The Bamboos
The Bamboos
2000's - current
funk / soul
first songs that reeled me in:
"On the Sly" 4. 2010
"Helpless Blues" Fever in the Road, 2014
4 (2010)
The opening brass and wind of "On the Sly" will never get old. The way the music absolutely covers you and sucks you in; I find it is always a very welcome reprieve from whatever reality I might be dealing with in the moment.
It appears as though this album has a fine collection of vocal talent: mostly Kylie Auldist (the voice from the intro) with tracks featuring Lyrics Born and King Merc. The track with Lyrics Born feeling like a James Brown vocal reboot, albeit a bit strained. (If I sounded almost like James Brown, I might be tempted to do the same.) King Merc's featured track sounds almost like a B-Side Gnarls Barkley jam. With the heavy, modern drums and bright snap of the tambourine. The chorus in the back. Feels like a different band, entirely. And if you were afraid there would be no classic Bamboo instrumental tracks, you were wrong! Nothing magnificently special here, but I would enjoy myself if it were playing. Give me that Ocean's heist hijinks. Give me that funky intrigue. Give me that sweet, sweet piccolo.
2000's - current
funk / soul
first songs that reeled me in:
"On the Sly" 4. 2010
"Helpless Blues" Fever in the Road, 2014
Formed in 2000, this band has undergone a few transformations (especially with members). Their discography is nothing short of impressive and with access only to the albums my music app allows me, I will have to chug on and simply do my best. I truly adore these two tracks and the dynamic spectrum of emotion I can already tell this band is able to create / give us. And as such: I mean no disrespect by skipping a few albums and simply taking a little taste of the insurmountable body of work.
Step It Up (2006)
Right out the gate: the first track (namesake of the album) has all the funk and joy of a Charles Wright tune. The vocalist at this time, Alice Russell, gives us the sweet - and yet strong - performance that I would have requested, had the band come to me and asked while in the throws of production. The instrumental tracks (the majority of the remaining) bring all the fun and mischief of an Ocean's Eleven-esque heist.
Right out the gate: the first track (namesake of the album) has all the funk and joy of a Charles Wright tune. The vocalist at this time, Alice Russell, gives us the sweet - and yet strong - performance that I would have requested, had the band come to me and asked while in the throws of production. The instrumental tracks (the majority of the remaining) bring all the fun and mischief of an Ocean's Eleven-esque heist.
4 (2010)
The opening brass and wind of "On the Sly" will never get old. The way the music absolutely covers you and sucks you in; I find it is always a very welcome reprieve from whatever reality I might be dealing with in the moment.
It appears as though this album has a fine collection of vocal talent: mostly Kylie Auldist (the voice from the intro) with tracks featuring Lyrics Born and King Merc. The track with Lyrics Born feeling like a James Brown vocal reboot, albeit a bit strained. (If I sounded almost like James Brown, I might be tempted to do the same.) King Merc's featured track sounds almost like a B-Side Gnarls Barkley jam. With the heavy, modern drums and bright snap of the tambourine. The chorus in the back. Feels like a different band, entirely. And if you were afraid there would be no classic Bamboo instrumental tracks, you were wrong! Nothing magnificently special here, but I would enjoy myself if it were playing. Give me that Ocean's heist hijinks. Give me that funky intrigue. Give me that sweet, sweet piccolo.
This Is How You Do It (2023)
"This Is How You Do It" - the first track - starts us out on a foot that might belong on a light up dance floor. The joy is still there, the funk is still there, the disco is a bit heavier, I would say. Less soul, more disco. (How else do you explain that there are bongos in a song?) This first track is very fun and could easily be from a musty old record from your grandparent's mothball-drowned basement. Just as easily: it could be from the new Harry Styles album. This collection immediately feels more pop than previous explored works. Throughout the rest of the album: it's fun but in a shallow type of way. I picture it being in an animated film, starring the strangest entourage of rich actors and pop stars.
I'm really quite surprised and - brace yourselves - let down by this one. Perhaps I put too much pressure on the Bamboos because their two "known tracks" that I had were so incredible. I will still have said tracks (we will always have Paris...) and it was very fun learning about them. But, alas: I do not believe I will be playing these albums on repeat any time soon.
"This Is How You Do It" - the first track - starts us out on a foot that might belong on a light up dance floor. The joy is still there, the funk is still there, the disco is a bit heavier, I would say. Less soul, more disco. (How else do you explain that there are bongos in a song?) This first track is very fun and could easily be from a musty old record from your grandparent's mothball-drowned basement. Just as easily: it could be from the new Harry Styles album. This collection immediately feels more pop than previous explored works. Throughout the rest of the album: it's fun but in a shallow type of way. I picture it being in an animated film, starring the strangest entourage of rich actors and pop stars.
I'm really quite surprised and - brace yourselves - let down by this one. Perhaps I put too much pressure on the Bamboos because their two "known tracks" that I had were so incredible. I will still have said tracks (we will always have Paris...) and it was very fun learning about them. But, alas: I do not believe I will be playing these albums on repeat any time soon.
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