John Frazier and the 8 Year Olds – Boogieman

Generally, I tend to like weird. By weird, I simply mean something that’s different than the status quo or something with a unique twist on the usual. That’s what weird is, right? Outlandish and bizarre is a whole separate category and I can get into that in later reviews. But for now, let’s discuss John Frazier and the 8 Year Olds. This band, for all intents and purposes, is weird . . . weird in that they approach their craft from a different place than you or I might do. Part rockabilly, part punk rock, part I don’t know what, Frazier leads his band of merry melody makers through fourteen tracks of exciting and instantly memorable music, fourteen tracks of music that will make you tap your toes and crack a smile. . . maybe even a chuckle a little. Boogieman is not only worth your time, but worth your hard earned dollars and cents.

Part of what makes Boogieman so compelling is that, on top of its inherent weirdness, it’s musically complex and thought provoking. Listen to the opening song, “Road Rage,” and hear how the distorted guitars play loose and wild over the bass line. Then you have the vocals, which come across more as a narrative than singing, before the haunting strains of a violin pierce the musical atmosphere. Ultimately, it’s the riff that kicks in around the 1:00 mark that makes me stop and nod my head in approval. The violins weave around the melody and lift the rest of the instruments above being cliché, almost giving the song a prog-rock vibe, and sounding almost schizophrenic in comparison to the opening of the song. By the time we get to the second verse, John Frazier’s vocals elevate from the more narrative and monotone approach to capture a bit a manic adventure and emotion. I can’t get enough of this song. The energy, the musicality, the raw emotion to the whole tune makes me reach to my music player of choice and hit replay. Damn awesome song!

Then, Frazier and company lead us in a completely different direction. “One Night” sounds like a combination of Roy Orbison and Cake. Clean guitar tones strum out the verse and Frazier’s voice has that haunting Orbison tone of loneliness and inner torture. Check out the guitar work throughout this track. The subtle strumming at the beginning, the virtuosic hammer-on’s, and then the way Frazier drives the pick through the strings. This song is a credit to the recording as much as it is the playing. The notes vibrate and shimmer across the musical landscape. On top of all of the musical intrigue, the lyrics are cool and instantly memorable due to the highly infectious melody. “One Night” is an interesting contrast to the next song, “Some Knew Truth’” which is a straight up, high energy, hard rockin’, quasi-punk-y piece. Filled with great guitar tones (I’m hearing an acoustic strumming in the background) and a locomotive beat, “Some Knew Truth” makes it three songs in a row that gets me right in solar plexus.

“Back Home” features that narrative-type vocal performance from Frazier once again, and damn it! I love the non-chalance of his vocal approach! The composition and arrangement of this song is so damn cool . . . violins are littered throughout the track, various guitar tones are employed to gain maximum affect, the rhythm section keeps the whole thing together through the odd breaks and time changes. And then, finger picked notes of an acoustic guitar of “The Same Shit” meander from the speakers. Accompanied by the strained notes of the violins, this song picks up tones of some bizarre alt-country vibe, but then, as seems to be the M.O. for John Frazier, the song goes in a different direction. The lyrics tell a great tale of a friend, who’s gender is cleverly masked apparently is really no real friend at all. The phrasing kills me! At the end of the second verse, after Frazier has recited the incredible journeys of said acquaintance across the U.S., he simply states, “I don’t believe it,” in such a tone that I can’t help but crack a smile and giggle a little. It’s perfect! So many times I’ve heard that same voice in my head after hearing the farflung tales of “friends!” Is John Frazier the voice of my own inner monologue? I can get behind that.

The band changes things up for “Life of the Party” as the female vocals of violinist Pinky Weitzman takes the lead role. The tune is more somber sounding as the vocals are of the more narrative style and almost sound like the singer is bored. But, that’s the great thing about this particular performance! It’s hard to tell if the narrator of this tale is being sarcastic about being the life of the party or simply is that tired of being that person. Again, it’s a cool song for no other reason that it makes one stop and question the singers intentions, and if music has the ability to make me care that much as to why this person is unhappy or bored or apathetic about their position at a social gathering, then the song has power.

