Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Liquid to the Soul, May 23, 2006
After a four-year absence from the recording studio, Chicago-based ensemble LIQUID SOUL comes roaring back with their 5th CD release, ONE-TWO PUNCH. The man behind this band is saxophonist MARS WILLIAMS, whose lengthy resume includes the Psychedelic Furs and the Waitresses, as well as the Vandermark 5 and the Peter Brotzmann Chicago Tenet, among many others. Mars began
LIQUID SOUL in Chicago in 1994, and they've been active ever since, though there have been many personnel changes - except for Mars, no band members remain from the lineup that recorded the last release, EVOLUTION (2002).
The sound of ONE-TWO PUNCH evokes nothing less than the landmark early recordings of Public Enemy / The Bomb Squad - most of the tracks are dense and multilayered, with the hard-hitting rhythm section attack and funky / jazzy horn charts augmented by all sorts of DJ turntable stylings, occasional raps, tape loop effects, sound filters, found vocals, and additional percussion and keyboards. This approach has been used since the band's first release in 1996, and it's what makes them unique.
The immediate standout tracks on ONE-TWO PUNCH are "Kong", with appropriately monster-shredding guitar work from guest artist Vernon Reid (of Living Colour and Masque), and "Attaboy", a quasi-techno workout with irresistable trumpet / sax duels
and a party / dance floor feel. Repeated listenings bring out
great things in every track. This is great music for your listening / grooving / dancing pleasure!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Where's Showtime?, March 25, 2007
Ok, I'm biased. I'm a trombone player. And the sometimes musicians have to move on to other things. I understand. I do, however, miss their trombone player a great deal, as he had a style and intensity unlike many others. Some tracks just scream for one of "showtime"'s raging, strident slide rides. It's a shame. The album, however, wicked. MMMUCH better than their last effort: "Evolution". No doubt many will give it 5 stars, yet, when it comes to MY OWN enjoyability of the album, I give it 4 due to large void throughout the album in which trombone should be giving bottom and cajones to the horns.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
It's a whole different band!, November 11, 2006
My personal opinion: Make Some Noise is still the benchmark disc for this band. Only Mars Williams remains from the earlier recordings and while he's good, this disc just doesn't cook the way Make Some Noise did. I'd give this one a pass.
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