Rhythm & Booze An online music webzine created by music lovers for music lovers.

26 January, 2012

Mystery Juice-Eye For An Aye

Filed under: blues,funk,garage,Recorded Reviews,rock — Tags: eye for an ay, Mystery Juice — willmunn @ 18:20

Mystery Juice are an Edinburgh based four-piece who weld together blistering psychedelic blues, heavy pulsating funk grooves, breakbeats, searing electrric fiddle/guitar interplay and the tightest rhythm sizaection known to man to create a stunning, throbbing and down right essential mix that’s just crying out to be heard by the masses.

The band formed a good few years back, originally running their own club nights in their native Edinburgh before spreading out to a residency in Belfast and tours across the UK, Russia (a bizarre link-up has seen the band release two Russia only albums) and many festivals across Europe. Recently the band landing up headlining the 40th anniversary celebrations of Copenhagen’s anarchist enclave Christiania.

Mystery Juice have also, in recent times collaborated with the renowned Fence Collective (James Yorkston, King Creosote, etc) film makers Ruth and Louis Paxton and graphic artist Superlectic Industries on a number of projects.

The band’s latest EP Eye For An Aye was recorded in the group’s own studios and is to be releasesd as a super limited 7inch (first fifty with indvidually handprinted art work) and download only and I have to say right from the off, it’d be worth selling you’re right arm to grab a hold of the vinyl version of this one, as each one will not only will be a collectors piece but also four slabs of blistering funk laden, footstomping raw essential howling blues.

The EP opens with Hurt You, Hurt Me a raw, bluesy, garage glam stomper complete with feral beats, infectious dirty riffs, punchy electric fiddle and Tim Matthew’s glorious guttural howl, the track is a stunning statement of intent, it’s raw to the point of almost being primal and yet it’s completely and utterly contagious begging to be spun over and over again. Song For The Rural Dispossed Of Scotland prove that Mystery Juice are no one trick pony, this time round the band create a cosmic funky stew merging that already present blues influence and that seering fiddle with a groove-laden heavy bass and beats rhythm section alongside an almost rapped (not in the hip-hop) machine-gun type vocal style to once again create a sounbd that’s unique and completely compelling.

If that wasn’t already worth the price of admission the band add a further two tracks of fiddle wielding filthy blues and groove in the shape of God Told Adam and the EP’s title track, proving that Mystery Juice that it’s all thriller and no filler around these parts.

Like I alluded at the beginning of this review before gwtting completely carried away Eye For An Aye is an absolute essential for lovers of psychotic blues, garage rock, heavy funk or a music fan looking for a new buzz.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 10

www.facebook.com/mysteryjuice

29 November, 2011

Bear Cavalry-Maple Trails EP

Filed under: funk,indie,pop,Recorded Reviews,world music — willmunn @ 18:16

Bear Cavalry are a four-piece hailing from the unlikely musical mecca of Gosport over on the Southern English coast, but despite their unusual location the band are beginning to make something of a splash having been championed by the likes of Radio One’s Kissy Sell Out and Edith Bowman among others.

The band’s blend an unusual mix of indie rock, afrobeat, post rock, pop and god only knows what to create a unique, yet instantly accessible sound that should find favour with just anybody who calls themselves a music fan with their finger on the pulse. Pulsating intricate guitar work blends effortlessly with groove-laden bass, funky horns and African inspired , whilst the band run through numerous time and style changes throughout the four track duration of Maple Trails.

The opening number, Roman Summer is all tricky guitar interplay, oft kilter bouncy rhythms, poppy hooks, tasty harmonies and deliciously catchy lead vocals serving as a stunning introduction to the bands potent sound. From there the band add funky horns, changeable rhythms, choppy guitars and glorious African inspired harmonies to create the stunning, unique and delightfully infectious Custom Hands, a track that brings to mind a loser more eclectic Vampire Weekend.

The intriguingly named Will Smith Solves The Rubiks Cube begins as a subtle slice of indie pop with delicately crooned vocals and drumstick clicks that rises into a dazzling, almost orchestral, horn laden chorus. The rise and fall of the track is simply stunning, whilst the trumpet hook will have you hitting replay and humming happily along for hours. The EP is completed by Dragons Milk Pt II a track that opens with a wee bit of electronica before developing into a widescreen indie epic that leaves the listener desperately aching for more.