Finally, for an upbeat, groovin’ tune, John Frazier delivers “Pushing the Fat.” I’ve listened to this song about a hundred times now and I still don’t have a clear understanding as to what the phrase “pushing the fat” really means, but one thing is clear. This song has movement. It’s got bounce. It pushes the fat. Driven by a great bass line and accented by Weitzman’s violin work, Frazier delivers a funky fresh tune that can only be about sex. This one hits on a primal level. The level that gets the bones clickity-clacking, the abdomen gyrating in one direction or another, y’know . . . it’s accessible enough to dance to, but dangerous enough that you wouldn’t want to bring it home to mother.

Boogieman is as addictive a listen as I’ve had all year. Even as I’ve had other discs lined up and ready for review, Boogieman has found its way back into my player for additional spins just for the fun of it. I’m certain that I wasn’t expecting to like this album as much as I do, but that’s the funny thing about expectations. They’re meant to be surpassed. John Frazier and the 8 Year Olds have become my new go-to band to eradicate the doldrums of the day. Instantly catchy songs packed with an odd melodic sensibility, fun lyrics, upbeat and powerful music and instrumentation . . . the album has everything that I need to complete a good road trip or a simply jaunt to the corner market. Love ‘em, love ‘em, love ‘em! - Pope JTE

www.myspace.com/johnfrazierandthe8yearolds

www.john-frazier.com

A Sunday Conversation with My Sleeping Karma

Swirly, spacey, transcendent, and altogether a near-spiritual experience. Yes, I'm describing the first time I ever heard My Sleeping Karma's brand of pyschedelic stoner rock. Mesmerizing is another word that leaps to mind. Naturally, we were thrilled when the guys stopped by the Ripple office to chat, light some incense, and become one with everything Ripple.

When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkle, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears. What have been your musical epiphany moments?


Well, we are four guys in the band and each one of us sure had his epiphanies when it comes to music. Funny thing is that we all grew up under the same influences. Back in the days, we put our ears mainly on metal and rock'n' roll bands like Maiden, Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, etc. Later, in the early 90s, we discovered a band called Kyuss that simply blew our minds off. 35007 was another great listening experience as well. Actually there are too many important bands out there to name them all. Our latest epiphany was probably the new Chris Cornell album. Quite revolutionary, in a disturbing way ;-)


Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?

Funny that you speak of lyrics :-) We usually start jammin' from a riff or bassline. When it feels good we are trying to shape things up and structured them. Details and melodies are added in the last sequence of the songwriting process. So it's pretty much like everyone of us is working out his own part of a song. Luckily, we all know how it should sound like which makes a lot of things easier.


Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?

Basically life. Nothing else that inspires you more with new ideas and people every day. Music as well, which sums up life in every particular. The ideas of Buddhism and Hinduism are important spiritual influences for us. It's like a place to sooth your soul. Last but not least our families and friends of course.


Genre's are so misleading and such a way to pigeonhole bands. Without resorting to labels, how would you describe your music?

My Sleeping Karma combines aspects of chill and rock. It's psychedelic, organic music with a major focus on the groove and the melodies. Emotional, stirring, sedative and melancholic - the shape of aphasian landscapes in your ears.


What is you musical intention? What are you trying to express or get your audience to feel?

That is pretty much leading to the previous question. We'd like to give our audience a spiritual time using the devices we just specified before. Everyone should draw his own conclusion and find the spiritual message for himself in our music. That is all we intent to do and what is making us happy.


In songwriting, how do you bring the song together? What do you look for in terms of complexity? Simplicity? Time changes?

When your focus is mainly on instrumental music, you have to work out things differently as if you are using vocals. Structures and time changes for example are much more important. Of course you start with the basic idea, as we mentioned before, a riff, a bassline or a melody. Simplicity or complexity doesn't really matter in this context as long as it conduces to the music. To "karmarize" a song, we are playing a lot with dynamic devices to lead a song to a climax or to let it calm down again.



The business of music is a brutal place. Changes in technology have made it easier than ever for bands to get their music out, but harder than ever to make a living? What are your plans to move the band forward? How do you stay motivated in this brutal business?

We don't really recognize something like the brutal side of the business. All of us Karma guys are 30+ of age and therefore we don't feel like being the next big thing. Due to the technological possibilities we are in a position to record and produce our very own music without any compromises. Apart from that, the whole stoner and psychedelic rock scene, which is quiet important for us, is still very familial. We've met so many good supporters of the years and that made a lot of things much more easy. These people and the fans that come to our shows are motivation enough to ride on.



