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i really liked their earlier groovy stuff, this just sounds like a scale runnign practice exercise, there's not melody just scale runs.
They promote themselves as a funk rhythm section. With poopie that funky, they don't need a topline.
One of the most fun, unique acts out there.
One of the most fun, unique acts out there.
Sounds plenty groovy to me! Joe Dart is a monster. Plus, TI flats on a Jazz bass just sounds fantastic 
The full album (The Beautiful Game) came out today. A little more slickly produced than the previous stuff, but it's another funksplosion and they're continuing to branch out stylistically. I've only listened to it once so far, but I really dig it.
No matter what they've done, it's always distinctively theirs. The album is great. I love how they do different things in the production (weird drum panning, interesting tones).
Eh. To me, Joe Dart is the epitome of this "music school out-of-the-book funk" that seems to pop up a lot now days. He's a great player, but I'm not hearing any phrases that aren't reminiscent of stuff that's been done for a long time.
Plus, Vulf never really sounds like a "unit" to me, more like "everyone get out of the way for Joe Dart".
All that said, I'm picky on them because I think they can be really great with some growth.
Plus, Vulf never really sounds like a "unit" to me, more like "everyone get out of the way for Joe Dart".
All that said, I'm picky on them because I think they can be really great with some growth.
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I think they sound like what they're going for. From what I can tell vulf is a side gig of sorts for each of them. Lately their (or more specifically: Jack Stratton's) 'quirky geek hipster' thing is getting to be a bit much for me.
Sounds plenty groovy to me! Joe Dart is a monster. Plus, TI flats on a Jazz bass just sounds fantastic
The ti is on Jack's bass. Joe is using old dead roundwounds and is still BEASTY
They do have a focus on a particular sound. The shtick that Jack puts up is purely for entertainment and is what distunguishes them from other bands and keep the crpws entertained. But we all have things that annoy us.
It is easy to feel that way but there are some favourites of mine that lend towards the higher ranges like Rango 1&2 (which is great study music) and outro on the top of my head. If you have time I suggest listening to "Cars Too" as there is a segment that has a very familiar phrase.
The way I see it this new album is to push them closer to the pop industry by giving lyrics to songs like my first car. Theres like 4 songs in the album with singing.
Really? Maybe I'm biased since I'm a huge fan, but I own all the albums and EPs and have seen them live four times--they definitely seem like a unit to me. There are one or two songs definitely designed around Dart solos, such as Beastly, but there are a number of others where he largely lays back and plays supportive lines, and I don't just mean on the tunes with vocals. You can't object too much to bass playing a prominent role in a funk band, anyway.
As for his playing, I find it pretty creative. Sure, you're going to hear his influences--a lot of vistas have already been explored in funk, of course. But I think he's got his own voice. He often has more of a melodic slant to his playing than many funk players, IMO.I'll never understand the obsession with Teen Town amongst bass players.
Joe Dart is money. We all like what we like and for me it's this kind of stuff. I don't see him as any type of cliche.
