The Headhunters - Platinum

The Headhunters - Platinum
2011, Owl Studios

It wouldn't be unfair to call The Headhunters the godfathers of Jazz Fusion.  Originally Herbie Hancock's backing band for his 1973 masterpiece album Head Hunters, The Headhunters have continued on over the years as periodic collaborators with Hancock as well as an individual band.  On hiatus throughout the 1980's and most of the 1990's, The Headhunters reunited with Hancock in 1998 for The Return Of The Headhunters.  The Headhunters have continued on their own since then, blend jazz, funk, African and Caribbean styles with traditional and electronic instrumentation to create a singular sound that has been copied, imitated and sampled by numerous acts over the years.  Led by long-time members Mike Clark and Bill Summers, the Headhunters return on June 7, 2011 with Platinum, a collection of twelve thrilling tracks with special guests such as Snoop Dogg, Killah Priest, Jaecyn Bayne, Private Pile, Bernie Maupin, Patrice Rushen and George Clinton.

Platinum opens with "Mission Statement", and bassist Gary Mielke nearly steals the show right out of the box, oozing funk in a driving line that electrifies the entire song.  Jaecyn Byrne takes the mic with a rap about his goals as an artist that's both poetic and sharp.  "Salamander" is a funk-driven instrumental with a wicked trumpet/sax pairing.  There's a danceable yet mellow groove here that's inescapable.  Snoop Dogg, Killah Priest and George Clinton all have input on "D-Funk (Funk With Us), a vibrant blend of funk and jazz in a modern setting.  "Tracie" dips into Latin Jazz and Meringue in an enjoyable instrumental that you won't be able to sit still for.  "Paging Mr. Wesley" steps back into a late 1970's and early 1980's pop/jazz/disco sound for a catchy and danceable instrumental.

Things get truly interesting on "M. Trane", a sax-led instrumental sonically inspired by John Coltrane that's fired along by deceptively cool percussion work.  Saxophone plays a bit too heavy a role here, but it's otherwise a fine piece of ensemble work.  "Apple Tree" finds Jaecyn Bayne returning to mic with another song about aspirations.  Once Bayne runs out, the Headhunters take things on to a new phase of instrumental jazz expressionism that is better experienced than described.  "Palm Nut" is an extended instrumental that gets a bit lost in its own voluminous nature at times, but always returns to a solid theme.  Entertaining and well played the experimental free style jazz number benchmarks on tradition, while constantly casting out for new horizons musically. 

"Congo Place" is a solid offering, and leads into the alternating frenetic and lyric passages of "Headhunting".  Pretty at times, raucous at others, "Headhunting" uses trumpet and a trio of saxophones to smooth out the edges in between energetic and occasionally chaotic passages and runs.  "Skizness" brings Private Pile to the fore with a purely entertaining rumination on state of being.  The Headhunters wrap things up with a more straightforward pop/jazz sound on "Soul Glow".

Platinum is very, very good.  It's also likely to be one of the most over-rated albums of 2011.  The mix of names, sounds, styles and history is of the sort to appeal to GRAMMY voters and to institutional critics who have "head everything".  Consequently, don't be surprising if Platinum is named on a host of year-end lists and perhaps even nominated for awards.  It may even deserve such nods by the end of the year, but strip away the novelty and reverie and this is a very fine effort that is worthy of praise but perhaps not to the extent it's likely to receive.  The Headhunters can still create jazz fusion gold, but there are times on Platinum where the level of inspiration falls just a little bit flat.  When all is said and done, however, Platinum will likely be one of the Top-25 selling Jazz albums of 2011, and for good reason.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about The Headhunters at www.owlstudios.com.  Platinum drops on June 14, 2011.  You can pre-order the album from Amazon.com as a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Mike Clark - Carnival Of Soul

Mike Clark - Carnival Of Soul
2010, Owl Studios

Mike Clark is something of a legend. Coming to prominence as Herbie Hancock's drummer in the early 1970's, Clark has gone on to play with the likes of Chet Baker, Tony Bennett, Gil Evans, Brand X and a host of other names in jazz music. Clark teaches regularly at camps, colleges and music shops but still finds time to create, as vividly displayed on his latest album, Carnival Of Soul. A tribute to B-3 trios, Clark finds the freedom to let go and play with a youthful energy on Carnival Of Soul, assisted by the likes of Delbert McClinton, Rez Abbasi, Delbert Bump, Jerry Z and Jeff Pittson among others.

