CD Review ARTIST-Big Sam'S Funky Nation ALBUM-KING OF THE PARTY Contributing Writer-Sean Morse Artist Website- http://bigsamsfunkynation.com/
A few months ago I got the chance to see Big Sam's Funky Nation play the Warehouse in Hartford, CT for a Mardi Gras party. I found myself with plenty of beeds around my neck and enough asses were shaking to make Lil' Kim proud. After that show I had a chance to listen to BSFN's latest album "King of the Party" and the only thing disappointing about it was that I didn't have those same asses shaking in front of me like at the Warehouse.
The first track and album name "King of the Party" was funky, jammy, and eclectic. This song will be incredible for Gathering of the Vibes this year and I can't wait. Sam is a tall man and this new album is like a tall order of funky hip-hop king fish soul music. The second song on the CD is "Krunked Up". This is a phrase often used to describe when you are catching a good buzz, weather it be from beer or just feeling the musical vibe. Sam's 2nd song has the lyrics "shake that booty" which is guarnteed to get any crowd dancing to the groove. This song has a feel good sound with effects to make you feel that true New Orleans vibe. The next track titled "Rage On" brings about commanding horns to start off which demands your attention. I could not stop tapping my feet and feeling good about the guitar from Takeshi Shimmura during this tune. Combined with Desmond "Chocolate Milk" Williams on drums this instrumental jam was New Orleans soul funk at it's peak. Sam does some cover tunes as part of his act and track 7 has been covered by the Black Crowes, Otis Redding, and The Grateful Dead to name a few. During "Hard To Handle" Big Sam puts a fast tempo, bluesy, southern style twist on this classic rock favorite. It encompasses his new fresh sound in true funk-a-dunk style. Everyone likes a woman with junk in the trunk and track 8 off of the King of the Party Album is called "Big Ole Booty" and sure to get folks dancing in the club. This song epidomizes how people love to grind up on each other while in the club.
Check out King of the Party on itunes here
If you go out dancing chances are you probably want to be seen. Track 9 off BSFN's album is about just that and it called "See Me Dance". The lyrics state "everybody from doctor to teachers come see me dance." This song is groovy with a little R & B twist. Many of these songs have the same context or meaning but it's about how you use them in the live setting in my view. These songs are made to pick up women or if your a girl to find that sexy guy in the club. I'm sure you've been in a club were people are standing off to the side of the dancing area while the DJ tries to get people involved in getting their suerve on. That's exactly what King of the Party's 11th track is about and what appears to be the final track called "Dance Floor." This tune starts off with good voice effects which remind me of TPang and the repitition is reminicent of Robert Randolph and the Family Band and other funk rappers.
At this point I thought it was the end of the album. But there was about 5-6 more blank tracks. However, I had to listen to them all out of curiosity. When I finally got to track 17 there was a hilarious chipmunk voice version of Big Sam being silly saying things like "We In the House" in that high pitched voice. Then he says in an Alvin like way "We outta here".
Overall it's a good album which involves a southern soul hipster trend. Disc Jockey's will love spinning this on vinyl into their mixes. When you feel like expierencing a little classy taste of New Orleans Big Sam's Funky Nation's album "King of the Party" is your source for getting down like MTV's Downtown Julie Brown.
King of the Party can be purchased at the following locations;
Venue-Toad's Place City/State-New Haven,CT Time-7pm Date-01/2008
Contributing Writer-Dan Ivers
My tickets to Friday night’s show at Toad’s Place read “An Evening With
the Mars Volta”. The Texas band that rose from the ashes of
post-punkers At The Drive-In has apparently reached the point in their
career where they can forget about opening bands and reserve an entire
theater for nothing but their bombastic, idiosyncratic and
Latin-influenced metal. While “An Evening With…” is usually reserved
for the likes of Barry Manilow and Huey Lewis, it fits the Mars Volta
well, giving them plenty of time for their ten-minute opuses to produce
the desired effect. After a long wait, the nine-piece band
finally took the stage and launched into “Roulette Dares (The Haunt
Of)”, a classic off of their debut album De-Loused in the Comatorium.
Slowly, billows of pot smoke began their ascent towards the rafters as
singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala yelped his abstract, bilingual lyrics (the
song’s chorus “Exoskeletal junction / at the railroad delayed”, got a
big shout-along from the
crowd. MARS VOLTA PICTURED ABOVE
Next was the pounding jazz-band freakout “Viscera Eyes”, with
Bixler-Zavala shouting what sounded like ancient Aztec curses over
trumpet lines from Adrian Terrazas-Gonzales’ brass section. Despite
sound quality that left a little to be desired, the musicianship was
undeniable. New drummer Thomas Pridgen’s thunder never ceased
throughout the show, and along with bassist Juan Alderete, their rhythm
section powered the band’s epic build and release tactic. Two
additional percussionists, employing wind chimes, tambourines, and
cowbell (yes, cowbell) pitched in some additional weirdness. Some
half-ass mosh pits emerged in the packed-in crowd, but they served more
to disturb the aura of the trance-inducing music than enhance it.
Conventional songcraft would dictate a couple of verses and
choruses, followed by a bridge or a guitar solo. The Mars Volta takes
this template and stretches it as far as one’s patience will allow, and
sometimes further, but what in one moment sounds like just a bunch of
chaos and noise will suddenly spawn a burst of awe-inspiring beauty.
