Prodo - The Summoning

2016 –  Prodo

By Phillip Smith; Aug. 20, 2016

The Summing is quite a funky follow-up to the Wisconsin jam-masters Prodo’s debut release, Prodotype.  Amidst a seven month tour in China, guitarist/lead vocalist Henry Robinson, along with drummer Dane Pastor and bassist Jeremy Erickson, hit the studios, and have delivered one hell of an album full of twists and turns.  Embracing the chaos and comfort that can be created with music, Prodo playfully explore the craft of fusion.    

A funky world-beat rhythm loaded with spacy jams gets “Wadadadoo” off the ground very nicely.  “The Creep” ominously follows, brilliantly composed to leave the listener in an unsettled state.  A feel-good reggae beat reels me into the poppy atmosphere and psychedelic sounds of “This Life”.  Title track, “The Summoning”, loaded with heavier guitar riffs, a funkier bass line, and playful lyrics reminds me of Phish, a band I have a high regard for.  Robinson’s soothing vocals set a beautiful melodic tone to “A!”, to which his guitar licks effortlessly hover in the air. And as for what kind of tipper the Dali Lama is on the golf course, forget about it, and take a relaxing listen to the lovely “Gunga Galunga” for your total consciousness needs.    

The Summoning can be found at https://prodo.bandcamp.com/track/the-summoning

Prodo - Prodotype

2014 – Independent

By Phillip Smith; Nov 15, 2014

Prodotype, the debut album from Prodo, a trio from Stevens Point, WI, is nine tracks of funky and infectious grooves.   Prodo consists of guitarist/lead vocalist Henry Robinson, bassist Jeremy Erickson, and drummer Dane Paster. 

A fun little nod to Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle, is “The Bokonon”, which by the way, nicely kicks the album off.  Erickson and Paster keep the groove on this one, while Robinson dishes out a Santana-inspired bridge. While getting lost in the contagious rhythm guiding “The Student”, I can’t help but smile at the clever philosophical ‘tip of the hat’ to the film, The Big Lewbowski. “J2”, a tight little progressive-rock instrumental, is a definite standout performance and it reminds me just a bit of classic Yes.  This is a track the band really shines on.     

One thing for sure about Prodo: they know how to construct masterful jams.  Robertson sings of many past lives in “The Secret”, a ska-flavored track which pulls me in with unique jams and well-crafted lyrics.  I’m also quite drawn to the Caribbean-friendly groove at the base of “Chingus”, about a traveling loner.  This is a track I can identify with. 

My favorite track, however, is “Fat Pessimist”.  It crawled deep inside my head on upon my first listen, and now it beckons to be listened to every day.  The lyrics, “I got too much pop!” are not only stuck in my head, but by now are permanently secured.  Good job.

Prodotype, in its entirety, is such a fun album; I can’t help but be in a good mood after listening.  I certainly look forward to hearing more from Prodo.

       

http://prodo.bandcamp.com/album/prodotype

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Bruce Katz Band - Homecoming

2014 – American Showplace Music

By Phillip Smith; Nov 1, 2014

Just give the Bruce Katz Band’s Homecoming a listen and you will find out rather quickly why he has been nominated three times for the "Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year” Blues Music Award.  Legendary keyboardist Katz, is backed by guitarist/vocalist Chris Vitarello and drummer Ralph Rosen.  Special guests on this album include John Hammond, Jimmy Bennett, Marty Ballou, Peter Bennett and Randy Ciarlante. Homecoming is symbolic of Katz’s return to work on his own music, after several years of backing the likes of Gregg Allman and Delbert McClinton.  The music selected for this thirteen track album, is steeped heavily in Blues and Jazz, then delivered via feel-good jams.

Katz brings a new life to Lightnin’ Hopkins’ “Santa Fe Blues” as a piano performance piece with a slightly quicker tempo than the original.  With Blues Hall of Famer John Hammond at the helm on vocals, this song has an amazingly authentic bluesy sound.  From the acclaimed Alexis P Suter Band, guitarist Jimmy Bennett and bassist Peter Bennett drop by to jam on Elmore James’ “Wild About You Baby”.  J. Bennett not only rips it up on guitar, but takes the vocal lead on this great cover as well.  