Come on, share with us one of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?

We played at Swamp Room Mania in munich last september, a festival organized by Stefan Koglek of Colour Haze. We had a great time and got wasted after our gig. Suddenly two of us started to sing Manowar songs and we all sang along. It ended up on My Sleeping Karma performing "The Warrior's Prayer" (spoken word tale from the album Kings Of Metal) when Stefan entered the backstage room. He got highly irritated and the expression on his face was priceless! :-)


Your music is deeply spiritually based, rooted in Buddhism. How did this come about?

When you reach a certain age, you start reflecting your life and there are basic ideas in Buddhism that we feel very comfortable with. The spirituality and the way to comprehend life are fascinating. Though far from being real Buddhists, we are trying to follow that path.



What makes a great song?

That can be summed up to one expression: Emotion. If it's in the melody, the sound, the lyrics or whatever - everyone has to find out for himself.


Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?

The first song we ever wrote was probably "Hymn72." It was originated when Seppi (guitar) and Matte (bass) started jammin' before we came together as a band. It was an uptempo song, but it obviously showed up the direction we wanted to go. When we started with My Sleeping Karma we discussed what to do with the song and everyone adds his ideas to it. The song title leads to Seppi's year of birth. That's the pretty unspectacular story of "Hymn72" ;-)



What piece of your music are particularly proud of?

You mean like a certain song? That's a tough question, because everyone of us probably has another favourite. We are especially proud of our second album Satya. We had more time to optimize the sound and melodies and feel like it is perfect to represent what My Sleeping Karma is all about.


Who today, writes great songs? Why?

Wow, there are a lot of really great bands out there. When you look at MySpace you feel like if the world consists of tons of good musicians only. Anyway, it's always the bands that start something of their own, adding new ideas to stamped out trails. There is this band from the united states with roots in England and iran - *shels. Those guys really impressed us by combining the brutal aspects of Isis with melancholic landscapes of the likes of Sigur Ros. Yet they pretty much have their own sound. *shels will release a new album soon and we can't wait for it. Check them out if you haven't!




Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?

Vinyl, because of the warm sound and the artwork. CD's and MP3's changed the whole industry, made it more easy for the regular fan to deal with music. But there is nothing like holding a vinyl in your hands. It has more of that artist aspect. It's like the difference between book and ebook. By the way, both of our albums are going to be released on vinyl this month.



At the Ripple, we travel a lot. When we come visit you, what's the best record store in your town?

That would be Echobeat, located in the center of our hometown Aschaffenburg.

Ripple News - The Ripple Effect to sponsor HYPNO5E headlining the METAL AS ART Tour w/ Revocation, The Binary Code

French experi-metalists HYPNO5E have just announced their headlining run through the US on the METAL AS ART Tour with Revocation of Relapse Records, and The Binary Code. The METAL AS ART Tour marks HYPNO5E’s second tour in the US, and expect the band to play a little bit of new material live this time around.

HYPNO5E’s Emmanuel Jessua (vocals, guitars) comments: “We are very excited to come back to the USA to tour with Revocation and The Binary Code. Our first tour in the USA was really amazing, and we can’t wait to tour again! Come and check us out in your city.”

The METAL AS ART Tour has a whole host of sponsors including The Ripple Effect. That's right, we're sponsoring our first tour!!!

Joining us in this mad metal endeveor are Ultimate-Guitar, MetalSucks.net, SMNnews, Metal Injection, Killer Tours, Metal Review, Team All About The Music, Tones Of Death, and Ed Stone Rockwear who’ll be giving away exclusive Metal As Art t-shirts to two lucky winners at each show.


HYPNO5E’s debut full length, Des Deux L’une Est L’aure, can be streamed in its entirety here.


Confirmed dates are as follows

1/6/10 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Knitting Factory

1/7/10 – Allentown, PA @ Crocodile Rock

1/8/10 – Buffalo, NY @ Broadway Joe’s

1/9/10 – Akron, OH @ Annabells Bar and Lounge

1/10/10 – Mt Clemens, MI @ The Hayloft

1/11/10 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle (FREE show!!)

