Customer Reviews

Rage (Dig)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lettuce is a group of incredibly talented musicians with a deep appreciation for funk music. And they spread the funk thick and dirty on Rage! My introduction to the band was the Live at the Blue Note disc, so this is the first time I've heard them in the studio.

What I like most about Rage! is that the album stands on its own as a solid collection of tunes that'll get your head bobbin' and your booty shakin' to the undeniable groove. However, if you're familiar with their live show, you'll be well aware that they leave plenty of room on the disc to explore the songs further when they hit the stage. I can't wait to catch them on tour, and see how they expand and develop these tunes.

When funk is left in the wrong hands, tragedy can occur. However, when a band like Lettuce comes around to carry the mantle of funk's forefathers, you realize that there is still hope for funk in the world. I can't recommend this disc highly enough...

...take an old Tower of Power lp, throw in some Curtis Mayfield, shake a dash of JB's, walk down 103rd St in Watts, commit robbery on Soulive and the James Taylor Quartet like you don't care, roll in some Mandrill, Brecker Brothers and Jimmy Castor, then pay homage to the early days of Kool and the Gang and the Ohio Players when they were instrumental groups and that about sums up what Lettuce pulled off with RAGE! The funk is so thick in this CD you will smell like the cigarette smoke in the club when they play a live show. Every song is headbobbin', matchbook cover in the 8-track player, two week old colly greens in the fridge-FUNK.

Get ready to shake your booty on the dance floor . . . haven't heard these kind of vibes since past wedding receptions from the funk years . . .
what a blast ( "blast off" happens to be the first track and how apropos )
if James Brown rated this group's funkiness, it would be 5 stars . . .
long live funk and the foot tapping, booty shaking, hips gyrating fun it naturally conjures . . . this is music meant to be enjoyed for the funky grooves it communicates . . . this group is out to create deep funk grooves and their efforts are commendable and the listening makes you want to "get down" and dance. Recommended!

I am going to keep this one real short. This album smacks your ears instantly as the flood gates open. The musicianship here is fantastic with top notch production. I came across these guys as a fan of Soulive, and was blown out of the water when I got this album cranking. Do yourself a favor, if you truly enjoy great music coupled with a great time, I know you will keep finding yourself turning up the volume as you listen to this one! Support the musicians.

This is some fantastic mostly instrumental funk. The musicians are all virtuosos and blend seemlessly together. I have the vinyl version, and it sounds great. The mastering has left in a lot of dynamics, so the music has punch. I cannot comment on the cd though. Most modern cd's have been compressed to hell, and so everything from a whisper to a shout is at the same volume and so no punch. Maybe these guys have balls and put out a dynamic cd? To be safe though, I'd recommend getting the vinyl, then you'll be sure to have a great sounding piece of Lettuce!!

The grooves and overall feel of this CD are incredible. Although the material is not the most unique in the world, and does not necessarily highlight the depths of the skills of these musicians, it just plan rocks. Listening to the music, I get the feeling these musicians are capable of making much more intellectually challenging music, but instead they opt for great grooves that make you want to dance. Every track is great.

the quick & dirty:
Slick, tight and funky, "Rage" is a fun step forward for fans of groove.

the lowdown:
The seven-person all-star collective known as Lettuce has been around since 1992, with its members branching off into successful standalone projects (Soulive, Rustic Overtones, et al), but never straying far from the project that started it all. "Rage", the band's third album, sees the collective reaching back to pay homage to the funk gods (EWF, James Brown, Tower of Power, the Meters, P-Funk, etc), while retaining the band's meticulous hip-hop tinged phrasing, melody and progressions. The compositions all follow a similar formula: riffs and breakbeats setting up the solos, bridges and/or hooks, and though there are times when the songs traverse the borders of funk-by-numbers monotony, the band's chemistry shines through time and again as a saving grace. One can tell the boys are having fun and this is proved true every time a glimmer of their monstrous theory knowledge and improv talent surfaces. But, this project is not meant to clone those aspects so strongly established in Lettuce's first two albums. "Rage" was made to groove in the pocket, and it does. Fiercely.

the bottom line:
Though not as theory-heavy and jazz-influenced as their previous work, "Rage" is a worthy album that showcases an ultra-funky side of Lettuce.

This is the real deal. Buy it now, and if you don't like it - take a minute to evaluate your taste. The defenders of the funk are back and layin' it down like nobody's business. I've blown two speakers so far but can't bring myself to turn the volume down.

I AM A BIG FAN OF LETTUCE. I JUST SAW THEM IN N.Y.C. AT SULLIVINS FEB 29 AND IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST CONCERTS I EVER SAW. THEY PLAYED MOST OF THE TUNES ON THIS NEW CD. THE BAND IS HOT LIVE. I AM ALSO SO A BIG FAN OF SOULIVE AND IT'S ALL GOOD-THATS WHERE IT ALL STARTED. IF YOU CAN GET LETTUCE LIVE IN JAPAN,TOKYO. IT'S HOT REAL HOT.

JAMIE BROWN IN INDIANAPOLIS FROM NEW YORK