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 Tut's Revenge- Finally

This Somerset ska group have Finally released their first album. A collection of summery, reggae and rock influenced numbers. This album is consistently upbeat and lively, keeping the horn riffs and punk-y guitar parts pounding along.

Each track on this album, whilst quite similar, in the way that they are all very heavily punk based ska tracks, including punchy saxophone lines, rhythms that will, in a live situation (or sat in a bedroom) cause any audience to be skanking in no time, the occasional simple yet tasteful solo from any of the members. The opening number, “Not Content” shows exactly how the album pans out, opening with a line that could only come from a ska band, and can only conjure images of summer parties on long, warm nights (exactly the sort of time that British weather rarely offers up). The album allows for all the members to stretch their song-writing wings even, as is proudly advertised in the song title, the drummer, in the great number “Sketch’s Song” (Sketch being the band’s drummer, and drummers often being very much side-lined when it comes to writing songs in many bands).

The highlight of the album is the Anthemic “South Coast Girls”, a ditty singing the praises and virtues of the band’s chosen favourite group of women: Those from the South coast of England (As opposed to The Beach Boys or Katy Perry, all of whom who preferred “California Girls”).

From time to time, there could be those who claim that the tracks can be fairly repetitive, with some of the riffs and tunes being reasonably interchangeable. However, this is as much the nature of the genre of the music; light-hearted ska-punk has never been particularly innovative.

Overall, this is a great first full-length album. The songs are all belters, with great melodies, fantastic riffs, and the whole thing just screams of the summer. Get ready to dance.

8/10

Yes Sir Boss- Desperation State

Diversity could be Yes Sir Boss’ watchword. Ska, soul, funk, rock and pop are just a selection of the genres which are not only tackled on Desperation State, they are fully explored and conquered.

Signed to Joss Stone’s label, Stone’d Records, and featuring Miss Stone herself singing on the soul/pop “Mrs #1”, YSB have been going from strength to strength; touring the UK and Europe relentlessly to packed out houses.

Desperation State opens with the fantastic title track, a belter from start to finish. This Gypsy-Ska is the perfect number to open the album with, showing off a little of almost everything that the band draws from. Tight horn riffs weave between the vocal lines in a snakelike fashion as the dynamic of the track moves from an a capella intro to a massive Anthemic finish. This is followed by the Mariachi-styled trumpet instrumental “The Situation.” And here comes my biggest criticism, at a mere 43 seconds, “The Situation” is really just an intro to the next track, without being a real piece in its own right.

While some of the tracks feature fairly complicated horn riffs, it would be a bonus to be able to hear the players really let rip and show what they can do in longer solo sections or instrumental tracks.  Merging seamlessly from the atmospheric mariachi style of “The Situation” comes “Not Guilty.” This Ska-Punk rocker goes to show how heavy the band can play, whilst still retaining the bounce and groove that makes a Yes Sir Boss gig one that’s impossible to remain still during. The two-tone influence is evident from the start of not guilty, as the song builds and builds to a heavier, rocky climax.

The other real stand out track on Desperation State is the more soulful number “Mrs #1”, which opens with an upbeat acoustic intro, before introducing a groovy backbeat that blends with the guest vocals of Joss Stone. The track mixes her more soulful style with the rough and ready attitude of YSB.  The track allows for the horns to show a different side, playing a mixture of Soul grooves and stabs rather than the more riff-based ideas of the rest of the tracks on the album written just for the band.

As a whole, the entire album is solid, keeping the groove of the band going for all of the 11 tracks. Without a single bad track on the entire disc, it’s hard to pick out any favourites. Although “Desperation State”, “Not Guilty” and “Mrs #1” being the ones that give the best idea of the vast range of styles that the band play.

9/10

Die Toten Hosen- Ballast Der Republik- 2012

Ballast Der Republik is the new offering from Germanic rockers Die Toten Hosen. Released back in May, this album is as eclectic as it is a novelty. Offering a mix of slower ballads and shout-along-in-a-rough-phonetic-way-despite-not-speaking-German Anthems

It is a strange phenomenon in the Musical world that bands from English speaking countries like England and America can find mass international fame worldwide, yet artists from other countries fail to make an impact on anything other than niche markets. This needs to change as there are some truly decent foreign acts out there.

These Punk-Rockers have really managed to get the art of writing good riffs, catchy lyrics and memorable hooks down. Whilst the album has a few weaker tracks, and tracks which seem rather indistinct (which is the problem with the majority of more modern rock bands I find), songs like the new (Oct 2012) single Altes Fieber really have power and a kind of epic quality that you can imagine a large crowd singing along with. Whereas on the slightly folksy track Ballast Der Republik, there is a definite Viking and pirate-rock influence. Die Toten Hosen don’t skimp out on the emotional level of their tracks either, without knowing anything of the meanings of the lyrics, there are the odd riff and melody to tug at the heartstrings in a precise, stereotypically Germanic way.

The major criticism of this album is that it seems a bit too polished for my taste. Everything feels precise and digital, which detracts from the rock n roll ethos this band seems to be struggling to keep hold of.

3 chord power rock style of the band does have the potential to get repetitive, especially as there are 16 songs on the album, barely any of which are much over 3 minutes long. However the different ways in which the formula is treated means that there is enough variety to keep the listener interested.

7/10