1/12/10 – St. Louis, MO @ Fubar w/ LYE BY MISTAKE

1/13/10 – Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge

1/14/10 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Conservatory

1/15/10 – Dallas, TX @ The Lounge on Elm

1/16/10 - TBA

1/17/10 – Austin, TX @ Red 7

1/18/10 – Amarillo, TX @ War Legion

1/19/10 – Gallup, NM @ Juggernaut

1/20/10 – TBA

1/21/10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Ultraviolet

1/22/10 – Ramona, CA @ Ramona Mainstage

1/23/10 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Parish

1/24/10 - TBA

1/25/10 – Portland, OR @ Ash Street Saloon

1/26/10 – Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven

1/27/10 – Spokane, WA @ The Cretin Hop

1/28/10 – Boise, ID @ Gusto’s Bar

1/29/10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Outer Rim

1/30/10 – Denver, CO @ Old Curtis Street Bar

1/31/10 – Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge

2/1/10 – Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews

2/2/10 – Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room

2/3/10 – Nashville, TN @ The Muse

2/4/10 – Cincinnati, OH @ Dirty Jacks

2/5/10 – Baltimore, MD @ Sidebar

2/6/10 – Trenton, NJ @ The Championship



Raving Reviews about HYPNO5E


The Ripple Effect -

“Experimentally proggy, technically over the head, and brutal all at the same time, these guys hear music in their own unique way and aren’t afraid to stretch their sound to distant and, as of yet, unimaginable dimensions... This is the type of album that will make you question all that you know, or think that you know, about music… ”


Metal Underground -

“From breakdowns behind classical female vocals to gut-wrenching screams and syncopation, the band covers more ground than Rambo ripping through a jungle… A surrealistic venture through several genres of haunting ass-kickings, because this is an album meant to frighten, impress, and envelope the listener.”


Rock Freaks -

“Sludge, death metal, electronica and dark ambiance meet under the umbrella of progressive rock to envelope the listener in an oppressive, obscure soundscape that juxtaposes the beautiful with the grotesque in a seldom-heard-before way.”

An Electrifying, Eclectic Edifice of Ebullient EP's

Brothers of the Sonic Cloth/ Mico de Noche - Split 10"

I don't care what you say, Tony Reed is the Stephen King of the music world. I don't know when that cat ever sleeps!

On top of his raving retro-seventies band Mos Generator, his much-more-than-a-side-project, blues-rock rave-up Stone Axe, Reed somehow managed to find the time to either engineer, mix and/or master each song on this bludgeoning 10" split vinyl ode to sludge and the mother riff.

But this isn't a review of that maniac Reed's work, it's a review of of the bands on this split and their assaulting homage to pummeling stoner-fied, doom-laden metal. Brothers of the Sonic Cloth start this beast off. And I do mean beast, smoke-billowing-from-nostrils, drool-dripping-from-bloody-doomy-tusks, beast. BOTSC are the resurrection of Tad Doyle, of the Seattle legends Tad, and let me tell you, things couldn't have gotten darker inside Doyle's musical brain. "Fires Burn Dim in the Shadows of the Mountain," is simply a YOB monster of a track, trudging down that mythical mountain in massive thudding footsteps of forest clearing doom and metal. The mayhem BOTSC create in the first few minutes is so violent it seems immoral. Crashing drums, like boulders falling from the cliffs, ride through gargled vocals and a bottom end so low they're having seizures in China. This would all be a bit deadening if it wasn't for the dynamite breakdown of scratching guitar midway that sends the song veering down a whole 'nother path. Still as heavy, texture layers through the drumming, the guitar lightens, adding tone to the riff. Headbanging is a must.

From there, the song is simply a trip. The bombast dropping away to a plodding bass line and drum interlude with a bluesy, near doom-jazz feel as the guitar slices in. Disembodied female vocals, trippy guitar lines, violins layering on atmosphere, lava floating in wildly distorted lamps. Like the squonk, a mytical creature that dissolves in it's own tears, the slow fade of an ending reflects how BOTSC are consumed by their own heaviness. Epic indeed.