After the second chorus of “Tetragrammaton”, the band embarked on a
15-minute journey of disjointed sounds and guitar riffs over the steady
drum and bass. Bixler-Zavala inserted some high notes here and there,
but unless you can stay relatively stoned (difficult in Toad’s Place),
this starts to get on your nerves. “Drunkship of Lanterns” was a
notable exception, as Bixler-Zavala’s spasmodes, accompanied by Omar
Rodriguez-Lopez’s guitar effects, were consistently enthralling.
All in all, the Mars Volta gave the crowd exactly what they
would have expected. They were simultaneously ingenious and absurd,
juxtaposing Hendrix-like guitar solos with sounds that seemed like
someone just farted in outer space. Their music is not for the
unadventurous, or the sober for that matter. If you have the patience
for 12-minute songs with multiple movements and lyrics inspired by a
Ouija board, or if you just appreciate something very, very different,
their display of showmanship and musical mastery can be mesmerizing.
Date-Dec. 7th 2007 Venue-Chevrolet Theatre City, State-Wallingford, CT Time- 7:30
Contributing Writer-Sean Morse
I've been working for Live Nation at the Chevrolet Theatre for a couple years now. When you work in the theatre business you have a wish list of bands you'd like to see come to your venue. Neil Young has been on my list for the past three years so I've long awaited his arrival. It's concerts like this one that make working in the music business worth it. Neil's wife Pegi Young was an opener for all the shows on this tour but she never really peaked my interests. Instead I bought a couple of Rogue brand beers and tailgated for a bit while she played. I met up with my friends with enough time to grab a beer and chat for a few minutes before Neil was about to take the stage for an acoustic set. The lights started to blink and into the theatre we rushed just in time to see Neil start his first song "From Hank to Hendrix". No beer was allowed in the theatre as he wanted people to pay attention for the first set. It was a quiet sit down envionment as the sweet sounds of "Hank to Hendrix" filled the theatre. The crowd roared in envy as he then went into "Ambulance Blues" followed by "Sad Movies" and then the classic "A Man needs a Maid." He floated between paino, organ and guitar for the next couple songs playing great tunes such as "No One Seems to Know" and "Harvest" followed by the well known "After the Gold Rush". Neil young then switched to banjo and I heard someone yell out "play old man Neil". That song would have to wait as he chipped away on banjo to the classic song "Mellow My Mind." The well known artist then busted into "Love Art Blues." By this time people had been yearning to hear some hit songs. So he went over to his place on center stage(in the middle of his 6 guitars) and started to play the chords to "Old Man". For some reason this song seemed to be cut short a little in my eyes. It was however quite enjoyable. He got a standing ovation for this song so it was only natural that he play "Heart of Gold" next. This song I felt was better done than "Old Man" and it made me feel better as a concert goer. That ended the acoustic 1st set. At intermission we were talking to some people and they were really upset that you were not able to bring beers in and the fact that Neil was teasing everyone by drinking one on stage. The bottom line is we are lucky to have Neil play at all in Connecticut. When your paying $100 a ticket people tend to complain. Very few people realize that the reason for high ticket prices is because scalpers have drawn up the price. Yet these are the same people who are willing to take the risk at buying faulty tickets from scalpers. While I enjoyed the acoustic set I was pumped up to hear the electric one. The band joined him which consists of Rick Rosas, Ben Keith, Ralph Molina, Anthony Crawford and Pegi Young. They played "Don't Cry No Tears" and "Everybody KNows This Is Nowhere". I was waiting for one of my favorites and Neil didn't disappoint when he busted into "The Loner". In my eyes seeing Neil play this song while jamming on his electric guitar with that leg motion he does made it all worth it. But the night wasn't over yet. This tour was largely based on Neil Young's new album Chrome dreams II. I had a chance to hear this album and if you bought enough tickets thru ticketmaster the album was offered to you for free. The album shows how Neil is true to his roots. Neil's next song was a hit from this record called "Dirty Old Man." The next song "Spirit Road" is about Neil's spirituality and how it has affected himhis entire life. See the video here.
He then went into to songs such as "Bad Fog of Loneliness" and "Winterlong". Neil had a artist painting the songs and before each song the painting would be complete and put on easel at the front of the stage so you knew what was next. This was the case with his next song "Oh, Lonesome Me". After that he played what is probably my favorite song on the Chrome Dreams II album "The Believer." That was followed by "No Hidden Path" to end the second set. Concertgoers were ready for an incredible encore. The band came back out on stage and jammed to "Cinnamon Girl" which was one of the highlights of the night. See the video here.
That was folllowed by "Cortez the Killer." He had been playing 3 songs encores for the past couple shows elesewhere and the crowd was waiting for it. It looked like he was about to come back out but then the lights went on to the crowds disappointment. I heard the following week when I went to work that he didn't like the theatre because he said it was "too nice". He also said during the show "where are we? On the way in there was farms, houses, farms, houses, and then a theatre." It's funny he said that because he was just at the theatre about four years ago. While I expected a little more from Neil Young I realize he is in his early 60's. I feel privalaged to have had the oppuruntity to see him at all. He really is a special artist that only comes around every so often. I would give this show an A- with possibly learning towards a B+. However it was well worth the $105.50 for the ticket and I would pay that amount again in a heartbeat to see this incredible legend.
