Youngblood Brass Band- Pax Volumi

 

Funk and jazz, hip-hop and punk; these are just some of the places that Youngblood Brass Band have gone to draw inspiration for this latest release.

Pax Volumi, the fourth album from this 10-piece collective from across America. Blending hip-hop rapping with tongue-in-cheek lyrics, jazzy horn lines, punk-y beats and funky bass lines, there really is something to appeal to all audiences about this music.

The album successfully captures the energetic craziness of the live band, and shows off the way the group is influenced by New Orleans Dixieland jazz with the semi-improvised nature of the tracks, and the interaction between the different parts.

Youngblood Brass band really have got some fantastic tracks on this album- the opener and debut single, ’20 Questions’ shows off their Hip-hop stylings to great aplomb. The horn riffs crackle like fire and the lyrics come thick and fast. ‘Wrestlevania’ is a much more jazzy number- instrumental, it shows off the band’s prowess as players. The cover of Chaka Khan’s 80s classic ‘Ain’t Nobody’ is full of life and energy, with some great sections of powerful horns, with a slightly latin beat. ‘The Old Rugged Cross’ takes the feel and sounds of a New Orleans funeral march, slow and sombre, before lifting up into a celebration of life with the segue into ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow.’ The moments where individuals have solos only serves to show how talented the individuals who make up the band are- both tasteful and complicated, these short solos add little bits of individual character to certain tracks, rather than being used as something to have in every song.

Overall, this album crackles with energy, and shows off the talents of the band as a whole; as well as individual musicians. Equal parts jazz, rock, hip-hop and funk, there is something for everyone on this release.

8.5/10

King Porter Stomp- The Shuffle

King Porter Stomp, an ever-expanding band from Brighton offer a seemingly ever-changing mixture of Ska, Dub and Hip-hop. Bringing a new look and interesting take on these genres, King Porter Stomp show here the sheer range of styles and grooves that they can use. From the Dance-y Ska number of the title track “The Shuffle”, to the sophisticated, laid back groove of “Let it all Out”, to the Latin-edged raver that is “The Last Bat Train to Cuba.”  

The opening number “The Shuffle” shows off a little bit of everything the whole album has to offer, mixing a heavy, funky beat with Ska-based horn lines and a rapid-fire, machine-gun lyrical style.  The track keeps building and dropping throughout, retaining interest and bringing the track to a point where it all has to break down to a heavily danceable groove.

This shows exactly how the rest of the album continues, complete with a barrage of funky riffs, dirty grooves, and an aware, relevant and critical lyrical style. The way in which the album is ordered shows awareness for the styles, offering a mix of upbeat anthems and chilled out tracks.

King Porter Stomp have only been growing in the last year, both in terms of band members and in audience size, and should only continue to do so. With regular packed out gigs and large festival performances which go from strength to strength, spreading the word of this brand of good time music to an international audience.

7/10