Mico de Noche use their side to blast away any dust that may have gathered on your speakers in the time it took to flip the disc over. Already labeled one of the area's Top Ten Metal Bands by Seattle Weekly, Mico de Noche unleash an epic undertaking of thrash, doom and sludge the type of which can mar the minds of young children for life. Like taking a cannon blast to the chest, "Misanthrope," zeroes in on your nerve center with their pounding, blistering take on thrashy stoner fuzz. Impossibly heavy, with vocals that vaguely remind me of a zombie I saw last Halloween, singing between bites of human flesh. This is unrelenting, riff-massive rock and roll. Dig the acid-feedback guitar solo midway, nearly buried in the ongoing onslaught of the main riff, bass, and drum attack. "Ganges," plows a more traditional riff-angled sludge-and-groove structure but does nothing to sacrifice the heaviness. Tuneful, yet frighteningly violent, I swear I had this song in my head as the sound track to some nightmare I had one night. Add in some guitar work as thick as leftover syrup and we're talking as good and heavy as scuzz-bucket stoner metal gets.

Obviously, there's something demented in the water up Washington way. We can only hope and pray more bands take a drink from the cup.


Balance and Composure - Only Boundaries

Let's start this review off straight. I hate emo. Can't stand it. The constant whine of the snotty-nosed punks makes me want to reach for the closest AK-47 and start shooting randomly, preferably in the direction of any mopey teen-aged boy wearing eyeliner.

Ok, we got that out of the way. But what does that have to do with the current EP being reviewed, you may ask, or has Racer finally blown a head gasket and began rambling incoherently, soon to be needing a straight jacket and padded room where he can't hurt himself? Well, the answer to the second half of the question that might be true, but the answer to the first half is simple. Don't make the mistake I did and think Balance and Composure's deliberate new E.P. Only Boundaries, is an emo album.

It's not, it's really so much more.

Combining a post-hardcore crunch, a post-punk atmosphere, an indy rock sensibility, and, yes, a bit of the emo, nasal-tinged vocal, Balance and Composure step up to the plate with this 18-minute, four-song E.P., and knock this screaming baby out of the park. Discordant guitar chords, chugging riffs, and explosive, heart-on-the-sleeve vocals charge these songs through moments of near-cacophony alternating with moments of deeply introspective beauty. Somehow, nothing about about this is all supposed to work so well together, but it does. Toss in the fact that the band has an average age of only 19, yet still comes across this complex and confident in their craft, and we've got a band to watch for years to come.

"I Can't Do This Alone," stats off with a tribal rhythm a la Killing Joke, before the guitars squeal in amongst a sea of feedback and effect. Bass rumbles with deliberate intention. The vocals at first are a bit alarming, atonal and piercing, but as the ear settles, the whole thing begins to make sense. As the song picks up speed and frenzy, guitars chugging with velocity, the stark beauty in the song is never lost. Listen for the glorious harmony vocal in the chorus. It's so fucking subtle, but damn, it's good. After the chorus, the boys break it down with a passage of complex beauty before that voice rips it all apart in another moment of plaintive yearning. Really, nicely done, and a song that matures and grows with each listen.

"Only Boundaries," was the song on the E.P. that caught my attention immediately. But I'm like that. Anytime you toss a bass line at me that resonates and propels the song like a booster on a rocket, I'll be listening. Chiming guitar steams across the top leading to the dual gruff and cleaner vocal verse. Choppy and punchy, the choral break drives the song forward with powerful fury, before it all drops back out to that bass line. We're not talking Nirvana-raping, slow-fast-slow shit here, this is dynamic songwriting with an ear for textures and pacing, complexity and simplicity, all evident in one song.

I won't belabor going into the other two tracks, but know that this disc really surprised me. What I initially thought was going to be another torture of emo muck, turned out to be an engrossing, slightly unsettling ride down the post-hardcore railway. You may want to get a ticket for that train yourself.

--Racer

Field Report - Saint Vitus – Club Europa, Brooklyn 10/16/09

It had been over 15 years since Saint Vitus toured the east coast and since breaking up in 1996 their popularity had grown considerably. They did some reunion shows in 2003 that left everyone wanting more, and they finally played again earlier this year in Europe. The warm up show they did in New Orleans was the first time Saint Vitus ever sold out a club in America and featured members of Down bum rushing the stage to sing along on their favorite jams. This show in Brooklyn was one of only 3 (the others were Worcester, MA and Baltimore, MD) but word has it there will be west coast dates in early 2010.

