Category: Reviews

Hearing Aid: One Direction ‘Made In The A.M.’

One Direction will officially release their fifth studio album Made In The A.M. on November 13 via Columbia Records. At this point most people have an opinion of One Direction. Critics will brush them off as a band lacking chemistry, a band that was put together by Simon Cowell in desperation to save ratings for The X Factor in 2010, some even say the band has minimal talent musically and the vocal talent they do have is shadowed by auto tune or filters. Some say they’re just a band that merely functions the way the record label wants them to.

Then there’s the other side of the spectrum; the fans that spent days posting videos of their crying testimonies to get Zayn Malik to reconsider his decision to quit the band seven months ago (Malik allegedly left the group because of their rigorous touring schedule). The numbers don’t lie either. To date, One Direction has sold over 65 million records and performed live for over 7.5 million fans. When the band released their first single off the album in July, it jumped to #1 on 90 different iTunes charts and shattered streaming records globally. Very few pop artists can say they’ve done more with less (I’m sure T. Swift and Bieber are up there). Call them what you will but One Direction is the biggest pop band in the world right now and after being together for more than five years they’re not showing any signs of slowing down.

The most recent single “Perfect” was released on October 16 to a positive response from the fans. The messages in this song are inspired by young love and feature an upbeat undertone. Currently, One Direction are playing arenas throughout the U.K. and Ireland for their ‘On The Road Again Tour.’ The band also recently headlined the Apple Music Festival at London’s famous Roadhouse venue. 2015 saw the band overcome their toughest challenge yet when one of their founding members retired, but the steady trajectory of their success is growing exponentially like some recusant virus. Despite allegations of the band disbanding (which aren’t true), One Direction will take an extended hiatus from touring in 2016. The new album is available for pre-order now.

Key Tracks: Perfect, Infinity, Drag Me Down

October 29, 2015
Albany’s Spectrum 8 Sold to Landmark Theatres

Independent films can typically be found at only one theater in the greater Albany area, that being Spectrum 8 on Delaware Avenue, aka “Albany’s Main Street.” Oscar contenders, art house flicks and foreign films you wouldn’t see in a big chain theater are to be found on a weekly basis, making it a popular destination when you didn’t want to go to the mall to see a movie.

photo via Spotlight News

Now, after 35 years of business, Spectrum 8 Theatres has been sold to the California-based chain Landmark Theatres, leading to the shuttering of the doors while the new owner takes over.

In a statement, Landmark President and CEO Ted Mundorff said the Los Angeles-based chain is “pleased that Spectrum looked to Landmark Theatres to continue the legacy of the theatre. We anticipate no changes in the programming or staffing. The Spectrum will continue to bring smart movie selections and great customer service to Albany,” as reported by the Times Union.

Fans should fear not, as Landmark is the nation’s largest theatre circuit dedicated to exhibiting independent and foreign films, so fans should expect to see the same caliber of films at their favorite hometown venue, especially as award season draws near.

The venue is slated to close on Nov. 17 and will re-open at the end of that week as Landmark.

October 29, 2015
Misfits and She Demons Manifested Mayhem at Water Street Music Hall

Misfits fiends and She Demons devotees got plenty of attitude thrown in their faces Tuesday Oct. 20 at Water Street Music Hall. The two bands stopped in Rochester as part of the Misfits ‘Static Age’ Revisted tour during which they played through the entirety of the 1977 album along with some newer material. A gravelly “Rochester, how the hell are ya tonight?” uttered by She Demons’ Priya Panda (bass/lead vocals) set the stage for an evening bleeding with playful hostility.

Panda leading the all-female group, was joined by Constance Day (guitar), Kiki Wongo (guitar), Alicia Vigil (bass) and Jessica Goodwin. Formed by Misfits frontman Jerry Only, the femme fatales assembled on stage and began their set under the cover of darkness. Stage lights soon illuminated their presence, driving back the shadows that briefly bathed their opening song in mystery.

If there had been a level of authenticity to their performance, it was lost as soon as the lighting exposed their overdone facial expressions. Panda’s growly tone with the crowd seemed forced to the point that she could actually have made herself hoarse from the strain. Though very obviously contrived, maybe even a little eye-roll worthy, their personas fit the bill for a band concocted by the creative hand of Only, who thrives in that fabricated ghoulish environment.

