The Phoenix Foundation – Horsepower

Sometimes being mellow is a good thing. In the case of The Phoenix Foundation’s US debut Horsepower it’s quite a good thing. This band from New Zealand, not to be confused with the only other one Americans know (Flight of the Conchords…hilarious by the way), decided to re-release their 2004 debut Horsepower with a couple additional tracks for their Stateside debut. Immediate comparisons can be made to early (acoustic) Coldplay with elements of the The Shins. While I was optimistic that the album wouldn’t be a sobbing and mopey journey, it’s hard to escape that feeling after a few listens. On the other hand, sometimes it’s perfect for the mood.

Horsepower clearly shows promise from a band already very well known in their homeland. They’ve already played in some of the country’s largest festivals including Big Day Out. I was really hoping for more than just a couple upbeat tunes. For a band that grew up listening to the likes of Pantera and Slayer this type of music seems like a total contradiction. Gentle harmonies, and falsetto crooning are the norm on this effort. They maintain a spacey, playful, and even whimsical feel throughout most of the album. Especially atmospheric tracks include “Sister Risk” and “St. Kevin.” The Phoenix Foundation should have little trouble finding a spot on any number of melodramatic TV shows here in the US. Essentially, a music supervisor’s dream since they’re unknown and would provide a perfect paring for a gray sky or melancholy afternoon. If you’re looking to chillax and contemplate life, Horsepower would be a perfect album for that endeavor.

The Phoenix Foundation – Horsepower

Sometimes being mellow is a good thing. In the case of The Phoenix Foundation’s US debut Horsepower it’s quite a good thing. This band from New Zealand, not to be confused with the only other one Americans know (Flight of the Conchords…hilarious by the way), decided to re-release their 2004 debut Horsepower with a couple additional tracks for their Stateside debut. Immediate comparisons can be made to early (acoustic) Coldplay with elements of the The Shins. While I was optimistic that the album wouldn’t be a sobbing and mopey journey, it’s hard to escape that feeling after a few listens. On the other hand, sometimes it’s perfect for the mood.

Horsepower clearly shows promise from a band already very well known in their homeland. They’ve already played in some of the country’s largest festivals including Big Day Out. I was really hoping for more than just a couple upbeat tunes. For a band that grew up listening to the likes of Pantera and Slayer this type of music seems like a total contradiction. Gentle harmonies, and falsetto crooning are the norm on this effort. They maintain a spacey, playful, and even whimsical feel throughout most of the album. Especially atmospheric tracks include “Sister Risk” and “St. Kevin.” The Phoenix Foundation should have little trouble finding a spot on any number of melodramatic TV shows here in the US. Essentially, a music supervisor’s dream since they’re unknown and would provide a perfect paring for a gray sky or melancholy afternoon. If you’re looking to chillax and contemplate life, Horsepower would be a perfect album for that endeavor.

Galactic – From The Corner To The Block

As pointed out previously, the fusion of two artists is sometimes a touchy task to pull off well. On the other hand, the marriage of various genres all too often loses something when melded into one. The New Orleans band Galactic proves this stereotype wrong in many ways. This fact is especially true on their newest album From The Corner To The Block (Aug. 2007). One of the best ways to describe Galactic is by saying they incorporate elements of funk, jazz, hip hop, and rock. In addition, they can jam with the best of them.

On From The Corner To The Block the instrumental sextet gather guests artists ranging from Chali 2na (Jurassic 5), Mr. Lif, Gift of Gab, Boots Riley (The Coup), and Lyrics Born. Each of these artists takes a turn with the band. Galactic is a tight sounding band with enough horns to fill a smokey jazz club and funky bass to make George Clinton happy at the same time. The whole album sees the band at it’s tightest without missing a beat. It’s a funk/hip-hop album that makes the case for itself to be seen live rather than through blind speakers. Surely, Galactic sound infinitely better live since they actually come from a performance background. The guests MCs do a masterful job blending their lyrical prowess with that of the band. Some tracks are standouts while others kind of struggle to find their way. There are also a couple instrumental jams thrown in to reassure older fans of Galactic that they haven’t totally changed their stripes. At their zenith, some songs surpass The Roots best offerings, while others need some more polish.