Search - Pocket Dwellers :: Pocket Dwellers

Canadian band comes out of the proverbial pocket

Mingus | Ontario, Canada | 10/08/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a dweller of many local canadian establishments, I've seen my share of cover bands hackin' classic tunes with an axe and makin' my ears bleed. But once in a while there is an occasion where I get to hear music that's original, funky and makes me want to dance my pants off. The Pocket Dwellers are one of those bands. Combining hip-hop lyrics with funk rhythm section, jazzically trained horns and one superfly DJ, these local boys from T.O. grab you by the ears with their unique sound and don't let go. Only complaint I have about their album (Pocekt Dwellers Limited Edition, EP) is that it's too short (~37 min). Among the best tracks are "Your Mother" and "Anoxia" each showing the range of emotions that these guys can invoke from their audience. Of course, nothing beats seeing these guys live! So let's all get out of our own pockets and partake in their glorious sound!"

For a funk and jazz fanatic, this is heaven...

Mingus | 10/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I caught PD a couple weeks back at a local bar. I've had the disc for a number of years now and was anxious to see the live show. If you haven't heard them, prepare yourself for a stunning listen. Two horns (on this album, tenor and alto) with harmony melodies over funky drums and bass with grooves that echo herbie hancock and sly stone. The 'R' section occasionally slips into a more standard backbeat or even pure disco. A dj adds to the rhythm much as a conga set would, adding accents on off beats and interesting polyrhythms. Nigel Williams's rapping is nothing less than hipnotic and beautiful in its rhyme and train of thought. Epstein the keyboardist is a player of a different sort. Sounding like herbie, chick corea, and winton kelly thrown into a blender, this guy is faster accross the boards then almost anyone i've seen.. (the only one who has compared was chick corea, when i saw him with origin last year) the guitarist is where he needs to be, throwing those funky riffs through the core of the sound. All this together melds to such a funky level that you almost feel ready to hurl from the beat.. This band as a whole is a funk monster. even at the live show, when the band had a pause for a beat, the room went silent, and i'm talking in quick doubletime tempos here, in a very echo-ie room. This disc is awesome when you hear it, but becomes even more awesome once you've seen the live performance. Even being awesome as it is, seeing these guys live is a hundred million times more funky, and that shows how good they are.Their new disc is out october 17th, and this will not be an import for you guys in the us (they are a canadian band). This is a major record for the band. Replacing the alto on the new disc is nick "brownman" ali, one of the hottest trumpet players up here in to. His solos will no doubt be stunning. Also, if you go see them live, be prepeard to meet a nice group of guys. They are totally cool, Nigel is chillin all the time. Always ready to shake your hand or say wasup after a hard set. Plus, i got my cd all signed, and it wasn't a chore to do.. What can i say, if you have funk in your blood, you can't afford not to get this disc. These guys will be BIG soon, and this disc will go out of print.. GET IT!"

Phenomenal Live Band

Ken Sharp | Halifax, NS Canada | 08/07/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"These guys played at Bishop's University some years ago, and they were selling CD's after the show. I figure it took about 5 minutes before they were all snapped up - many left empty handed. No big surprise there. These guys put on the best live show I've ever seen, and everyone wanted to bring that sound and energy back home with them.



Unfortunately, with most bands, studio recordings fail to capture the raw, sweaty energy of a good club show, and listeners expecting a convenient encore end up disappointed. Most of the copies of this CD likely ended up lost under a mountain of dust, only listened to once.



The fact is, despite its short length, it's a great effort. The horns are all over the map, the vocals delivered with power on every track, all held together neatly with the funky rhythm section of guitar, bass, and drums. Whats more, they've got a keyboardist. You can't fail with a lineup that has a keyboardist...I will not debate this point.



What really needs mentioning is the DJ. His talents are sorely missed on the CD. I mean, in the live show, he was scratching with his face, and at one point he took his shirt off while juggling a beat. But you barely notice his presence on this album - he's underutilized and underappreciated.



Listeners must accept that no amount of fancy recording equipment can properly harness the live sound of the Pocket Dwellers, and if they can get over this, then their self-titled debut is sure to please.



My final say? Check the CD out first, and THEN go and catch a live show.



On a sidenote, since the 1999 show, they've been back to Bishop's, and played an even nastier show to a much smaller crowd. I don't know if they'll ever be back to the mighty Massawippi, but the gents at the Halfway House certainly appreciated their hard-partying spirit after hours, and they'll likely be remembered as one of the best bands ever to roll into Lennoxville."