Panda’s comfort level on stage was probably the most genuine aspect of the performance, shamelessly rocking the glam punk rock facade. The swivel of her hips on stage flaunted an undeniable sex appeal. Her hollered vocals were at times strong but more often crept into the realm of cheesy musical status. She redeemed the performance ever so slightly during the last song with a quick acrobatic bend backwards, kicking one leg toward the ceiling, before righting herself in a frenzied hair flip.

As the stage transformed for Misfits to take over, mic stands wrapped in a tangle of plastic skeletal arms and skulls were brought forth. Other skull accouterments accumulated, and before long it looked like a Halloween store had exploded on stage. All that was missing was a healthy tangle of acrylic spider webbing dangling from the light fixtures above.

Once assembled, Misfits, featuring Only (bass/lead vocals), along with son Jerry Caiafa (guitar) and Eric Arce (drums), bulldozed their way through the seventeen song Static Age album. The quick changeover between the collection of short-lived songs (many only last a minute and a half) transmitted a feverish hysteria through the crowd, driving the front mid section to burst into fits of moshing for nearly every tune. One audience member, adorned in a sky-high, well-manicured deep purple mohawk actively engaged in the raucousness, no doubt leaving some to wonder how the hair would survive the experience.

While on the subject of fashion, though some moshers may have been jeopardizing their own aesthetic, those sporting studded leather jackets seemed rather threatening to their thrashing comrades. In the flurry of shouldering and body slamming, there must have been a good handful of people walking out of the venue, sweaty foreheads imprinted with a distinctive pattern of metal shoulder embellishments.

Of course fashion can’t be discussed without mentioning the Misfits’ attire. Father and son both featured the trademark slender spiked proboscises neatly glued to the center of their foreheads. The bulkiness of Only’s structurally intricate black and red vest adorned with a smattering of spikes, straps and a skull on the back collar was mildly reminiscent of a first grader’s over-stuffed backpack on the first day of school.

Not at all restricted, Only strutted around stage, frequently switching sides with Caiafa and leaving no opportunity for their stage presence to stagnate. Underneath the guise of overly styled hair and ghostly makeup was a trio of musicians seeking to provide an authentic punk rock experience to their rambunctious crew of fans. When a gentleman in the crowd pumped his fist to emphasize his enthusiasm, Only smiled, giving a subtle but gracious nod in gratitude.
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October 28, 2015
Welcome to Buffa-vento

It was a misty cool mid-Autumn Tuesday evening, in a quiet revitalized corner of Buffa-vento at the Iron Works. Sometime after 9 p.m., the three women of And the Kids (Hannah Mohan on guitar/ukelele, Rebecca Lasaponaro on drums and Taliana Katz on bass) came on stage and sparked up a flame. A fire of music to gather around and keep us warm.

And the Kids are indie rock upstarts out to prove that the East Coast’s answer to Portland, OR is not Portland, ME, but Western Massachusetts. They mismatched glittery face paint with outfits of dark grays. However, the music was full of color. Mohan’s angular guitar leads were backed by driving bass and drums, while her unique and wide-ranging vocal delivery was often outlined with perfectly placed backing harmonies. The songs were short blasts of catchy yet off-kilter pop gems, each one feeling like it could be the song that catches them a big break. Original band member, keyboardist Megan Miller, was deported to Canada earlier this year. Being so close to the border, the band paid tribute to her with their song “No Countries” off of their latest Turn To Each Other. They squeezed 13 songs into their 45 minute set, pulling heavily off their newest release, including the hypnotic round-like vocals of “Neighbors,” and “Cats Were Born,” with its startling screams of “Aiyeeeee!”

After a short break, with the flames cooling down, Marco Benevento and his bandmates, Dave Dreiwitz on bass and Andy Borger on drums, came out to throw some more wood on the fire. Wearing a top hat and pink sunglasses, Benevento was clearly ready to get the party started with some color of his own.

Benevento’s unique take on music has grown to be wholly unique and more than a little difficult to describe. It borrows from rock, jazz, funk, classical, pop, techno etc., without ever residing within any one of those. Most impressively, a Benevento song can be a singalong with lyrics or without.

His customized upright piano makes ample use of effects pedals to become his own personalized synthesizer keyboard. When he wants that pure sound of hammers hitting strings, it’s right there waiting for him. No synthesized piano sound, no matter how expensive, can ever capture that. He also has the luxury of reaching inside and holding down the strings, creating a cool staccato effect, as he did during a long intro solo for This Is How It Goes.