It’s been interesting watching the cult of Saint Vitus grow over the years. When they first appeared on the metal scene in the mid-80’s most people didn’t know what to make of them. Thrash metal and hair metal were both at their peak and neither crowd wanted anything to do with Saint Vitus. Most metal fans didn’t know what to make of four long hairs from California that looked like they all failed a Cliff Burton look alike contest. People tolerated Cliff’s bell bottoms because he was in Metallica, but Saint Vitus’ biker image and super slow Sabbath grooves were basically laughed at. Growing up as a Sabbath youth, when I first read about Vitus in Kick Ass magazine I knew they were right up my alley. I was lucky enough to see them open for Black Flag at Irving Plaza in June 1985 the day after I graduated high school. They completely blew me away. Their second album Hallow’s Victim had just been released and original singer Scott Reagers was still in the band. They were so slow and heavy playing in front of a fairly hostile punk rock audience but they managed to win a few people over. Most people were too stunned to do anything and saved their energy to ridicule Black Flag for having long hair.

So almost 25 years later I finally got to see Saint Vitus again and I’m happy to report that they’re even better now than they were back then. I was extra excited because I hadn’t seen them with the mighty Scott “Wino” Weinrich. Wino’s voice is as powerful as ever and he’s got an intense stage presence – intimidating and welcoming at the same time. Standing next to him on guitar is the completely insane Dave Chandler on guitar. I had seen his band Debris Inc a few years ago at South By Southwest in Austin and had forgotten what a nut he is. He’s been wearing the same bandana since the dawn of time with his huge ‘fro puffing out. While Wino’s singing, Dave is behind him singing along like a demented Steve Harris. Reliable Mark Adams is still on bass but Henry Vasquez has replaced original drummer Armando Acosta.

The place went nuts when they opened up with “Living Backwards,” from their classic fifth album V. Europa’s sound system can sometimes be problematic, but the sound was loud and clear. Everyone onstage and in the crowd had huge smiles on their faces. A few songs into the set, Dave paid tribute to the recently deceased Dickie Peterson of Blue Cheer and dedicated “Clear Windowpane” to him. It was a fitting tribute since Blue Cheer was a brand of LSD back in the 1960’s. The entire show was great but “The Troll” was a real highlight. On record the song moves at a snails pace, but live it was even slower and heavier. When they broke into “White Stallions,” an uptempo song from Hallow’s Victim, a mosh pit erupted.

The band didn’t bother leaving the stage for their encores. The backstage area is on the other side of the club so there was no point walking through the crowd just to come back a minute later. “Dying Inside” was the first encore and featured Dave’s bizarre left handed fretting technique. Their theme song “Saint Vitus” had everyone singing along and “Born Too Late” ended the night. All the guys in the band hung out in the crowd talking to fans and signing autographs. Their down to earth attitude is one of the reasons why people respect this band so much.

I got to the club a little late and missed the first 2 opening bands Orphan and Bassoon, but walked in during the first song by Saviours. They were great. Very reminiscent of High on Fire but with a strong Iron Maiden influence. They played a lot of songs from their upcoming album Accelerated Living, which is due out any day. They also get bonus points for their bass players awesome Mountain shirt.

--Woody

www.myspace.com/stvitus

Thanks to Jack Crank of nogodsnovegetables.com for the use of his photos.

The Pimps of Joytime - High Steppin'

Every time that I hear music like that found on The Pimps of Joytime’s High Steppin’, the words of Chuck D ring in my head like the man was rockin’ the mic two inches from my ears. “Who stole the soul?” he would yell time and time again, and finally, in this scenario, I would jump up and say, “Brother! No one stole the soul. It was just misplaced for awhile, but I know who found it. They call themselves The Pimps of Joytime!” Humorous as that scenario may be, it’s pretty spot on with what I found with this album. Soul, soul, soul! Every song brings it, and brings it in a different fashion. High Steppin’ isn’t fourteen songs of the same groove rehashed into the next. Its fourteen tracks, each one seemingly borrowing the soul from a different genre, and adding so much of the bands own character and life, with so much groove and so much zesty flavor that you can’t keep from bobbing your head with the rhythms. It’s got so much damn soul that the late, great James Brown is shaking his bones in the netherworld when the needle hits the record on this jam. And, with no disrespect intended, he’s probably contemplating crawling his way back from the grave to hand his crown to these guys. It’s that good, my friends!


