The Electric Mile

G. Love & Special Sauce

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 1, 2008)
• Original Release Date: April 24, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sbme Special Mkts.
• ASIN: B0012GMWKW
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #140,087 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Seemingly growing more content with his outsider status with each new release, former Sony great white hype Garrett "G. Love" Dutton appears in no hurry to update his band's back-porch hip-hop-and-blues sound. On his fifth studio album with Special Sauce--bassist Jim Prescott and drummer Jeff Clemens--themes of positivity and spiritual satisfaction remain at the fore, while the laidback grooves sound more effortless than ever, particularly on the '70s-drenched title track and the tender "Sara's Song." There is a breezy nod to Bob Marley on the ska-inflected "Praise Up," and "Night of the Living Dead" features a fractured falsetto vocal, but major diversions are rare on Electric Mile, an album that is virtually interchangeable with the trio's self-titled 1994 debut. And that's no bad thing. --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Electric Mile - 3 Stars/ Ridin' High - 5 Stars, July 29, 2003

By	A. Bubul (PA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Electric Mile (Audio CD)

These guys have evolved throughout their careers with different focuses on each of their cds, rendering most of their albums very enjoyable. The Electric Mile, however, just seems unfocused. I can't fault G for trying to move in new directions because it served him well in the past, but the dabbling into ska/reggae territory with Unified and Praise Up comes off as paltry and cliched in comparison to G's other creative, authentic songs. Night of the Living Dead sounds more like the good old sway of the band that I've grown to familiarize and love, but the cd digresses again with Parasite. The music on this track, especially the bass, is pretty tight, but the superfluous execrations ("You're just a f***ing parasite" ad nauseam) water down the message which is good until the chorus. The rest of the songs on the cd are ok, none of them standing out in my mind as noteworthy other than 100 Magic Rings which is a soaring beauty and the bizarre, phsychadelic reprise of Free At Last.

The Electric Mile is packed with an accompanying disc entitled "Ridin' High." It has 10 songs in all, 4 reprises and 6 originals. Tracks 3-6 on this cd are really great. 3 is called Break Away. It's just very mellow and very easy to get into. I like it a lot. 4 is called Sea Shells- it shows off G's rhyming skills exquisitely. 5 and 6 are called House Stirs the Soup and Writing on the Walls, respectively. Both songs sound strikingly similar, using nearly the same guitar lines, possibly just in different keys. That doesn't matter much though because both of these songs are really happy and upbeat, and the unique chords are really bedazzling.

All in all, the purchase of "The Electric Mile" and "Ridin' High" is well worth the money of any G. Love & Special Sauce fans, but for people thinking about buying this as an introduction to the group, try "Yeah, It's That Easy," or the bands first album, "G. Love & Special Sauce" instead.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I'm still travelin the Electric Mile, February 16, 2002

By	Mark Rendeiro "bicyclemark" (Amsterdam, Netherlands) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Electric Mile (Audio CD)

G.Love never fails... from one album to another I'm never disappointed. Electric mile is exactly what I've been waiting for ever since I got Philadelphonic. IF you want to know why -- then you must... I repeat MUST start Travelin' the electric mile. PRAISE UP... this album is awesome.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars funky but inadequate, April 24, 2001

By	Alexander (Elbridge, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Electric Mile (Audio CD)

well G. Love and the Special Sauce have come back with their fifth studio album, and much has changed. Their last CD, Philadelphonic, was definitely my favorite and brought a new and updated sound to their bluesed funked out riffs. Therefor I definitely thought this Cd would continue with the momentum, however in my eyes it failed. The opening riff on Unified is a great example, it is a direct rippoff of a sublime song and definitely not as groovy as the original. Praise Up continues on with more little originality, it sounds like a Bob Marley throw away. However the album does have its highlights like Parasite, featuring the amazing Jasper, and the delightful 100 Magic Rings. With help from John Medeski and Billy Conway from the defunct Morphine, this album had plenty of potential. In the end it is still G. Love and that is why it is still good because there is no one like him in the industry. The album is good if you have never heard G. Love before, but for familiar fans Coast to Coast Motel is still the ultimate. Peace and one love!