After a couple of Beatles teases (“Norwegian Wood”, “Eleanor Rigby”) early on in the set, it was pure Benevento from then on out. Though there were hints of Steve Winwood’s playing here and a flourish reminiscent of Bernie Worrell there. He took many an opportunity to ham it up with the crowd as well, carrying a small keyboard out front and dancing around like a quasi rock star. Later, on “Limbs of a Pine,” it would be more of the same, this time singing at the front of the stage while capturing it all with some selfie GoPro filming. In the middle of the soundtrack-esque “Fireworks,” Benevento broke into a rambunctious barrelhouse blues number that appeared to be completely improvised. The man is playing by his own rules, on his own whims, and his band is right there every step of the way, never missing a beat.

The most thrilling moments however, came when the Dreiwitz and Borger weren’t following, but right in the thick of it. On “Escape Horse,” Dreiwitz opened with a mean slide bass solo before channeling the late Allen Woody with some monsterous bass blasts, while Borger slammed away on the skins producing one of the more rocking moments of the night.

Late in the set, they played a couple of new tunes off an album due out next April. “Follow the Arrow” was a funky number, with some elements reminiscent of “Thriller” thrown in. Another new one, “Dropkick,” will be released on a special 45 in November for Record Store Day.

The show closed with a one-two punch off of Swift. “Witches of Ulster” had Benevento performing a mid-set wardrobe change as he swapped the top hat for a seasonally-appropriate witches wig and hat. Then they finished off with “At the Show,” ensuring that all in attendance would have the impossibly infectious song stuck in their heads for the rest of the week. Benevento had once again made his own unique mark on Buffalo. Welcome to Buffa-vento.

October 28, 2015
String Cheese Incident Brings It To F Shed
I have always liked cheese, whether it’s a nice Brie, Jarlsberg, smoked Gouda, or even NY Cheddar; after all who doesn’t love cheese. Only made sense I would like a band named String Cheese Incident. Thought to myself, “wonder where that ‘incident’ part came from?”. Guess I would quickly learn, as off I went to my first String Cheese Incident show at Syracuse’s F-Shed, Oct. 21.

Normally covering rock, country, and bluegrass genres mainly, I was a little apprehensive if I would be able to do a review justice. After all these guys have been around for 22 years and have a huge following. Come on, selling out Red Rocks numerous times, who wouldn’t be a little bit nervous? I’m sure journalists over the years have written extensive bios, talked about recent releases highlighting just the right musical points, and critiqued their shows with expertise. If that’s they type of review you’re expecting, let me apologize now. This is a review through the eyes of a newcomer. These random thoughts and observations often go unnoticed to those that have been desensitized to their surroundings. So let me share with you, what this country gal noticed throughout the night at her first incident.
- Merchandise sales begin in the parking lot. Bowls and pins, something for everyone. How enterprising.
- My first friend I met inside was holding a stuffed cat named Kathy B. Really? (my maiden name was Kathy B!) #karmic
- Lots of beards – ahhh.. not so different than country and bluegrass shows.
- Lots of headbands – I like headbands. I should buy more headbands. I could pull off headbands.
- Hey, I could have worn my glow in the dark devil ears too. #hindsight
- I really should have worn pajama bottoms and my poncho – little overdressed in my dress slacks and work blazer.
- Oh wow, a pink cowboy hat – feel at home now for sure.
- Hey, there’s Jake the Dog from Adventure Time! Seriously, a guy is wearing a Jake the Dog costume – sweet – now I’m really overdressed. Hope he doesn’t have to pee half way through the show as he’s standing right by me.
- Okay, any band that starts off with a fiddle solo is okay in my book – Love them already.
- Holy shit they can pick and fiddle.
- Okay, they have framed photos of their wife and kids on the amp – really love these guys even more now.
- Light Show is amazing!!! Good thing lights don’t bother me or cause seizures of any kind. #dontchangeathing
- Shit…reggae mannn! I want my flip-flops and a Corona now.
- Bongos too? Be still my heart.
- Fiddle players must all wear Bob Marley shirts!! I’m making it a law.
- Did I mention he could really pick?
- Oh hell yeah, 70’s funk is still cool.
- Drums Baby.
- Wow, thank you so much for putting both drum kits up on platforms. Photographers want to photograph you too.
- Wow everyone behind me is jumping, should I be jumping? I would probably hurt myself if I jumped. #notcoordinatedenough
- Every instrument is as strong as the other, nothing overpowers the other. Sweet. These musicians rock baby.
- Okay, these lights that look like snow are as much snow as I want any time soon. #supercoolthough
- Random cobweb making rounds in the crowd. Hope I don’t get caught in it. I am blonde you know.
- Boy does Kyle look like my first boyfriend! Nah, couldn’t be.
- I swear I just saw Russell Brand taking photos at this show. Wait, is Russell Brand now a photographer?
- Tiny triangles make beautiful music.
- Wonder what the crowd looks like from up on stage jumping up and down?
- Sick guitar riff…wow. #mindblown
- Slide Whistle?….OMG that was awesome. I could take up that instrument.
- Never heard such smooth seamless transitions between genres in my life. Beautifully done guys.
- Even sound board dude is jamming. Love when soundboard guys jam too.
- Hey that one song has a Richie Vallens vibe.
- New random friend “J” from north country – I was not taking dinner orders with my notepad but I will definitely have to try fries with mayo now.
- Oh hell yeah you definitely pulled off those bell bottoms Mike Kang. #crushing
- And I like that belt too.
- I now want a Bob Marley playing soccer shirt.
- Yeah, red and purple lights suck even worse when trying to take cell phone photos.
- Hard rock riffs too? Heavenly guys.
- Yep that synth sound was totally back to the futur-ish. Nice.
- Uni pod for photos? Wonder if they are worth it to get those crowd shots?
- Glow in the dark devil ears man playing a mean air guitar. Should have dressed up in devil glow-in-the-dark ears too. Wonder where he got them, as I really don’t have a pair.
- Hats are in. Why don’t I wear hats more?
- Kathy B. the cat is dancing so much.
- I don’t care how blonde I am, I’m dancing.
- Love how Kyle mimics each note he plays – makes me smile.
- Yeah, bongos always make me dance – yeah total turn on.
- So glad your first concert was Santana in Syracuse because all these years later, we got to see you.
- I have been Incident-ed.
So I understand the ‘incident’ now. Incident means; likely to happen because of; resulting from. It is very likely that I once again will see another String Cheese show, causing many more ‘incidents’ to occur. Resulting from my first show, I will happily enjoy this band from this point further. Such a happy incident. Note to self, must find glow-in-dark devil ears and Bob Marley shirt before the next incident.

