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These guys, when on point, can lay down the groove like no others and this album (in my opinion, their BEST). is a great representation of them at work. Stanton Moore is probably the best drummer ever.
Excellent composition backed by solid beat. Everyone does their part to put together a combination sound that moves the soul.
He sounds a bit rough on "Vilified," but the chestnuts "My Mind is Hazy," "I Get Lifted," and the wicked funky reworking of Black Sabbath's "Sweet Leaf" are totally essential. Galactic today isn't exactly the same band they once were, with their vocalist Theryl De'Clouet departing a few years ago and the band moving to an essentially instrumental sound. That's what this album is all about--showing what made Galactic popular in the first place; their relentless touring and fiercely enjoyable and energetic live sound. The Houseman's contributions are, for the most part, successful. It's probably not the best place to start for people who aren't familiar, although Galactic's studio albums often don't really represent their live sound (especially 2003's excellent but unrepresentative Ruckus album). It's tough to distill such a diverse and sprawling live repertoire into one disc, but I think (having seen Galactic live 6 times) We Love 'Em Tonight does a pretty great job of playing to the band's strengths and representing their live sound--some great jams, an energetic interaction with the crowd, some favorites from their studio recordings mixed with obscure tunes, and about 1/3 to 1/2 of the show featuring the Houseman, their vocalist.The best part about seeing Galactic live is the ridiculous heights their instrumentals and jams reach--this album shows that right away with the standard "Crazyhorse Mongoose," featuring the improvisational skills of pretty much all the band members (excepting maybe bassist Robert Mercurio)--by the time of this album's recording, Jeff Raines had really improved his chops and improv abilities, Rich Vogel shines on his many keyboards (especially the Moog synthesizer sound that typifies the band's sound on many tracks, as well as hammond, electric piano and clavinet), Ben Ellman's funky, slightly jazzy sax, and Stanton Moore's unbeatable drumming abilities.
"Shibuya," at least, is a shining example of Galactic's barnstorming pre-encore closers, with Raines' slide guitar rocking hard and Ben Ellman's harmonica matching the groove note for note through a lurching finish. They're now combining their signature spacey funk sound with some hip-hop sounds on a new album, but they're still laying down the priceless live sound that they used to, just without vocals. A few of the other instrumentals (I'm thinking "Lumpology" and Ellington's "Blue Pepper," for example), though well-played and energetic, seem a bit random and not representative of Galactic's live standards on their sole live disc, but I suppose that eclecticism is accurately reflective of Galactic's live shows. This album is a great look into Galactic's restlessness with their classic songs--they turn album classics like "Baker's Dozen" and "Two Clowns" on their ends, adding and changing a lot of elements from the album versions in ways that sound fresh and exciting. It's great to hear the crowd's involvement as the group reaches energetic peaks in the songs--the energy is infectious, and a hallmark of a successful live album. If you're a fan of Galactic or have seen them live, I wholeheartedly recommend this disc--it's worth the money and didn't let me down as a recorded document of their live shows.
Hope you enjoy the funk.
My first Galactic album, and it won't be the last. If some of the other reviewers (who don't like this album as much as Galactic's prior efforts) are correct, I have to get more. This is extremely hot.
Having seen these guys live a couple of times, I know they spare no expense (sweat) in kicking out the groove. Granted, they've produced some gems since that first disc, but have failed to recapture that fresh feel that originally turned me on to their sound. This recording is no exception to the fantastic live sound that results. However, I think the creative punch of the band has been tapering since Coolin' Off. This album is not necessarily a natural progression in that trend, as it does include some very interesting covers, and a previously unreleased Moog Marmalade (which is sick), but I feel like they need to switch gears to retain my interest. Bottom line, you should own this album, especially if you're into galactic, but don't expect it to blow your mind.
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