Spectreview: The Budos Band – The Budos Band V
Released: April 12, 2019
Funk
Afrobeat
Instrumental
-RED-
Over the course of now five albums, the nine members of the New-York-based Budos Band have developed an instantly-recognizable sound: darkly sinister with a touch of camp, free of the trappings of modern rock production (their presence on Daptone makes a lot of sense). The Budos Band V continues their hot streak, laying down another collection of tracks inspired by the organic atmosphere of 70’s-era Ethiopian music as well as Latin jam bands like Santana. It’s an extremely consistent set of songs, and the sound is slightly warmer and more umbral, as the band plays looser and leans even harder into psych rock than ever before. There’s nothing here that hits the exact highs of something like III’s ultra-focused “Black Venom” (though the propulsive “Arcane Rambler” comes very close) but through the Led-Zeppelinesque opening chords of “Old Engine Oil” to the slinky “Ghost Talk” (a sequel to their first album’s “Ghost Walk”?) to the raging gallop of the closing “Valley of the Damned,” V never lets up.
Recommended for testing out that new motorcycle you bought.
Lives in Seattle, terrible diet, loves music, has hope for people