Set 1: Valley of the Jig, Eye Know Why, San Jose’*, Doin’ My Time > Chameleon, Love Is Like A Train > On The Road

Set 2: Colorado Bluebird Sky, Rhythm of the Road > Blackberry Blossom#, Stay Through, Joyful Sound, Colliding, Rollover

Encore: Rolling In My Sweet Baby’s Arms

* = last time played 8/2/13 (88 Incidents)
# = featuring “Back to the Future” Jam
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October 27, 2015
Turbo Suit with Ryan Stasik Cover Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’

This past Thursday, Turbo Suit was joined by Ryan Stasik of Umphrey’s McGee, to cover the Nirvana album Nevermind. Fans of Turbo Suit, or Nirvana, or most likely both, were treated to a wonderful evening of grunge meets untz in the newly opened The Hall at MP in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The quartet took welcomed liberties with each tune; at times stretching them out, while at others clearing them of the vocals. It was hard to tell where one song ended, and another began, and that was okay. Opening for Turbo Suit was the Nevermind Orchestra who brought “psyhco-jazz-grudge” arrangements of Nirvana tunes to the stage.

The energy was high, eliciting some very enthusiastic dance moves from the crowd. By the end of the night, this one-two punch made the $20 cover well worth it. Honorable mention to the food and drink menu which were each high quality and reasonably priced. If this perfect storm of music and culinary delights ever forms again, be sure not to miss out.

October 26, 2015
Hearing Aide: The Heard’s Self Titled Debut

There aren’t many bands that can immediately hop into the festival circuit and put together a decent following without an album, but somehow The Heard has accomplished just that. The funky Chicago-based seven-piece formed about five years ago when guitarist Taras Horalewskyj moved back home after finishing up his schooling at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. Fast forward to today and the band has finally released their debut, self-titled album and it is even better than one would expect who’s either seen them live or stumbled upon some of the amazing clips on YouTube.

The talented cast hit the studio with Orgone’s Sergio Rios producing. They wound up with an 11-song debut that is stellar from start to finish by any measurement. Upon talking with the group, they explained that Sergio had the band track the rhythm section (guitars, keys, drums, and bass) together, live in one room and recorded it to tape. The album reflects not only that spontaneous interplay, but more so than anything a sound that walks a perfect line between the raw energy of a live show and the clarity of a studio recording. You hear each member’s individual contributions, but it’s blended and delivered in a way that feels like you’re front row at their show and can feel their energy.