Carnival Of Soul opens with "T's Boogaloo", a tribute to Al Tanner where Clark and friends challenge you to sit still. It's a pure mix of boogie and funk that's absolutely irresistible. "Monk's Dream" mixes bop and blues with a modern twist while Clark provides quiet pyrotechnics on the skins. " Multiple GRAMMY winner Delbert McClinton sits in on vocals for "Cry Me A River", providing a dynamic vocal line to balance the uniquely subtle and compact arrangement cooked up here. Clark shows off his New York swing style on "Water On The Moon" and channels a bit of Max Roach on "Turok Son Of Stone". The latter is pure bop with a modern twist.

Stay tuned for Clark & company's rendition of "Angel Eyes"; a classic read with electric solo work from both Delbert Bump and Steve Homan. For the true drum aficionados out there nothing will beat "Bookin'". Clark conjures rhythms that are difficult to imagine and nearly impossible to copy, treading the sort of polyrhythmic ground tread by Buddy Rich and more recently by Neil Peart. Things take a funky turn on "Zoyd", a fun little nugget that seems a tad out of place here but sounds like it was too fun to play to leave off the album. Carnival Of Soul closes with a tribute to Sid Catlett entitled "Catlett Outta My Bag". Lenny White sits in, and the ensemble invokes thoughts of Miles Davis, Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock before the album fades away into musical aether.

Mike Clark seems to create something new every time he sits down at the drums, and there is a tremendous sense of play on Carnival Of Soul. This is not just a first class jazz/fusion/funk album; it's an album alive with the joy of the players practicing their craft at its apex. Carnival Of Soul is likely to be truly enjoyed by a narrow demographic of jazz fans, but that doesn't change the fact that at the halfway point of 2010 it's among the best new jazz albums to be released this year.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Mike Clark at http://www.mikeclarkmusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/drummermikeclark.  Carnival Of Soul is available as a CD or Download from Amazon.com, as well as from iTunes.

Sokoband - Sokoband (featuring Dave Matthews, Tim Reynolds, LeRoi Moore and Steve Kimock)

Sokoband - Sokoband
2010, Breezeway Records

Sokoband (formerly Soko) is a Charlottesville, Virginia based Jazz duo that formed in 1990. Comprised of Michael Sokolowski (piano) and Houston Ross (bass), Sokoband has worked with a number of top name performers over the years. In 1996, Sokoband released their debut album, In November Sunlight. The album featured guest appearances from Dave Matthews, LeRoi Moore and Tim Reynolds, and sold very well for an instrumental jazz album because of their presence. Sokoband wasn't happy with the album as presented however, and undertook remaking it over the past two years. The result is Sokoband, which includes all eight tracks from In November Sunlight as well as two new tunes. Matthews, Reynolds and Moore came back for this new project. Additional guests include Steve Kimock (guitar), Mike Colley (guitar), David Cast (sax), John Zias (guitar) and David Darling (cello).

Opening with the frenetic synth of "Coast To Coast", Sokoband creates a danceable pop offering steeped in Herbie Hancock style jazz/pop. It's an enjoyable tune that allows the musicians to explore their own riffs and inspirations while sticking closely to the main theme. "Jiriki" has a Latin jazz feel, with acoustic and electric guitars trading riffs in against the tasteful waterfall backdrop created by the piano and percussion. "In November Sunlight" sounds like film score music, with Sokolowski developing a pervasive and memorable theme on piano. As other instruments come in they somewhat obscure the theme, but it resurfaces from time to time out of the depths to remind us all that it’s there.