Joining Katz and gang again, J. Bennett sings and plays guitar on one of his own originals “It’s a Bad Time”.  It’s so fun to listen him and Katz playfully dance their instrumentation around in this Coltrane-influenced jam. I love the abundance of jazzy instrumentals Katz scatters about the album, such as “No Brainer”, “The Czar”, and my favorite “Amelia”, which has a vibe that reminds me of Page McConnell from Phish. 

It’s so cool how an album such as Homecoming can exude such positive energy and maintain that output from start to finish.  Honestly, I could listen to this album all day long and not get tired of it at all.     

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Phish - Fuego

2014 – ATO Records

By Phillip Smith; July 05, 2014

Five years have passed since Phish last released a studio album.  The wait, although long, was well worth it.  Fuego, the twelfth studio album from Trey Anastasio, Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon and Page McConnell, is fresh, fun and very easy to connect to.

Title track, “Fuego”, stretches out to just over nine minutes, laced with tasty jams, and harmonizing vocals.  When I hear the intro to “The Line”, a song about stepping up and facing ones responsibilities, I pick up a very retro Sixties vibe reminiscent of Booker T & the MGs as McConnell plays keyboard.  As the song settles in though, it absorbs a more melodramatic overtone.  The quirky “Wombat” gets really weird, dropping references to the late Seventies TV sitcom, Fish and its star, Abe Vigoda.

Gordon lays down a really funky bass line to kick “555” off with.  Heavy doses of keys from McConnell teamed up with Anastasio’s groovy guitar licks and a backing horn section make this a delightful listen.  Another tasty track sporting a little funk and awe-inspiring guitar is “Sing Monica”.  This lifts off like an alt-rock version of the Gap Band’s, “You Dropped a Bomb On Me”, and lands in big bowl of luscious guitar riffs suspended by a chorus of call and response vocals.             

A perfect song to chill out to, “Waiting all Night”, is beautifully soft and melancholy. It reminds me a little bit of John Barry’s “Midnight Cowboy Theme”, sans the harmonica. I really like “Winterqueen” too, another beautiful track with many layers.  For a fleeting moment, when the horn section plays about three minutes into the song, it’s like a lost melody from Chicago.

The ten tracks on Fuego is such a fun listen and so well done.  To borrow lyrics from the final song, “Wingsuit” to describe the album itself, ‘It feels good’.  I am so looking forward to catching the band play live this summer.    

The String Cheese Incident - Song in My Head

2014 -  SCI Fidelity Records

By Phillip Smith; May 24, 2014

Summer is almost upon us, and it is time to break out the jams.  One couldn’t ask for better timing than the tenth and newest offering, Song in My Head, from the String Cheese Incident.  The whole gang, with Michael Kang and Billy Nershi at the helm has returned to the studio for the sixth time, after waiting nine long years to bring us ten tracks of ear candy produced by Talking Heads’ keyboardist Jerry Harrison, to nibble on. These songs have been a part of their live shows, but have never been put to wax until now. 

One can surely expect the unexpected, when listening to The String Cheese Incident and imbibing of their special brew, which is infused with heaping helpings of bluegrass, and progressive rock along with dashes of country, calypso, and blues. This is certainly the case with “Colorado Bluebird Sky”.  With a countrified bluegrass beginning and ending, the bridge seemingly breaks free of those handcuffs, isolates itself from the rest of the song to toss out some spacy guitar licks and get a little trippy.

Feel good song, “Let’s Go Outside”, is launched from a poppy and funky launch pad in which the vocals are borderline rap, much like the Red Hot Chili Peppers are known for. This one is very catchy.  And speaking of catchy, the self-prophesizing song “Song in My Head”, with its old school SCI familiarity, is a very welcome addition to the album. 

“Can’t Wait Another Day”, one of my favorite tracks, and a perfect jam song, is Afro-groove at the core.  I love Keith Moseley’s bass line along with the interesting umbrella of percussion built by Jason Hann and Michael Travis that guides the song along its path.  “Rosie”, another favorite, is post-disco dance music served up trance style.  It has a splash of Latin influence as well.  Kyle Hollingsworth tackles the keys full force reminding me of the funky R&B Eighties band, Cameo.  

As mentioned earlier, one really doesn’t know what might be lurking around the corner as SCI advances from song to song.  That’s what makes Song in My Head so fun and interesting, and why a spot on my summer play list has been secured for it.