Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Get your hands outta your pockets, May 11, 2001
If one pops in this CD, the first thing you will hear is someone saying "Ain't it funky now". Yes. Yes, it is and it isn't. Can one described the first track "Title" as funky? Its more of a rocker, but it'll draw you in right off. These guys know their instruments, and they know the songs (as they should, being that they play them 4 nights a week). But knowing the song is only part of it. What you do with the parts is what really counts. "Title" builds and builds, and so does the progression of the CD, which I suppose is what makes it such an excellent choice to open the album with. Oh yeah, as far as the funk goes, we get into a bit of it with a classy arrangement of the Miles Davis tune "Nardis", then a departure through some nice polytonal piano meanderings ("Gnomey"), some quasi-reggae (yes, reggae is funky), some very intricate, VERY tough compositions. "Archive" is a collage of seemingly unrelated parts strung together by some very well executed metric modulations that will leave you wondering "how did they pull that off". Then the funk appears full on for the last few tracks to close out the album. The band/crowd interaction is very well represented on the recording via some well placed mics and some exuberant crowd responses. Of highest recommendation for fans of intelligent music and funk alike.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Get your hands outta your pockets, May 11, 2001
Pop it in and someone says "Aint it funky now". Yes, it is, and is isn't. Canone describe "Title", the opening cut as funky? Perhaps, but this is a rocker, OK? It builds and builds (as the duration of the album) with the confidence of a band who clearly knows their compositions. They know when to build, when to cut out, when to cheer each other on, and they know how to draw you, the listener in. The funk begins to rear its nappy head in a classy arrangement of Miles Davis' "Nardis", a funkified sendup. The band shows its chops a bit through the middle section of the record complete with polytonal piano meanderings ("Gnomey"), quasi-reggae funk ("Haircut") and a number of tighly knit compositions. Particularly notable is "Archive", an evil collage of seemingly unrelated parts strung together by some VERY well executed metric modulations that leave one wondering just how they did it. The last few tracks bring in the full on funk that the Smiley specializes in. Of great contribution to the overall huge sound of the CD are some well-placed audience mics that capture the band/crowd bond that quite evidentally feeds a shot of adrenaline into the final product. Of HIGHEST recommendation.
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