Sokoband launches into a ten-minute plus progressive jazz/rock Odyssey in the form of "Energy Changed", playing with dark subtexts and distortion around a guitar-led theme that's as unsettled as it is iconic. It's not Pink Floyd, but could have spun from a Gilmour-inspired haze. "And Yet Your Smile", one of the new tracks this time around, plays like a 1970's easy listening jazz tune, with saxophone out front. While it's a decent listen, it is driven by a very different writing style than the older material. Where the older songs have a fresh edgy feel a decade and a half after they were written, "And Yet Your Smile" sounds tired. "Half Sleep" is a repetitive expedition, holding space for the closing number, "Nightfall". "Nightfall" is the other new track on Sokoband; a moody variegated composition that dwells in ambience while it slowly progresses through an almost free-form melody.

Jazz fusion fans will love Sokoband. Hard-core Dave Matthews Band fans will snap it up (especially if they don't have 1996's In November Sunlight), but this is hardly a mainstream album. Sokoband is inventive and original at times, formulaic and derivative at others. The newer material, while relevant, just doesn't fit well with the original 8 songs. The original material gets new life here, mostly successfully. Sokoband is complex and highly musical when on their game.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Sokoband at http://www.sokoband.com/ or www.myspace.com/sokoband. Sokoband is available as either a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Andrei Matorin - Opus

Andrei Matorin - Opus
2009, Armored Records

Andrei Matorin appears to have been born (or at least raised) to be a jazz musician. Studying in such vaunted institutions as the Boston Center for the Arts, the Conservatoire de Geneve and the Berklee College Of Music, its likely Matorin has never experienced the starving artist phenomenon first hand, but his passion for jazz shines through every note and run on his debut album, Opus. The Brazilian-born Matorin was exposed to jazz at a young age by bassist and friend Josef Deas, who introduced Matorin to John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock and Ray Brown, among others. Matorin has never slowed down since, completing a dual program at Berklee in jazz composition and jazz performance as well as continuing to study and perfect his classical technique.

Opus opens with “Smile”, a friendly discussion between violin, piano, bass and percussion that grows into a near duet between the violin and piano; similar to two Broadway divas taking over the stage from lesser players in a finale. Offered in a wide-open arrangement with tremendous highs and lows; these peaks and valleys are measured more in intensity than volume. “Smile” is highly lyric in both the violin and piano, with Dan Pugach’s polyrhythmic drum part punctuating their conversation like a color commentator while Luques Curtis glues together with a vital-yet-unassuming bass line. “Then And Now” finds Matorin’s violin taking on a slightly darker tone. Melodically reminiscent of some of Sting’s more esoteric forays into Jazz (or at least his band’s), there is a great deal of conflict and loss woven between the lines of the song; a current than runs deep beneath the surface but touches every note even if you never quite see it.

“Coming Home” is full of reverie; joyous moments are recalled in a musical line where echoes of times past weep from Matorin’s bow like a melancholy catharsis. Brighter thoughts ensue and interweave as the listener is turned to and fro by the juxtaposition of past and present in the song. Matorin and his band introduce a slinky, sneaky feel on “Silver Blue”, sounding like a score element from an old mystery film. This is great music for skulking by a pulp-fiction private eye; not dark or ominous but almost with a comic air at times. “Trancoso” is a vibrant dance with Matorin’s violin as the main voice, but Takeshi Ohbayashi steals the show in a supporting role on piano. Chaotic subtexts feed into a classic parlor jazz feel throughout the song. Matorin underscores the chaos in the final moments of "Trancoso" before ascending to sublime ending that marks release.

“One Last Song” is a wonderful change of pace; a daydream in song that inspires images of summer days with lots of sunlight and high fluffy clouds where you can simply drift and let your mind wander where it will. Matorin is the prime mover here, waxing and waning like the breeze, but always present. The only offering on Opus that seems out of place is “Hymn No. 1”. Little about the song would suggest the contemplative or reverent nature of a hymn, and the composition fails any sort of coherency test. The focus here is on numbers: speed and how many notes Matorin can fit into a measure or line. Compared to everything else on Opus, “Hymn No. 1” sounds messy and incoherent. Matorin rights the ship however with the moody violin/bass duet “Sunday Blues”. “Sunday Blues” sounds like pure creation; it wouldn’t be at all surprising to learn that this recording was a one-off live improve between Matorin and Curtis. Curtis’ bass solo in the middle is pure chaos; something of a “huh?” moment but resolves back into the structure of the duet to close out.

Andrei Matorin is well-schooled in the art of Jazz, and his schooling shows throughout Opus, but there’s a quality that shines through here that simply cannot be taught. Matorin has a love of the music he plays that’s unparalleled, and displays flashes of genius born of love and intensity with the violin in his hand. Opus is highly creative, sticking primarily to a classic sense of jazz improvisation, digressing only when Matorin deems appropriate. Opus is an album that fans of modern jazz will be happy with, and even the stodgiest of jazz purists will gladly offer a space in their collection to.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Andrei Matorin at http://www.andreimatorin.com/ or www.myspace.com/amatorin. You can purchase Opus as a CD or Download from Amazon.com.

Review: Justyna Kelley - Over The Moon

Justyna Kelley - Over The Moon
2010, Iconique Music Group

Justyna Kelley grew up in Nashville, in a household where jam sessions were as much a part of family play time as anything else. Kelley appears to have been groomed for a career in music, but it's her passion for music that makes her special. Kelley's debut album, Over The Moon, features the sort of Country/Pop/Adult Contemporary crossover appeal you'd expect from Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain or Faith Hill. Produced by David Kershenbaum (Joe Jackson, Tracy Chapman), Kevin Killen (U2, Peter Gabriel, Shawn Colvin) and Guy Eckstine (Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jeff Lorber), Over The Moon features ten songs worth of smooth radio-friendly country/pop and rock.

Over The Moon opens with "Once In A While", a musical monologue from one who feels forgotten in a relationship. "Once In A While" is a classic modern country ballad; Kelley delivers the song with a grace and dignity that will surprise you. It's a great opening song that is likely to have mild radio success but will fit nicely into the wonderful world of licensing. "The One I Love" is a happy mid-tempo country/pop gem. This song could be a hit on either side of the Country/Pop divide, with a chorus that will get stuck in your brain and refuse to leave. Kelley has a cultured country alto voice that is appealing; just a hint of sultry attitude hidden behind a wall of sweetness that suggests "girl next door" qualities. "Pushover" finds Kelley drifting more into the realm of Rock N Roll in a kiss off song to a friend who isn't really. It's a song of strength, of standing up for yourself. Kelley's delivery is solid, but perhaps a bit short on the anger that runs through the song.

"Over The Moon" is full of the starlight and effervescence of new love. Kelley's smooth delivery can't diminish the utter joy this song conveys, and the sweet sound of her upper range perhaps makes the song even more endearing. This one could be a bonafide pop and country hit. "Shoulda Known" is the sort of generic Pop/Country that seems to do well on commercial radio but is quickly forgotten; a decent enough song but just not something that will stick with you. Kelley puts her pop shoes on for "Have You Seen Him?” combining elements of 1980's pop, rock and country for a solid tune with commercial legs. Kelley shines on the Diane Warren-penned "Life's Like That", navigating the soaring chorus with essential grace. Kelley says goodnight with "Emily", obsessing over her man's ex-girlfriend and whether she might still be on his mind. The song is an awkward closer, at best. I suspect it was included to show a different side of Justyna Kelley, but in the end it may have been more of a disservice to Kelley than anything else.

Justyna Kelley has a gorgeous voice, and reflects a poise and comfort on this recording that suggests a highly professional performer. Over The Moon suggests that no matter how pretty her voice may be, Kelley's isn't a powerful sound. This limits the range of material available to her, certainly, but not all of the material on Over The Moon was well chosen for her voice. Kelley can certainly deliver solid Pop tunes with appeal, and working in the circles she's in she's nearly guaranteed at least a modicum of success. Over The Moon has some strong moments, but never truly soars.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Justyna Kelley at http://www.justynakelley.com/ or www.myspace.com/justynakelley. No full album is availble yet, but you can download individual tracks from Justyna Kelley on Amazon.com.

Review: Antoinette Montague - Behind The Smile

Antoinette Montague - Behind The Smile
2010, In The Groove Records

Newark, New Jersey native Antoinette Montague is back with her latest collection of genre-bending jazz tunes entitled Behind The Smile. With a band that includes Mulgrew Miller (piano); Bill Easley (clarinet/sax/flute); Kenny Washington (drums) and Peter Washington (bass), Montague’s band have collectively played with Woody Shaw, Art Blakey, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Benny Carter, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Branford Marsalis and Isaac Hayes, to name a few. Montague doesn't rest on anyone's accomplishments, turning Behind The Smile into a highly personal and emotive listening experience mixing jazz classics, originals and even some re-interpretations of classic R&B songs.

Montague opens with the title track, a self-penned song that sounds like it walked right out of The Great American Songbook. Montague's warm alto has just a glint of steel and can go from dark and serious to light and campy as quick as the wind changes. I Hadn't Anyone Till You sounds like it might have come out of the 1960's Vegas era. You could almost picture Montague on stage alongside Keely Smith from this performance. Slinky jazz is the order of the day on here, Easley practically steals the show on Clarinet. Ever Since The One I Love's Been Gone hits a strong dinner/cabaret feel, with Miller dominating on piano.

Montague's take on Marvin Gaye's What's Going On inject jazz and a slightly different type of soul into the classic Give Your Mama One Smile. While Montague is outstanding c tune. Montague is excellent, but the song doesn't transition well in spite of the best efforts of the band. The Song Is You is vocally distinctive, but Miller tries to do a bit too much with the piano this time around. The lust for speed becomes something of a mess in the bridge/solo. I'd Rather Have A Memory Than A Dream is melancholy and lush, and Miller is exquisite this time around on the piano. Montague takes on a Smokey Robinson classic in Get Ready in an outstanding swing take that might just play better than the original. The highly pensive Summer Song offers up the loveliest moment on the album, but Behind The Smile ends awkwardly thereafter. Somewhere In The Night didn't really connect, and Duke Ellington's 23rd Psalm came across as soulless, failing to capture the inherent power of the verse of Ellington's original take.

On the whole, Behind The Smile is a very successful effort. It has its weak spots, but Antoinette Montague and her band make the most of their better moments and make it easy to overlook the occasional flaw. Montague's voice will keep you listening as long as she keeps singing, and it would be hard to find a more talented backing band anywhere. Behind The Smile is both serious and serious fun, and well worth digging into.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Antoinette Montague at http://www.antoinettemontague.com/ or www.myspace.com/antoinettemontague. You can purchase Behind The Smile from Allegro Music or Amazon.com.

Review: Roberta Gambarini - So In Love

Roberta Gambarini - So In Love
2009, Decca Records/Emarcy/PGD

Roberta Gambarini built her reputation the old-fashioned way. A true road-warrior, she’s toured/performed with the likes of Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Slide Hampton, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath and Toots Thielman, just to name a few. The native of Italy, who now calls the United States home, has one GRAMMY nomination under her belt, and has been dubbed by the great pianist Hank Jones as the “best singer to emerge in over 60 years”. (Jones has accompanied Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holliday, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Bing Crosby, Nat “King” Cole, Billy Eckstine and Frank Sinatra, just to name a few. On August 25, 2009, Decca Records releases Gambarini’s third album, So In Love, featuring guest appearances by James Moody, Roy Hargrove, Eric Gunnison, Chuck Berghorfer and George Mraz, to name a few. The album was recorded by Al Schmitt at Capitol Studios.

