-Ho", the only song ever to successfully integrate hand-clapping and have it sound good. Also of note is the cover of Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People." While you possess an excellent musical ear if you can pick up even the slightest of similarities between the two, the song is marvelously arranged.
Perhaps the only shortcoming of this album is the track "Whatever Happened to Gus", where guest Steve Cannon makes a venture into the spoken word. It's not the backup musicians that are off-kilter, as much as it is the words and generally lacking inflection of the poet. One must wonder why MMW didn't pick a more traditional, more famous reading. But then again, doing things traditionally never was their bag anyway.
The Disco Biscuits
Uncivilized Area
By Mark ChohTake the word Memphis. Now think of the most unique way to use it as an acronym. Does "Making Easy Money, Pimpin' Ho's in Style" come to mind? Probably only if you've heard the Disco Biscuits and their newest release, Uncivilized Area, which was released in May.
Amidst the sudden rush of a newer generation of jam bands, like Strangefolk, the Big Wu, and the String Cheese Incident, there is the Disco Biscuits. This quartet met at the University of Pennsylvania in 1994. Maybe it's something about the Ivy League status that has helped them make a name for themselves in the jam rock scene. But it's probably just the fact that they are some of the most gifted musicians to arise on the scene today. The Disco Biscuits are, as they themselves put it, "the musical equivalent of sacking and looting a small village."
Uncivilized Area is the Disco Biscuits second effort, following Encephelous Crime, released in 1996, and is an amazing showcase of the band's talents. Featuring Jon "the Barber" Gutwillig on guitar, Marc Brownstein on bass, Aron Magner on keys, and Sam Altman on drums, the Biscuits' have truly explored an uncivilized area on this album. Like most of the third-generation jam rock bands, the Disco Biscuits are heavily rock, jazz, and funk-influenced. However, with a large serving of techno and dance music, fueled by Magner's heavy use of unique keyboard effects and Altman's bass-heavy drum beats, the Biscuits create a sound that separates them from the pack.
While Uncivilized Area focuses much more on the rock, jazz, and funk roots that the Disco Biscuits started from, the jam in "Little Betty Boop" offers a touch of the techno-style jamming that has dominated many of the Biscuits' recent live shows. From the opening riff of "Vassillios", to the odd rhythms of "Morph Dusseldorf", to the final notes of "Awol's Blues", Gutwillig weaves his way through tight soloing and innovate chord progressions, showing every listener the same skills that caused Trey Anastasio himself to jump out of his seat when he judged Gutwillig at a Burlington guitar competition (at which the Barber took first prize).
Yes, some of the lyrics are a bit crude. Brownstein's playful chorus of "Jamilia" sings, "Jamilia, I wanna feel you up and lift your skirt right over your head" And as mentioned above, Memphis, Tennessee is the only place to be "when you're pimpin' ho's in style." But who cares about crude lyrics when you've got sick jams like the ones on "Aceetobee" and the epic "I-Man," two songs which help capture the amazing live feel that Uncivilized Area has.
While the Disco Biscuits show a lot of promise, they are still in their developing stages. For Gutwillig and Brownstein, the vocals on Uncivilized Area are a great improvement from Encephelous Crime, although this improvement hasn't fully carried over to the live stage. However, singing seems to be the only weak point the Disco Biscuits have. So enter the Uncivilized Area. You won't be disappointed.
And if you're wondering about the title of the album, Brownstein sheds some light on the Disco Biscuits' web page (www.discobiscuits.com) as he writes, "We have a new van. His name is Agent Cujan (pronounced "ku-yan"). We have a lot of new friends. Some of them are cool. Agent Cujan is green, and thus is often referred to as the 'Green Pleasure Cruiser' or the 'Green Lantern' or the 'Green Monster' or the 'Green Emerald' or simply 'Emeril'. Feigenbaum is in Long Island. We might leave her there, because she's dead. Spirits are high though, because we can see her whenever we want, which is often it seems. You see, Sammy likes movies, and so do I, but Sammy will go to he movies and I won't. But Agent Cujan is a movie theatre that I like to be in. He's a living room, also, and has both civilized and uncivilized areas. I like the civilized area more. In Agent Cujan you can open the door and tell girls to get in, and they will. This is the kind of style I have been waiting for. 'Get in the car, ladies.' 'Sure. Where are we going, fellas?' 'Into the uncivilized area, girls.' 'Let's do it. Let's do it now.'"
Oteil Burbridge: Love Of A LifetimeReview by Max Delaney
There is no doubt in my mind that Oteil Burbridge is one of the most talented and knowledgeable bass players in the national music scene today. I have been an avid follower of his musical career for several years now and was first turned on to his playing when I heard the Aquarium Rescue Unit, a southern-based jam band which combines frenzied bluegrass, jazz and rock and roll all tied together with an infectious funk thread. As well as being a long-standing integral part of this group, Oteil has also joined the legendary Allman Brothers Band and has played the last two years with them. So when I caught word of Oteil's first solo release, I was brimming with anticipation to hear it.
The album is entitled Oteil and The Peacemakers: Love Of A Lifetime and is entirely instrumental. But while many albums are dependent on lyrics for their musical impact, this album contains a smattering of musical styles and incredible musicianship which supplant the need for any lyrics. The album covers a lot of bases ranging from heavy old school funk a la James Brown and The Meters to more contemporary jazz to some grungy fusion style funk and there is a great overall flow to the album. Oteil spices things up with 6/4 and 6/8 time signatures in his compositions which saves the listener from being bombarded by repetitive 4/4 grooves. With this kind of variety, Oteil demonstrates his versatility not just as a player but also as a composer.
For those of you that are more vocally oriented, Oteil does soothe your auditory needs on several tracks like Barri's Song and Hymn To The Nile were he provides tasty vocal accompaniment to his bass lines. It's not exactly words but it will talk to you just the same. I have heard many players sing along with their guitar or bass in an effort to create a blend between their voice and instrument's tones and often the result sounds more like a practice exercise than music. Oteil, however, is an exception to that rule and he is one of the rare musicians along with the likes of George Benson who has been able to take this technique to a higher level and make real music when he sings with his bass.
One thing that comes really strongly in the music on Love Of A Lifetime is that Oteil definitely had a wonderful time making it. The interaction between he and his brother Kofi Burbridge on this album is incredible. Kofi is one hell of a keyboardist and possibly an even better flutist. These guys are definitely in a fraternal groove together and they compliment each other's playing really well. The rest of the personnel are also excellent featuring Marcus and Woody Williams taking turns playing drums on the album and some really fluid guitar playing by Regi Wooden (especially on "Subterranea" and "Listen Bart").
All in all, this album is worth checking out. With the exception of one tune, "Ankh", which ventures a little too far into the dreaded realm of smooth jazz, all of the cuts on the album are great. I think Love Of A Lifetime is an important landmark in Oteil's career showing us that he has taken his playing and especially his composition to the next level. It's chock full of tasty melodic writing and complex harmonies as well as powerful musicianship. The more you listen to this album, the more you will hear on it.
Love of A Leftime may be purchased through the Nile Records web site at www.nilerecords.com
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