Search - Blockheads :: Staring Down the Barrel

The Blockheads Working In Any Style

Andre S. Grindle | Brewer Maine | 08/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Musically there's no secret that the modern interpretation of funk is largely produced with a sense of naturalness in mind. I've dropped that statement one too many a times in my reviews of such kinds of music. This is an album I've looked forward to hearing since it first came out mainly because I know how great Chaz Jankel is and was excited to see what he and the Blockheads would come up with on this occasion. The flavor of this album is distinctly different from say....Do It Yourself. It doesn't have to do with the absense of the late great Ian Dury but more in the sense that particular album was recorded in an environment when funk was still in it's pioneering age and still producing endless variations,from jazz to disco styles. From "Roll Over","Greed","A Little Knowledge","No Go Central",'Hold Tight" and "Dirty Money" the best word I can use to describe this type of funk is straight ahead. It is largely natural,it doesn't have a whole lot of frills and is heavy on the Hammond B3.At the same tume Chaz's puncuation of clavinets and Yamaha electric piano put a great spin on the music the not only keeps the groove going but keeps everything from getting boring. The surreally mixed sax of Gilad Atzmon also helps along with Chaz the progression of the sound. Lyrically....well it's square in the middle of Blockhead territory. Derek Hussey's cockney lyrical doggrel regarding environmentalism and social mood of nations offers very human observations (and sometimes warnings) about the bad situations we often put ourselves into then end up nearly powerless to resolve. Even with the obviously English theme and outlook of the presentation that type of social and humanist ethic could've come from anywhere but from the 70's style funk that powers these songs. There are a few songs that take very unexpected directions of course. "George The Human Pigeon" actually blends these Beatle-like English music hall style pop into the mix where the country soul of "Prophet Of Doom" and the easy swinging "Elegant Style" are the softer sides of the albums,the latter being the albums offical lone ballad. Where personally it would be nice to see a modern funk soloist/band who aren't shying away from the sophisticated,technological side of the music the nature of the way this album is laid out,as well as it's strong grooves and jamming quotiant make this for sure a very welcome comeback."