Gambarini is a vocalist with shades of Keely Smith's sharp alto and Ella Fitzgerald's warm tone in her voice. She opens So In Love with the title track in a fashion so sultry she could melt the microphone. Day In And Day Out finds Gambarini's smooth sound wending its way through a difficult melody line without every breaking a sweat. Get Out Of Town is the sort of performance you don't hear much of in vocal jazz anymore. Gambarini has this slight edge to her voice, but wraps it up in silk and taffeta while mesmerizing the listener into satisfied state. The arrangement here is ingenious, with the music growing almost out of thin air but never upstanding Gambarini while wrapping around her voice like a shawl. Gambarini gives a lyric and inspired performance of Patsy Cline's Crazy. There have been so many covers of this tune over time it's almost a cliché, and it’s rare to find an artist who truly does the song justice, but Gambarini makes the grade. Gambarini's take on That Old Black Magic is good but lacks the conviction that would make the song truly fly.

Switching to the popular realm, Gambarini takes on the Beatles with Golden Slumbers/Here There & Everywhere. He vocal take is gorgeous but the arrangement leaves something to be desired as it saps Here There & Everywhere of its vitality. From This Moment On finds Gambarini trying to keep pace with the great Ella Fitzgerald. This is one of those tunes you just don't do if you can't nail it and make it your own. Gambarini's version is good but just can't stand up to the original. Gambarini goes the stock standard route with You Must Believe In Spring and This Is Always before ripping off the roof with You Ain't Nothin' But A J.A.M.F. Scat fans take notice, Gambarini's got the pipes. Her performance here is absolutely inspired.
So In Love has some ups and downs, but there is no doubt that Roberta Gambarini should be considered one of the bright stars in vocal jazz. So In Love is a strong introduction and also a great learning tool, as it displays very clearly where Gambarini's strengths are and are not. If you're a fan of vocal jazz, and particularly the great Ladies of the 1930's and 1940's, then you'll definitely want to spend some time with So In Love.

Rating: 3.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Roberta Gambarini at http://www.robertagambarini.com/ or www.myspace.com/robertagambarini. So In Love drops August 25, 2009. You can pre-order the album through Amazon.com. Expect digital distribution through all major outlets, including Amazon.MP3 and iTunes.

Review: Sebastian Lorefice - Short Stories, Infinite Corridors

Sebastian Lorefice - Short Stories, Infinite Corridors
2009, Sebastian Lorefice

Australia's Sebastian Lorefice is a respected musician, composer and educator. Lorefice has been active as a performer since the early 1980's, forsaking the band life in 1997 to focus on education and composing. Lorefice's compositions dwell largely in the jazz realm, although elements of Rock, Lounge and even Space-Age electronic musical forms show themselves from time to time. Lorefice's most recent release, Short Stories, Infinite Corridors covers all the bases stylistically.

Short Stories, Infinite Corridors opens with Soldier, the most generic piece on the record, mixing jazz and a soaring rock guitar that sound great but don't really excite the listener. Street Gangs and Water Slide head for the late-70's/early-80's Lite Jazz/R&B sound that grew up as a counter-reformation to the Disco thing. The vibraphone play in Street Gangs is stellar, and there's a lot going on underneath. This is one of those tunes you can listen to many times over and keep discovering new things buried in the instrumentation. Your Inviting Eyes offers up dinner music that refuses to sit in the background but asserts itself as exciting guest that incites conversation.

