Goat - Oh Death (2022)

Goat might not be the greatest band of all time, but they definitely are a strange and intriguing beast. The music of this Swedish band is mixing heavy rock psychedelia with elements of afrobeat, folk, free jazz and whatnot. And each of their albums have a different twist. They release "Medicine" in 2023, one of their more traditional psych/folk album, a good album, nicely trippy, but more classical than the rest of their discography. That's why I prefer reviewing the previous album Oh Death, my favourite Goat album. Oh Death could be described as their "Voodoo bayou funk rock" album, an addictive mix of Black Sabbath, Jefferson Airplane, Dr John and The Meters. Shorter song, more rocking, funky and nervous than their usually more progressive stuff, but with a dark and mystic feel. Highly recommended!

The Bandcamp page.

 

Kubata - Zep Tepi (2016)

Kubata is a Brazilian band playing some instrumental trippy music. Zep Tepi released in 2016 is their first album, after an EP in 2015 (also recommended). They blend some Ethio-jazz keyboard parts, some Afro-funk rhythms and guitar parts, with some progressive / psychedelic rock elements for a really cool result, mysterious and groovy. Good stuff!

The Bandcamp page.

Renegade Brass Band - Rhymes, Beats & Brass (2014)

Some more "feel good music" for a change. eh why not? From Sheffields UK, here comes the Renegade Brass Band, a brass band in it's most modern form, in the following of bands like the Youngblood Brass Band, that is with a MC and a turntablist in addition to the percutionnists and horns players. It's a very potent and dynamic combination, very lively and full of energy, able to channel a wider range of feel into the brass band music, from anger to melancholy and joy, from quiet to frenetic. Everythings you'll find aplenty in their latest album aptly titled Rhymes, Beats & Brass. A really cool album that everyone can enjoy, no need to be into jazz or into hip-hop. Recommended!

Their BC page

Kamasi Washington - The Epic (2015)

This is called The Epic and indeed just "Epic" would have been an understatement for this album is the glorious embodiment of how epic a jazz album can be. On The Epic Kamasi Washington plays with his band, the excellent The next step (10 musicians, Kamasi on tenor Sax, two bassists, one standup and one electric, two drummers, a keyboard, a piano, trombone and a singer). there's also a 32 people string section orchestra and a 20 people choir. how about that? Uually I don't like orchestral music and I prefer small jazz bands but even if sometimes the orchestrations are a bit too much that's also part of the greatness of this album. That much too much borders genius! it walks a dangerous thin line but that's also why it's a fascinating album. it's not just awesome by the number, oh, did I mention it's a 3 CD album, 171 minutes of music? can you take it? guess what? you probably can, there's enough diversity and creativity on display that you can listen to the whole album without getting bored at any moment. It's an immersive experience. it swallows you. ok quantity but also very high quality, marvellous and surprising songwriting, the best musicianship you can find (special mention to the rhythm section, to the keys / piano and to Kamasi Washington with his sax).  It's jazz of course, it's also very groovy and funky (that drumming!), soulfull (the orchestration can reminds Isaac Hayes at times, or Stevie Wonder melodies).  You can find a Coltrane bit, a lot of Sun Ra i'd say as well, well, it's some crazy, trippy forward thinking jazz.

An awesome and very special jazz album (and maybe more than that!).

http://kamasiwashington.com/

Beaten to death - Dødsfest! (2013)

Dødsfest! is a really unique album. Beaten to death (from Norway) first and previous record was good modern grind / death with few but discreet try at experimenting, but didn't really catch my attention then (maybe it should have..). Dødsfest! their new one is really something, it's at the same time more brutal, more melodic and more original than Xes and strokes was. first you look at the cover and you imagine you'll have something a bit different from the usual grind / death band. ok, but when you hear the melody and the funky bass lines, then you really know! it won't be just grind with funny lyrics and stupid jokes. well it looks like you have the funny lyrics (for ex : True Norwegian Internet Metal Warrior). but what I mean is that the music itself is really different, with a lot more colours and diversity that what you usually have in extreme music. and it stays really extreme, not some sloppy fusion metal escaped from the nineties alt metal wave. In Dodsfest you'll have real grind / death beats and grooves. i'm not really gonna try to explain you how it sounds, but as I already wrote, the bass lines are a really strong and unique element in this record. I'll also just say that the playing is really tight and the songs are really well crafted , so efficient that they sneak immediately in your brain, and letting you asking for more when it stops.  

enjoy this unique ride on their Bandcamp. 

 

Monophonics-in your brain

In your brain is a truly wonderful psychedelic soullful and funky record the third one by Monophonics a brilliant band formed in San Fransisco in 2005.

The playing is tight and the songwriting really efficient, neraly each song on the record is a "hit", you just can't resist to the groove of songs like "bang bang" or the aptly named "there's a riot going on". just listen to it and your mind will be blown away on a psychedelic path full of funky/spacey guitars, brass, soulful vocals, choruses and funky drumming.

lsitening to this record is mandatory, there won't be no excuses!

http://monophonics.com
you can listen to their previous records here : http://monophonics.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-infrasounds

Jungle by night-Hidden

for today something more groovy and colourful than usual in Blasting days, let's funk!

Jungle by night is a bunch of young guys from Amsterdam and they play some instrumental afro-beat/ethiojazz funky music. and they do it brilliantly! they released in april their second record called Hidden and it's a really enjoyable piece of groovy music! they're newcommers but are taking the afro funky scene by storm! they bring a new freshness into it and with new bands like that the future of afrobeat will shine bright.

but let's just listen to it : Jungle by night BC page.

Dr John-Locked down

Since the sixties Malcom Rebennack alias Dr John is the embodiment of New-Orleans voodoo funk groove. Eh oui mes amis, Dr John porte en lui le voodoo groove funky de cette bonne vieille Nouvelle-Orléans!

And, after the really good Tribal released in 2010, the Doctor proves it once again with Locked down.

Unlike his latest album he is not this time backed by the Lower 911 band, this times he has on his side another band provided by Dan Auerbach from The black keys who also plays the guitar and produces the album. But the result is not so different, Locked down sounding like a classical Dr John record, which, considering how good is a classical Dr John record, is not a bad thing. Maybe the focus is a bit more on the vocal melodies, and maybe this time the voodoo elements (bordering at times to afro-beat/afro-funk)  is more felt than the funk element. To make short it's another brilliant record by Dr John. The highlights are, in my opinion, "Revolution" and "Getaway", but check it by yourself! you won't regret it...Highly recommended!

nitetripper.com

Osaka monaurail

Saw this band playing the other day at the Jam in Montpellier (France) and it was really cool, so I post about them, simple as that...thanks to Cosmic groove for organising so many cool shows like this one.

Osaka monaurail are currently touring Europe for their new record State of the world released in january 2012 for Europe. They have been playing funk for now 20 years and they do it with style!

Their funk, musically and on scene, is influenced mainly by the great James Brown, with touches of jazz, rythm n' blues, etc...but they play mostly their own compositions.

But what most striking about them is the energy they display and communicate in their show, their singer Ryeko Nakata seems unstoppable, dancing, singing and playing the keys relentlessly, it's like he just can't stop moving! At the same time the band is playing very tight and funky. it's really a cool live band!

just watch this video to check that!

Osaka monaurail official site (in japanese...)
Osaka monaurail myspace