The album creeps in with a song appropriately titled “The Weight,” featuring a heavy bass line and provides a quick glance as to how these guys can lay down a solid groove. It’s apparent from the start how talented this group is as a whole with a stirring organ solo, rhythmic syncopation between the guitar and drums, and colorful horn melodies.

As the album progresses, we get a chance to hear how the band sounds with vocals added to the mix on the track “Gimme Gimme.” Even though this is the only song with vocals throughout, it doesn’t feel out-of-place. If anything, it’s one of the best on the album and fans can look forward to (hopefully) more since the male voice heard is none other than new keyboardist, Cole DeGenova. We’re also treated to the sweet background harmonies of Orgone’s Adryon DeLeón.

Another standout on the album is “Knight Life.” The groove and intensity slowly builds over the course of the song, before things turn dark around the halfway point. The transition to the heavy bass focus is backed by an eerie organ and a stumbling drum part that pushes the track to a climax before its abrupt ending.

While all but one track are mostly instrumental, the band does a great job at giving songs their proper structure. On “Safari Time” you can feel the verse transition to a pre-chorus before diving into one of the best choruses on the album. The momentum and power it creates is balanced and intensified by the other riffs in the song. The bluesy piano solo is reminiscent of the group’s Chicago heritage and blends beautifully with the funk groove.

For a band’s debut album, one could easily mistake the chemistry and energy The Heard put forth with a seasoned group’s veteran release. The production quality captured and the band’s natural knack for putting together monster groove will leave you with a feeling of hope of where this kind of trajectory will take them. Only time will tell, but for those unlucky folks who haven’t Heard, run over to their SoundCloud page now and stream the album in its entirety.

Key Tracks: Gimme Gimme, Knight Life, Safari Time

October 26, 2015
Hearing Aide: The New Mastersounds ‘Made for Pleasure’

With any genre of music, there are different sub-genres and blending of tastes and styles. Within the loose categorization of funk, there are not many that are as classy, clean, yet fun and inventive as The New Mastersounds. Like a veteran athlete who you expect to always play well, the Mastersounds never disappoint in the live arena or on any of their releases. Earlier this month, the group released their tenth studio album, Made for Pleasure.

The album was produced by guitarist Eddie Roberts and was recorded in New Orleans. The band put together a short video on the making of the album that is available on YouTube, here. The title, as explained by Roberts, defines what the band stands for and why they create the music they do. He says, “We make music for our own pleasure and for other people’s pleasure. It’s about sharing energy with an audience, whether it be live or listening at home.”

Diving in, the band gets right to it on the title track which kicks things off. There’s no extended intro or build up; it feels like a page out of their live show where they trim the fat and provide something you can immediately dance to. The bouncing guitar lick provides a solid ground for both drummer, Simon Allen, and keyboardist, Joe Tatton, to jump off and show their chops. As with any classic NMS tune, this is catchy, but rides a simple and compelling groove. It’s like watching a professional athlete and thinking how easy they make things look.

It’s hard to pick out a few songs to talk about on this when the collection is best digested start to finish with all that they offer. That being said, bassist Pete Shand’s work really shines on the soulful “Enough is Enough.” The addition of the rare vocal appearance fits perfectly and something they should explore more of in future releases. Another highlight with a vocal is “Joy,” which is appropriately titled as it sums up the mood the soulful feel-good riffing expressed musically and in the lyrics. The NMS are really good in this sonic arena and this song’s direction in particular stands out above some of their more laid back work.

© 2015 Jim Mimna

In terms of The New Mastersounds instrumental bread and butter, it’s hard to say if the band has ever put together a song as great as “Sitting on my Knees.” The songs subtle approach is contrasted with Eddie Robert’s lead work that aggressively attacks the soft-spoken sonic undertones in perfect harmony. The band collectively reaches this swelling peak where you can feel each member pouring their heart and soul through their hands into the notes and rhythm. It’s like they all want to scream, but without a voice, they do so through their instruments. Robert’s bending and attack beautifully exemplifies the struggle and conflict felt within the song.