Lorefice refuses to stand still, going experimental on Espionage, which uses mostly organic instrumentation to remind practitioners of ambient and experimental Electronica that their style isn't original after all. Shaolin Temples is a composition for the academics in the audience, engaging in a brand of intentional musical cognitive dissonance that's more of an effect than compositional tool. Lugosi's Lullaby, on the other hand, is brilliant. Lorefice plays the role of a slightly twisted James Horner with a composition that is cinematic in scope and sound. He manages to pull these lovely snatches of melody out of a dark and foreboding musical landscape like the Northern Lights spark out of the inky blackness of night. Lorefice gets his Space-Age hat on for UFO File and Hostile Planet with similar results. UFO File gets pretty messy in the middle, with instruments rushing to fill the sound but stepping all over one another in the process. Hostile Planet simply sounded unimaginative; a sewn together set of mini-themes could be dissected, scrambled and reassembled and not suffer compositionally.

Short Stories, Infinite Corridors runs the gamut from bland to brilliance, depending on the song. Lorefice displays obvious talent with pen and stave, creating a few magical moments (Lugosi's Lullaby, Street Gangs, Your Inviting Eyes), but writes mostly in academic and esoteric forms that may not be accessible to the casual listener. There's nothing wrong with this, of course, but it does serve to minimize the sphere of the music. In balance, the positive definitely outweighs the negative, and Sebastian Lorefice creates some highly memorable moments for those who do tune in.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sebastian Lorefice at http://www.sabojams.com/. You can purchase Short Stories, Infinite Corridors on CD or as a download at www.cdbaby.com/cd/lorefice.

Review: Schleusolz - Running Out Of Time

Schleusolz - Running Out Of Time
2009, Schokokontrol

Some might call it a vanity project. Others might label it a workshop piece. Some will call it genius. No matter how you term it, Frankfurt, Germany's Schleusolz is an intriguing venture. Studio magicians Worsel Strauss, Schani Wolf and Zodi Paulinen go for a space-age electronic retro vibe, described elsewhere as "Henry Mancini on acid", that is a serious attempt at fun. Wolf and Strauss openly allow that many of the songs on Running Out Of Time, Schleusolz' debut album, were experimental in nature. The end result is a collection seventeen tracks that are just familiar enough to grab your attention and unique and different enough to hold it.

Running Out Of Time opens with They Are Here!, which is titled like and sounds like the theme song to a 1950's or 1960's Sci-fi alien flick. On this and most of the tracks on Running Out Of Time you can almost sense Schleusolz laughing at themselves, poking fun at both themselves and the styles of music they traverse. Who Are You? feels like ballroom music from an old black and white movie, or perhaps something that might have played during the dance sequences on The Muppet Show if it were made today. Make My Heart Go Boom is a fusion you don't hear too often, electro-rock and tango. There's a surrealist, almost psychotic feel to this peace that will grab hold of you. Running Out Of Time is one of the most fun songs on the album, sounding a bit like a Weird Al Yankovic covering the theme song written for a hypothetical 1970's game show by Herbie Hancock.

As you can tell, if classification is your first priority you are woefully out of luck when it comes to Schluesolz. From the Middle-Eastern flavor of I Came To Marry A Blonde Girl, the space-cadet driven musings of Chivalry, the Peter Schilling-esque vibe on Neo-Liberal Coffee Bar or the Afro-Cuban Jazz vibe on Narcorhithmico, Schluesolz will spin you every which way but loose. Even the old-time variety show feel of The River Of Love is at home here; granted there's an undertone here that would be highly disturbing to Lawrence Welk or Roy Clarke and Buck Owens. Also be sure to check out Acid In The Sea, Two Canadians In Mockba and the mocking, untitled epilogue of a final track.

Running Out Of Time doesn't just break down barriers, it smashes them to pieces with a musical sledgehammer while Schluesolz giggles with glee. Schleusolz is one of those rare acts who are so original and unique that there really isn't a term to describe them. The thing they take most seriously on Running Out Of Time is having fun with the music. Join them in the fun; you won't be able to help yourself.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Schleusolz at www.myspace.com/schleusolz. You can purchase a copy of Running Out Of Time at www.cdbaby.com/cd/schleusolz.