Artist: New Orleans Suspects
Title: Kaleidoscoped
Year Of Release: 2016
Label: Louisiana Red Hot
Genre: Blues/Funk/Country/R&B
Quality: MP3 320 Kbps
Total Time: 40:43
Total Size: 103 MB
Tracklist:
1. Get It Started (6:42)
2. Cocaine Jane (4:53)
3. Dixie Highway (5:06)
4. You Got The Fire (4:09)
5. Round Up Dem Suspects (5:32)
6. Creole Hannah (5:07)
7. Whatcha Gonna Do (4:48)
8. Neighborhood Strut (4:23)
New Orleans Suspects have just released their new album Kaleidoscoped. The new project is their follow-up to 2014's Ouroboros, which helped define the band's sound, which combines tight funk, irresistible R&B rhythms, and bright, soulful horns. Kaleidoscoped takes a colorful and varied look at roots music, funk and the traditional New Orleans sound.
The group brings together some of the best, most highly respected players in New Orleans including "Mean" Willie Green on drums (Neville Bros.), Jeff Watkins on saxophone (James Brown Band, Joss Stone Band); Jake Eckert on guitar/vocals (Dirty Dozen Brass Band); CR Gruver on keyboards/vocals (Polytoxic, Outformation); and Reggie Scanlan (Professor Longhair, The Radiators) on bass guitar. Kaleidoscoped also features several special guests, including Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett of Little Feat; and "Big Chief" Juan Pardo, making for an album rich in talented performances
The album's opening tracks, "Let's Get It Started" and "Cocaine Jane", feature production work from Jeff Watkins and Grammy-winner Jake Eckert, who utilize both the Tower of Power horn veterans as well as a classic Leslie speaker cabinet in addition to newer electronic effects. "Let's Get It Started" is highlighted by funky sax and keyboard solos, while the drums on "Cocaine Jane" relentlessly maintain the momentum even when the heavy "underwater" vocal filter starts to drag a little.
"Dixie Highway", the stylistic outlier of the album, is a country-rock jam originally written for Little Feat by Paul Barrere. He and Fred Tackett add guitar/vocals and mandolin, respectively for a catchy road trippin' track. "You Got That Fire" is an upbeat, beach-y tune that features an entertaining back-and-forth keys/sax riff. "Round Up Dem Suspects", easily the album's catchiest song, with a funky NOLA groove and call-and-response vocals delivered with gusto by Juan Pardo.
"Creole Hannah"s lyrics are contagious, and have you already singing along about this "sweet-talking barroom queen" by the time its through. "Watcha Gonna Do" features a nice bluesy guitar solo from Eckert, and the impeccable drums and piano on "Neighborhood Strut" pair nicely with the song's group vocals to make for a fun finale to an energetic album.
