Search - Four80East :: Roll On

"Roll On" is -- OK

Ektachrome | NW Florida USA | 08/24/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Let me say I have all of Four80East's albums and I was excited about getting this one, but the excitement faded rapidly after a couple of listens.



Well, it was bound to happen - a group can't always be churning out "A" material. Just looking at the cover, I thought I was going to get some retro-70's-bass-driven-quasi-disco-groove-funk -- and there is some of that, but not nearly enough.



What is odd about this album is there is one tune that irritates the hell out of me. "After All This Time" (track #6) has a great tune and beat but it's totally ruined by this breathy repeating trilling flute that once my ears focus on it -- the only thing I can think of is grabbing this annoying woodwind and beating the life out of it.



Most of the tracks are so-so. A couple are above average ("Back in Five", "While the City Sleeps"), but still not what I had come to expect.



If this is your first Fou80East purchase, I suggest you go with "Nocturnal", "The Album" or "EnRoute" -- in that order. "Round 3" next and last -- "Roll On.""

Gets better with each listen!

Stephen Kammerer | Taji, Iraq | 10/15/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like many other fans I chanced upon this group listening on our local smooth jazz outlet. I caught a radio show airing the complete "Nocturnal" album soon after its debut in 2000. I was hooked, and I've purchased each new Four80East offering as it's become available.



I agree with a previous reviewer in that the first track seems out of place among the others, but only in respect to the musical mood it creates. It's playful as opposed to the much more serious aspect of the other nine selections. Nevertheless, it's enjoyable, with a bouncy 70's Kool & the Gang feel suggested by the album cover art. The second track "Loosey Goosey" appears to tell the listener, enough fun & games, time to buckle down and get to work to a funky-cool walking bass line. The third track has a bit of a "live" feel to it initially with an audience clapping and cheering while the song gets underway. Any fan of Level 42's early music will truly enjoy this song; along with Nocturnal's "On the Strip" and En Route's title track, it could have been lifted whole and breathing from an early 80's Level 42 session. "Just Passing Through" is a straight-out chill piece, laid-back, ultra-smooth and relaxing, with a touch of vintage Crusaders. "Shot in the Dark" cranks it up a bit with a gutsier, grittier sound. For some reason this song reminds me of an urban remake of "Starsky & Hutch" as it were, which could star Laurence Fishburn and Wesley Snipes as the kick-ass detectives (and Cedric the Entertainer as Huggy Bear). "After All This Time" is a great road tune, an attribute of much of Four80East's music, and segues well into "Race to the Moon", hands-down the hippest song on the album. This song would make a great soundtrack to an in-car camera during a full-bore race around Daytona Speedway, with a relentless driving bass beat. I dare anyone to listen to this song and not end up tapping their feet or fingers. "While the City Sleeps" slows things back down a bit, a very aptly named song, perfect for listening to at night, with the top down, driving home from a night out, complete with a minor-key bridge 2/3 of the way through the song symbolizing apprehension as you spot a patrol car racing up behind you, lights flashing, followed by relief as he speeds by after someone else. "Never the Same Way Twice" builds a bit slow, and raises the adrenaline once more with a fast-paced effort, as if you've just realized you have one hour instead of three to get to the airport, and the frantic rush through traffic that ensues. The album concludes with "Back in 5", a prototypical Four80East slick and polished recording, quite evocative of "Ocean's 11" soundtrack music.



I'm no musical expert, but I do believe that one purpose of music is to allow listeners to form mental images of what they feel the music represents, much like the words an author uses in a book are designed to create a particular setting or situation or character development. Four80East has an addictively listenable sound, creating the aural equivalent of beta endorphins to their growing circle of aficionados.



One last item - this is not a paid suggestion, but I would recommend that if possible, download the mp3 version of this album. It costs less, there's no wait for mail, no shipping costs, and downloaded songs are crisp and clean and easily burnable onto a blank CD."

Roll on like the deodorant sticks?

A. Huff | Sunny California | 08/21/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Let me just say, I love four80east. Easily my favourite band. I started with largely downbeat album Nocturnal, and moved on to their other offerings. Naturally, I had to pick up the latest CD to add to my collection.



Now usually f80e plays music you can crank very loud . . . and that tradition largely continues here . . . except the first song. The first song is, uh, a little too "happy" I guess. Not a real interesting groove, way too bright and hard to listen to loud. Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed . . . but not for long.



Loosey Goosey squashed any misgivings I had about the album . . . solid bass line, sweet sounding organ, what's not to love!



I'd love to say it was all golden from there, but Shot in the Dark really irritated me. I don't know if it was the loud "spike" in sound and regular intervals (the "shot," no doubt), or the cheesy sounding (Keyboard?) effects at the start, but it's not that great . . .



Once again, though, after one I didn't like, came one I liked, After All This Time is a good track that somewhat reminded me of the Nocturnal album.



Toward the end is where this album is really great though . . . through track 7 I really liked a couple, and didn't like a couple, with a few in the middle . . .



Track 8, "While the City Sleeps" is excellent. This made the album worth purchasing all by itself. If you're buying just single songs, you need to buy this one. The piano solo towards the middle sounds flat out amazing. Too bad this one isn't the one that plays on the radio. I think it'd make a better impression.



Track 9 is alright (intro is a little long, but it builds up nicely)



and Track 10 is another standout. On first listen this was my favourite track. I've come to like track 8 better now, but that's not because this is a poor track. (8 is just that amazing) Word of warning: you need a solid sub to enjoy this song. Without one, it'll doubtless sound like crap (likely to distort/blow speakers) . . . but with one it's among the sweetest sounding songs I've heard in a long time . . . or at least since track 8.



Keep up the good work four80east!













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