“My Gold” has that Stevie Wonder vibe of soul, lazily groovin’ its way to the heart. Funked out bass lines over a steady beat mixed with the higher register of vocals, throw in some studio trickery and fantastic production, and The Pimps bring an ear tickling trip of quasi-psychedelic R&B. Complete with a retro fuzzed out guitar grinding out lines of chaotic noise, “My Gold” is the kind of song that not only grabs the attention, but sticks with you due to the memorable melodies at the chorus. All the while, heads are softly nodding up and down, and hips are swaying in time with the groove. This is an addictive listen and one of my new favorite vices!


“Working All the Time” is . . . is . . . fuck. I’m speechless. The song incorporates many of the same elements that I mentioned in “My Gold,” but the tunes sound nothing alike. The composition and musical arrangement on this tune is outstanding, as the various instruments come in and out of the mix adding texture and accents throughout. There’s so much going on in this song with turntables scratching away, various assortments of keyboards and tones, male and female vocals, horns, percussion, the sporadic bursts of guitar, and the ever present bass and drum ensemble, and the whole thing works brilliantly! The musical and vocal melodies are out-fucking-standing, and coupled with groove that doesn’t stop . . . I’m just questioning why these guys aren’t on top of the world right now. I apologize for the rampant use of profanity, but damn! Listen to it for yourselves and you’ll be saying the same thing!


As I initially listened to High Steppin’, I was thinking that the whole thing was going to be an urban R&B groove oriented album, and though it primarily is (coz’ that description couldn’t be more vague) there’s another element that rears its head as the album progresses. “Street Sound” is a stunner. The first half of this eight minute jam is a polyrhythmic funk burner, the second half jumps out of the shadows of the cityscape with a balls out jazz guitar jam. I love it! This tune is a perfect example of the various elements of soul that The Pimps can infuse into a song at one time. Mixing funk and jazz isn’t something new, but when a group of musicians can be in such tight sync with one another as The Pimps of Joytime are on “Street Sound” the sound suddenly sounds brand new and fresh. And “Street Sound” may be the perfect, though overly broad, description of what The Pimps bring stylistically. While listening to this track, it’s not hard to envision the street musicians that the band is singing about, and even less difficult to image that these guys are those very same street musicians.


Just at this point, I think I’ve got High Steppin’ pegged, and that I know what the band is doing, and guess what . . . they hang a left down a side alley in Spanish Harlem and drop into a funky Latin-based jazz ditty called “Bonita.” Hot . . . or possibly, Esta muy caliente! A little salsa swagger here, a touch of mambo groove, and a classic Spanish guitar bursting with colorful textures, “Bonita” was the moment that I stopped trying to figure out where these guys were going. I just decided that I tag along for their journey across the various cultural centers of the city and just shake my ass with the rest of them. Like everything else on the album, this track is packed with (inter)stellar musicianship and soul that just doesn’t stop. Again, tons of musical instruments are mixed into the arrangement, which could make the song the sonic equivalent of a train wreck, but nay! The Pimps are genius and know how to handle a high speed locomotive of this nature!


If there were any doubts up to this point that The Pimps of Joytime are the new gurus of groove, then “San Francisco Bound” should do the trick. With its huge bass driven groove, this song will have every fiber of your being in one form of motion or another. For nearly five minutes, the band provides the soundtrack to big hats and rolled joints, platform shoes and bell bottomed ass shaking. Capturing a lot of the retro psychedelic elements of the 60’s and 70’s era funk rock, specifically those found on the West Coast, The Pimps delve once again into their bag of many tricks to find a completely different genre of soul to explore. Lava lamp sales will most certainly increase with the spinning of this track!


High Steppin’ is a must buy for all! I don’t care what kind of music y’all listen to. You must have this one! If you listen to R&B, funk, urban style music, then The Pimps of Joytime will be your new Messiah. If you listen to nothing but black metal, grindcore, or any form of extreme metal, then you need High Steppin’ to let your soul power soar. Much more than good, High Steppin’ is a collection of a variety of urban and street sounds featuring elements of jazz, funk, R&B, reggae, fusion, hip-hop, and much, much more. Every song grooves and seemingly, each song is better than the one before it. Then, of course, you can’t help but push play one more time coz’ it’s just that good! There’s not a weak track on here . . . all killer, no filler, so even if were to spend over twenty bucks for this, you’d be getting a bargain. You can’t put a price on soul. - Pope JTE



http://www.myspace.com/pimpsofjoytime


http://www.thepimpsofjoytime.com/