Sexotica

Sex Mob

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 1, 2006)
• Original Release Date: August 1, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Thirsty Ear
• ASIN: B000GIWHC0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #206,346 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Sex Mob has delighted in tweaking and twisting the jazz idiom for the better part of a decade, with blatant disregard for all that is pure. It's not surprising, then, that Steven Bernstein and company would dive into the tropical waters of exotica, a lounge sound relentlessly mocked by "serious" jazz connoisseurs; in fact, it's a perfect fit. Billed as an "electro-acoustic fantasy inspired by Martin Denny," Sexotica is playful, mysterious, and seductive, yet it's anything but easy listening. After the band--Bernstein (slide trumpet), Briggan Krauss (sax), Tony Scherr (acoustic bass and guitar), and Kenny Wollesen (percussion), with guest Mike Dillon on tablas--laid the initial tracks, producers Danny Blume and Chris Castagno, who do business as GoodandEvil, were given the opportunity to slice and dice. The duo's electronic tomfoolery takes an already adventurous ensemble and pushes them out even further, to a place where the primal and the postmodern intermingle. Bernstein and Krauss offer some appealingly snaky horn lines throughout, and the mood often calls to mind the "jungle sound" of early Ellington--modernized for the 21st century. Oddly enough, in exotica Sex Mob has found a style that's stout enough to accommodate their most exploratory tendencies. --Marc Greilsamer

Product Description
Never a band to conform, Sex Mob has consistently made music that is innovative and fresh. Their latest album, Sexotica, features original Sex Mob music in the spirit of of Martin Denny and the Exotica genre. Joined by the production team of GoodandEvil, Sex Mob has created an album featuring modern electronic production, while maintaining their usual acoustic brilliance. The result is an acoustic-electric mindbender of an album that represents the best parts of both mediums.

Sexotica is an entertaining ride, carrying with it a sense of humor, unique sonic production and an overall feeling of exuberance. In June of 2005, Sex mob displayed their new album's concept for thousands, headlining opening night of New York City's legendary Summerstage concert series. With solid compositions and interesting twists throughout the record, Sex mob is clearly forwarding their mission of making jazz music engaging and fun.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A lot of promise, but doesn't deliver..., November 11, 2007

By	bimwa (Australia) - See all my reviews

Steven Bernstein has, over the past decade or so, proven himself as one of the most interesting musicians on the jazz scene (using the term "jazz" quite loosely, of course). In the late 90s he came to prominence as musical director for John Lurie's Lounge Lizards. Soon after he emerged with Sex Mob, a dirty, funky band that was highly original, incredibly dynamic and pretty darn irreverent.

With Bernstein's quirky slide trumpet, Briggan Krauss' commanding presence on saxophones, and the rock solid rhythm section of Tony Scherr (acoustic bass) and Kenny Wollesen (drums), the band seemed unstoppable. In their first 3 years they banged out as many albums - 'Din Of Inequity', 'Solid Sender' and then the masterpiece 'Does Bond', a collection of mostly incidental cues from the James Bond films. It's worth mentioning that on this album the band was augmented by organist John Medeski, and on occasion, 3-part "soul choir", which made the sound atmospheric and exotic.

This, along with the fact that Bernstein dabbled in "Jewish exotica" on albums like 'Diaspora Soul' and 'Diaspora Hollywood', made me think that he was almost destined to make an album like 'Sexotica', exploring the exotic sounds pioneered by the likes of Martin Denny.

But despite all of the above, the album just seems to miss the mark. Apart from the awful title, it appears that Bernstein and co. have tried to cover too many bases and somehow end up missing on most counts.

Firstly, approaching the album from the exotica angle - it's all very well to name drop an influence like Martin Denny, but if the resulting music doesn't actually sound anything like said artist it just seems a bit pointless. We've heard Bernstein do the laid-back vibe on the 'Diaspora...' albums, but here it just sounds like funky grooves with the same old freaked out horns that Sex Mob always had.

But then, if you try to ignore the 'exotica' idea and just listen as if it's another Sex Mob album, that doesn't work either. The tunes are just too repetitive, not to mention that the GoodandEvil production has mellowed out the drums/percussion so much that it just sounds like electro-drum programming and we hear nothing of Wollesen's great virtuosity or character.

So, I'm afraid the other reviews have it right - this album is a rare stumble by Bernstein. I only hope that people don't write off this great musician based on 'Sexotica'. I strongly recommend you check out Sex Mob's 'Does Bond' as well as Bernstein's 'Diaspora Soul', these will give you a far better idea of his capabilities.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars New style of post-production, October 7, 2006

By	Anthony Cooper (Louisville, KY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A cynical way to describe this CD would be "lurching beat with trumpet & saxophone squalling". Sex Mob sometimes works for me, like on the CD "Solid Sender", and sometimes leaves me a little cool, like on "Dime Grind Palace". Sexotica leaves me a little on the cool side, though some tracks are definitely hot. This CD was made a little differently. The band, with Mike Dillon on tabla, recording their parts live, and then handed the tapes (or files) to Good & Evil. The music was then re-mixed, and additional sounds were added. For the most part, the Good & Evil additions are kept in the background, and don't distract from trumpet, sax, bass & percussion. If the band is raising a ruckus, there will other ruckus-making sounds added. That's how it was made, but I think it's a three star CD simply because not enough of the songs are strong enough.

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bungle In The Jungle, May 17, 2007

By	Redbone "Jazz Cowboy" (New Orleans, LA USA) - See all my reviews

Nothing chaps me more than squandering $20 on musical dribble, and that's just what I did when I purchased "Sexotica." I was still dizzy from Steven Bernstein's "Diaspora Soul" (which is truly phenomenal) and, knowing nothing about Sex Mob, decided to drop 20 on the LP. Big mistake. I need to learn to read the editorial content more closely. In this case, Amazon described it as "playful, mysterious, and seductive." Apparently, my mind quit there and didn't digest the rest of the sentence: "yet it's anything but easy listening." That's an understatement. There is a flash or two of brilliance on the LP, but overall it's like waiting for a fireworks show and getting a single bottle rocket instead.