West Coast Boogaloo - The Greyboy Allstars with Fred Wesley
Track List:
Soul Dream
Let the Music Take Your Mind
Fried Grease
Fire-Eater
Tenor Man
Miss Riverside
Gravee
The Browns at Home
I listened to 4 seconds of the first song.
My daughter’s friend recommended this album to her. She in turn recommended it to me as I was sitting down to listen to an album and was looking for an album. I suspect this friend may read this, if so a brief explanation may help them. If so, I listen to albums and write what I think about them. Sometimes it is about how the album made me feel, sometimes it’s about what I think the album is about, sometimes it’s a review of the music, and sometimes it’s probably drivel that nobody should or will read. I usually write as I am listening, I will pause between songs to collect my thoughts and try to finalize my thoughts. I will relisten to sections or parts of songs if I feel the need, like for transitions between songs if I paused them and they are supposed to flow. Anyhoo I think it’s pretty neat I am getting a wide array of recommendations now. So I listened to 4 seconds of the first song before agreeing to listen to the entire album. I was told they are “jazz something”.
Soul Dream
Almost sounds like it could be a TV show theme song or played on MASH. I really like the soundscape, the keys work really well, and the song opens with a guitar solo. There is an interlude to a brass solo. I am going to guess that it is a muted trombone since I heard some glissandos. Flute solo, very high range. Sax solo finishes out the song. That was fun. I wonder if that was an introduction to each member. I wish there was a drum solo in it but they were going the whole time pretty much.
Let the Music Take Your Mind
Gonna take the title as instructions. The bass in the intro is great. The sax solo sounds technically impressive. The organ solo reminds me of some live Dead stuff. That entire thing reminded me of something I would hear on nugs net. I bet this would be fantastic live.
Fried Grease
Song seems to start with the same structure. Bass grooving with drums. The winds and keys having a conversation. There are several amazing solos on this one but I think the drums shine the brightest here really keeping everything glued together. This reminds me a lot of Zappa, but feels too unrehearsed to be Zappa, that’s not a bad thing.
Fire-Eater
A different opening, drums then organ. Sax joins and bass. Then everyone. That’s just fun. I love the flute solo. Finally got a drum solo, that makes me happy.
Tenor Man
These drums sound like they are from the 90’s. The sound is very similar to a lot of 90’s alternative rock. The first lyrics on the album. The lyrics describe a tenor sax player who speaks via his instrument. This was really good. I feel like it could easily be adapted to allow for another soloist.
Miss Riverside
I again hear drums that remind me of the 90’s, yes I know this was released in 1994 I am just surprised that drums have a distinct style to me. Really let the flute shine here.
Gravee
This is the most foreboding sounding the album has been. I figured this would be about everything going well based on the name. I really like the filter they have on the keys for the solo. It squeezes the high end. The ending is really neat.
The Browns at Home
So I did research enough about this band to know they aren’t from Cleveland. I am going to guess this song isn’t about a losing football team. I really like the sound of the keys. I think with the flute the person playing is also singing or humming over the notes. More obvious this time but I think they did in a song earlier too, Fire-Eater I think.
It’s a jam band
The way that a lot of the songs are set up they remind me of a jam band, I think this is also helped with the driving rock drums over the course of the album. It was a great listen and I genuinely enjoyed it.
