Friday, December 31, 2010

THE BUDOS BAND III (2010)

Ladies and gentleman, coming to a split-screen Quentin Tarantino action sequence near you, I give you the Budos Band!

A veteran instrumental afro-beat outfit home-based, like Sharon Jones, on the Daptone label, The Budos Band produces the type of minor-key, brass-and-organ-driven Booker T-ish soul known to drive pulp hipsters of Tarantino's ilk wild.

Taken in small doses...VERY SMALL DOSES...it's a fabulous retro, blaxploitationy sound.

Unfortunately, we're talking about full lengths here, not singles, and if there was ever an annual award given for detrimental same-i-ness, The Budos Band III would win the 2010 edition hands down. 

After killer opener Rite Of The Ancients, which just has a certain undeniable "rightness" to it, the album settles in with ten more fine but literally indistinguishable tracks. As mix tape fodder, the songs are all great, but taken back-to-back-to-back, I find it impossible to stay engaged for more than a few minutes at a time.

So tread carefully here.

I give The Budos Band III very high marks for execution, style, and sound, but cherry picking your favorites from this release is probably the smart way to go.

Status: Mild Recommend.

Cherry Picker's Best Bets: Rite Of The Ancients, Unbroken, Unshaven, Budos Dirge, Mark Of The Unamed.

Here's a live on-air version of Rite Of The Ancients.



Component Breakdown:
1. Rite Of The Ancients - 9
2. Black Venom - 7
3. River Serpentine - 7
4. Unbroken, Unshaven - 8
5. Nature's Wrath - 7
6. Golden Dunes - 7
7. Budos Dirge - 8
8. Raja Hahe - 7
9. Crimson Skies - 7
10. Mark Of The Unnamed - 7
11. Reppirt Yad - 6
Intangibles: Extremely Low






What are your thoughts on The Budos Band III?  Let readers know with a comment.

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