Maple Trails is intriguing, contagious and oh so very special, Bear Calvery have delivered a mesmeric debut, that’ll have you dancing, clapping, singing and frothing at the mouth (well it did me anyway!), they are certainly one of the must see bands of 2012.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 10

http://www.facebook.com/bearcavalryband

20 September, 2011

Tom Russell-Mesabi

Filed under: americana,country,funk,mariachi,Recorded Reviews,rock — willmunn @ 10:37

Tom Rusell by Drew Reynolds

I have to be honest until last year I was a little naive to the American composer, story teller, artist and god like genius Tom Russell, sure I knew the name, I’d read a review or two but I hadn’t actually heard any of his music, but a review of 2009’s Blood And Candles must have hit home and I’d placed the album in the handy Amazon wishlist and thanks to one of my sisters I was given the long player as a birthday gift.

I instantly fell for Tom’s stories, his stunning weathered delivery and the incredible instrumentation (in part, courtesy of Calexico). The album became one of my firm favourites so when a copy of Mesabi dropped through the letterbox you can only imagine my instant delight.

Mesabi is Tom Russell’s 26th album to date (I’ve got a lot of catching up to do) and once again see’s Tom assisted by Calexico as well as the legendary Van Dyke Parks and Americana goddess Lucinda Williams, helping to bring Tom’s stories and unique blend of cinematic folk, country, rock and Americana to life.

The album itself has a running theme or concept of sorts, playing tribute to the tales of border town Juarez, one of the most perilous towns in Mexico and contrasting those stories with the tall tales of the Hollywood celebrity, creating a unique yet engaging collection that draws the listener in to a stunning cinematic world.

The title track opens the album, setting the mood wonderfully with a combination of acoustic guitar, shit kicking electric, honky tonk piano and the glorious trumpet of (Calexico man) Jacob Valenzuela, whilst Tom sings of the football playing school kid in a Mexican Catholic School listening to Buddy Holly and Richie Valens in that glorious aged drawl of his. Mesabi is the perfect mood setter, a glorious infectious Americana anthem that instantly connects, imagine Springsteen heading out Mexico way, downing a bottle of Whiskey and picking up a trumpet player from a local mariachi band along the way.

When The Legend Dies is a more stripped down affair, a teary folk lament, a tale of mortality, with Tom crooning for all he’s worth over a beautiful combination of wheezing accordian, piano, shuffling restrained drums and a battered acoustic showcasing the more sensitive side to Tom’s vision.

Highlights come thick and fast from the hook-laden, Farewell Never Never Land, the compelling tale of child actor Bobby Driscoll (the original Peter Pan, Treasure Island) with it’s almost orchestral introduction, the stripped down verses and the punchy chorus to the upbeat old time ragtime jazz/country of The Lonesome Death Of Ukulele Ike, via the short Liz Taylor lament Furious Love (For Liz) and the glorious Calexico assisted Goodnight, Juarez complete with beautiful harmonies of Gretchen Peters .

Each and every tale compells, drawing the listener further in, with Tom’s grizzly croon seducing and bewitching, whilst his clever use of instrumentation and vocal harmonies helps create the imagery to Tom’s narration, if you close your eyes during the likes of the marching A Land Called Way Out There it’s easy to imagine the burning porsche of James Dean or the dangerous drug deals and guns on the Mariachi flavoured God Created Border Towns. There aren’t many singer-songwriters who can you take you on a journey but Tom is a master and with Mesabi you feel like you’re right by his side as he shows you around.

I can’t possibly finish this review without mentioning the stunning sparse take on fellow story-teller Bob Dylan’s A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall that Tom delivers as a duet with the aforementioned Lucinda Williams with Calexico acting as backing band, it’s a glorious rendition that has to be heard to be believed with Lucinda’s vocals complimenting Tom’s growl wonderfully whilst a lonesome trumpet echoes in the background and Calexico deliver layers of guitar for a thrilling crescendo.

