Sunday Album Review ~ Antibalas: Security

(Thanks to some band from Montréal, this was the most overlooked new release this past week.)


Instead of the typical review where I talk about the band’s history, etc, I’ll point you to this page for further info. And do a track by track analysis of this album.

Beaten Metal ~ An aptly titled opener as there is much metal percussion used to lay down the beat. This sets the tone for the entire album with its thick horn lines and powerful pulse.

Filibuster XXX ~ For all you porn fans, this is not a song about naked politicians getting busy in the halls of congress. If Fela hadn’t died from AIDS and was still making music, he would have written this song.

Sanctuary ~ It is ironic that the weakest song on the album is also the longest. A mid-tempo groove that conjures up blaxploitation movies with bad pronunciation and back-lit sex scenes.

Hilo ~ You want to listen to this song for the keyboards. Some nice playing, some nice sounds. Nice all around.

War Hero ~ Break out your boots and start marching to this one. If the previous two songs were the songs for Act 2, this starts up the action again for Act 3.

I.C.E. ~ Reminds me of a Maynard Ferguson arrangement of a mid-70s jazz-funk song, say anything off of “Conquistador”.

Age ~ The slowest jam on the album is the perfect closer. A winding down instrumental that is part lullaby, part ???.

As a whole, this album is a more musical endeavor. There are better voiced horn arrangements, a “tighter” sound, grooves so deep you could get lost in them and more attention was paid to the feel of each individual track.

Rating: Da Capo Al Fine =

Listen: I.C.E. or stream the whole tamal from their website.

Hit The Hype Machine to listen to more: Antibalas.

Use some of you 25 FREE Downloads from eMusic to get more: Antibalas or Buy it from Amazon

Contest Reminders ~ Help The Duke's Quest to Become a Paid Novelist ~ Win Dean & Britta’s “Back Numbers”

Other Albums ~ Ani DiFranco: Reprieve ~ Greg Brown: The Evening Call ~ Ray LaMontange: Till The Sun Goes Black ~ Bob Dylan: Modern Times ~ Madeleine Peyroux: Half The Perfect World ~ Josh Ritter: Girl In The War EP ~ Novi Split: Pink In The Sink ~ Haley Bonar: Lure The Fox

Explanation of rating scale:
Hit It & Quit It =
MACHINA/The Machines of God

Twice Is Nice =
Adore

Ideal Background Music =
Gish

Ready for Grey’s Anatomy =
Pisces Iscariot

Da Capo Al Fine =
Siamese Dream

Magnum Opus =
Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness