This Is What We Do

The New Mastersounds | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 31, 2005)
• Original Release Date: August 2, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: 3 on the B Records
• ASIN: B000AYYT3K
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,445 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Zambezi

2. All I Want (Right Now)

3. The Tin Drum (featuring Sam Bell on percussion)

4. You Got It All (featuring Karl Denson on sax)

5. Land of Nod

6. Ain't No Telling

7. The Minx

8. Afternoon at Gigi's

9. Pure (featuring Sam Bell on percussion)

10. La Cova

11. Baby Bouncer

12. The Vandenburg Suite

Editorial Reviews

Review

"late 1960s funk and soul, truly recreates the sound of Sea Saint Studios, circa 1969" --Brian Ferdman - Jambase.com August 2005

"What you get if James Brown, Albert King, The Funk Brothers, Booker T are all in the same room? NMS" --Lawton Chiles - staff writer EverythingRock.com - Jan 2006

‘This is What We Do’ will be a surefire hit with all their fans past and present - quite an impressive list --Lubi Jovanovic (Straight No Chaser Magazine) March 2005

Product Description

The brainchild of British guitarist Eddie Roberts, The New Mastersounds began as a sprawling funk ensemble with Parliament-Funkadelic leanings. Now they've trimmed the fat and pared down into a tight four-piece with a nasty instrumental groove. The comparisons to The Meters (and by default, early Galactic) are both obvious and valid, as Roberts and company readily admit to idolizing the pioneering soul-funk quartet from New Orleans. After a gig opening for Karl Denson (a guest on this album) in Chicago and a recently torrented High Sierra performance, Americans are starting to get hip to four of the funkiest lads from across the pond. The sound of This Is What We Do is decidedly retro, thanks to drummer Simon Allen's ability to create a sticky pocket of groove. His snare and hi-hat work overtime on the hard-bopping "Pure," with plenty of drum breaks thrown in to kept your ass moving. Organist Bob Birch oozes with soul, especially on the slinking and naughty "Afternoon at Gigi's," but he also mans the piano to unleash a cornucopia of soul in the Latin-flavored "The Tin Drum," a track that is definitely aided by the flourishes of guest percussionist Sam Bell. While Pete Shand's bass may not be revolutionary, his fingers are nimble, his lines are rock-solid, and in the case of a wicked boogaloo-style cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Ain't No Telling," Shand is the engine that moves the train. As for Roberts, he is clearly an attentive student of late 1960s funk and soul. Without ever sounding kitchy, his production truly recreates the sound of Sea Saint Studios, circa 1969. And the dude can flat-out play guitar. With one foot on the wah-wah pedal and two fingers that love staccato, his rhythms somehow seem both familiar and original, constantly tossing in those little novel hooks that this music craves. You can't get much more hook-laden than the incredibly addictive badass strut known as "The Vandenburg Suite," a sick and heavily grooving anthem that could rival any song to ever come out of the Crescent City. Roberts' ever-changing career has seen him excel at re-creating vintage sounds, but as some of the darker tracks on This Is What We Do suggest, his music has a unique and boldly soulful voice. Cuts like "The Land of Nod" seem to hint at the future for his group, a marriage of old-school funk with space-age sounds. Once Roberts feels comfortable enough to release from the comforts of the retro vibe, the comparisons to The Meters will stop, and he and his cohorts will have forged their own path. While they may not yet be masters, this band clearly has the confidence and skill to hang with the big boys, and This Is What We Do appears to only scratch the surface of their immense potential. Brian Ferdman 2005-08-08

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I hope they keep doing what they do!, July 11, 2007

By 

The Delite Rancher (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: This Is What We Do (Audio CD)

"This Is What We Do" is nothing less than a mind-blowing trip into the land of funky jazz. It swings and rocks. The ingredients include a heavy helping of soul and funk with a sprinkling of psychedelia and lounge. As with the art work, much of the music sounds like it was recorded sometime in the sixties and seventies, drawing on likes of the Meters and Howard Roberts. The production is partly responsible for the great vintage sound. The disc blends dazzling arrangements with jaw dropping solos. The melodies are catchy and toe tapping. At times, Eddie Roberts guitar work echoes Mike Bloomfield's playing with the Butterfield Blues Band. While the guitar is hot, it is keyboardist Bob Birch who seems to be in the driver's seat. Jimi Hendrix fans will have to seriously consider the possibility that this quartet recorded a better version of 'Ain't No Telling.' With Sam Bell's assistance, 'The Tin Drum' is a polyrhythmic feast. Karl Denson affirms the importance of these young turks by playing on 'You Got It All.' As if their jammin' live shows weren't enough, this album catapults the New Mastersounds into the forefront of the scene. If "This Is What We Do" is what the New Mastersounds do, I for one hope they keep doing it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Band From the UK, August 7, 2007

By 

Smitty (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: This Is What We Do (Audio CD)

If you like the Meters (funky Meters) you will LOVE this young band out of the UK. Absolultely incredible. You could buy any one of their releases and NOT be disappointed.