“Pho Baby” is another instrumental gem that is as silky smooth as they come. The band has a quiet discussion here with their instruments, each speaking at a different pace, yet collectively producing some interesting lines. The climax of the song before it hits its final resting place touches on some amazing chords and tension produced by Robert’s soloing efforts. It’s all comes together effortlessly it seems for this band. It’s easy to picture them jamming on some chord progressions and finding some beautiful melodies like the close of this song.

All and all, the album is just another example of how this band can do little wrong. They are constantly in touch with their roots and influences while blazing forward into the future in parallel. The effortlessness in which they play can be attributed to their chemistry, but you can truly feel the endless love they poured into this release.

Key Tracks: Joy, Sitting on My Knees, Pho Baby

October 25, 2015
Young the Giant Tour Kickoff; Keeping Their Word to Burlington, VT
Thursday night in Burlington, Young the Giant healed some broken hearts by more than making up for their February 12 show cancellation at Higher Ground. Their sold out October 22 show was not only their tour kick-off show, but also their make up date for that cancellation in February. Much to the delight of many, all tickets from the previous date were honored. This was one crowd that were elated to find out that Young the Giant are good for their word.

Wildling opened up the night with a solid set and jubilant tone. Talking to the crowd about their excitement to be on the road with Young the Giant, after only being a band themselves for a year’s time, before launching into a unique cover of Neil Young’s classic, “Heart of Gold.” Their sound is easy to digest but interesting enough to keep you actively listening. “Hummingbird”, an early single, is especially catchy with a powerful tribal beat. Overall, I was reminded of bands like Band of Horses and Kings of Leon, neither of which is a bad thing for a young band to be compared to. Gauging by the audience’s response throughout their set, Wildling was the perfect choice for support on this tour.

The electricity that could be felt in the crowd right before Young the Giant took the stage was palpable. Anticipation gave way to euphoria as the band exploded onto the stage, with fans transfixed on the band from the first note. Never has there been a more welcomed sequined jacket in the lives of concert goers, than the one worn by frontman, Sameer Gadhia. He was a literal light on stage; a bouncing ball of reflective kinetic energy, with a voice that became the heartbeats of hundreds of people. Sameer spoke to the audience between songs more than once, about the bands gratitude and appreciation of their fans, thanking them for their support and reiterating that he really means it, from his soul. He even encouraged fans to stop them and talk to them after the show because, as he put it, “we’re all just people”. Those moments really seem to set the tone for the show, making it feel less like indie rock band royalty and their fans, but more like a community of music lovers, all in it for the same thing.

Over their roughly 90 minute set, Young the Giant covered a wide range of material from both their self titled album, and Mind Over Matter, with their monstrously successful 2011 single, “Cough Syrup”, the clear crowd favorite. During that song, everyone in Higher Ground was singing outloud, and can you blame them? That song launched a brightly defined career for 5 gracious musicians from Irvine, California.
October 24, 2015
Hearing Aide: Soule Monde ‘Smashed World’

The latest from keyboardist Ray Paczkowski and drummer Russ Lawton‘s funk duo Soule Monde is a short, but well worth your time, EP, Smashed World, with five tracks to cover a wide range of funk.

Smashed World features two live tracks. “Allah Uya” breaks from Soule Monde’s usual drum/organ duo featuring Mihali Savoulidis (Twiddle) on guitar. The song starts out with a light, bouncy feel that gradually gets heavier as the three play it out. “Tango,” the other live track, starts out very organ heavy, reminiscent of Garth Hudson’s organ work with The Band. It then moves into a steady groove with an Eastern European feel to it.

The three studio tracks couldn’t be more different from each other. “Influence” is a jazzy number that features some great interplay between Paczkowski and Lawton with both taking the lead at various points. “Must Be Nice” starts out with a slow funk tempo that gradually evolves into a dirty, danceable groove, keeping that slow funk. Finally, their funky cover of ZZ Top’s “La Grange” closes out the EP.

The theme behind Smashed World, as with much of Soule Monde’s work, is funk and more funk. The close relationship between Paczkowski and Lawton is evident throughout. They are masters at listening to each other and then building off the other’s work. Paczkowski’s organ fills out the sound, giving the songs a full band feel, while Lawton’s drumming is not simply there to keep the rhythm. Fans of funk and jazz would enjoy this EP.

Paczkowski and Lawton are currently on tour with the Trey Anastasio Band. Soule Monde will be opening for Twiddle on New Year’s Eve at Higher Ground in South Burlington, Vermont. Tickets are still available.

Key Tracks: Must Be Nice, Tango, La Grange

Find Soule Monde on Facebook.

October 24, 2015