Mesabi as a whole is a sensational journey bringing together intriguing stories delivered by one of the greatest composers of modern times, so gather round, pour your drink and allow Tom Russell to tell you a tale or two.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 10

www.tomrussell.com

 

photo by Drew Reynolds

16 August, 2011

Public Speech-Publicity

Filed under: funk,hip hop / rap,pop,punk,Recorded Reviews — Tags: anti-folk — willmunn @ 12:24

Public Spleech are a Dalston (London) based three-piece who blend pop, punk, hip-hop and funk to create an addictive, high octane sound that has already seduced various radio stations and attracted all sorts of media attention, even managing to provoke The Sun and courting London’s finest with band’s video to their toast to the recent royal couple on their former single Queens Speech.

The band formed when singer Joe Pollution joined forces with drummer Bill Austin and bassist Kevin Byrne, having served time in the fabled Hackney hip-hop wars under the banner of 3rd Rok.

Joe takes the experience from those formative years in the hip-hop world and ups the ante by adding a collection of loud spiky rock  riffs and a heap load of attitude to create a brilliantly addictive collection of biting social commentary and witty obsevation, whilst Bill and Kevin lay down a frantic yet often funky rhythm forming one of the most instant and infectious sounds I’ve heard in a wee whilst.

The album opens with the frenzied punk of Shoot Em Up, a glorious upbeat pop punk anthem complete with a massive hook, a big shout a-long chorus and a few nice vocal harmonies thrown in for good meaures, as statements of intent go it’s pretty damn flawless and had me bouncing round the room like a loon. Block Party offers up that first sighting of the aforementioned hip-hop and funk influence as the band deliver an infectious slap of elastic bass whilst Joe unleashes a contagious lyrical flow with a delicious Cockney charm that had this reviewer happily reminicising of fellow London agit-pop/punk/hip-hoppers Milk Kan.

The massive hook-laden choruses, tasty rock licks, crazed scratching, pucnhy swagger and souped up funk comes thick and fast with each of the ten tracks offering up Joe’s quickfire delivery and the bands instant groove, picking individual highlights is rather difficult when everytime I spin Publicity I land up singing (well hollering out of tune would be more apt in my case) along to each and every track, but I do have to mention the gloriously funk smoothered Expenses, a stunningly addictive ode to goverment expenses, the swaggering swaying Tribute Act, the computer geek baiting Twitter complete with the catchiest chorus known to man and the riotous Bitch In A Mag, but like I said I could have picked any of the tunes on here.

If you, like me are rather partial to tongue in cheek, punchy, punky, provocative pop you’ll love Public Speech, Publicity is a brilliant confrontational debut that’ll have you grinning from ear to ear whilst punching the ceiling.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 10

www.publicspeech.co.uk

 

 

2 August, 2011

Janice Graham Band-Murder

Filed under: Blog,funk,hip hop / rap,post-punk,Recorded Reviews,ska — willmunn @ 09:22

Janice Graham Band are a four-piece band hailing from the musical hotpot of Manchester, the band mix and match funk, ska, hip-hop, post punk and garage to create a unique and intoxicating sound that has already received plaudits from such heavy weights in the music world as Mani (Primal Scream/Stone Roses) and Clint Boon (XFM) among others.

Since the band’s formation they’ve already performed at this years Isle Of Wight Festival along with securing high profile support slots with the likes of Little Barrie, Kid British and Madness among others. The energetic and original sound has found the ears of  the acclaimed Acid Jazz Records, who are currently working on the bands debut, which is set to be unleashed early next year, the long player is set to be something of a concept around love, life, sex and death. Set around one man’s descent into a hedonistic descent towards darkness, self-destruction and ultimately Murder.

The aptly titled Murder is the first taster of the aforementioned full length album and all I can say is wow what a stunning statement of intent, the band lay down a thick, dirty ska bounce complete with a dub like elastic bassline, a subtlibly dark yet infectious vocal, a brilliant trumpet breakdown and the most addictive chorus I’ve heard in a long whilst. Murder is dark, brooding and yet ever so bouncy.

The B-side, Assassiner, cleverly lifts the bass from Murder but showcases the band’s hip-hop influece as lead singer Joe Jones delivers a contagious Manc tinged rap, whilst the band create an intriguing and addictive backdrop.

As introductions go, Murder by Janice Graham Band is pretty damn perfect, the two tracks leave you desperately wanting more, needing to here what else the band manage to stir into the delicious musical stew that’s already evident here. If the band manage to continue in this vein the full length album is set to be very special indeed.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 10

www.janicegrahamband.com

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