The Budos Band - The Budos Band II (2008)

If I had to place blame on any one thing for my love of Afro-Pop/Beats and the variations, deviations, and derivations there of it would have to be Afro-Pop Worldwide, hosted by the brilliant Georges Collinet.

If I had to place blame on anyone for turning me on to Staten Island's The Budos Band it would be mi amigo Jorge - the dude I work with not Mr. Collinet. Jorge played a video of The Budos Band at work and my ears did that weird rabbit twitch thing - y'know, when you hear something on the peripheral and you're just drawn to it? Like walking past a club and you hear something that draws you in? Well, for me, The Budos Band have it.

I'm listening to the Daptones release of The Budos Band II. To say it is good is an understatement. To say it is fucking awesome doesn't even come close. There are a large number of readers and friends I have get in touch with due to the colossal sound of this album. This is a syrupy, brassy, deep-fried, molten centered beso of goodness. Not to sound insane but I think this was the album that I was waiting for.

Hear me out, I love Afro-Beat. I love scores & sndtrks. I love West African rhythms. I love music so fucking funky it makes your goose pimples ripple.

To clear up any confusion - The Budos Band should have scored the latest incarnation The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.

Yeah.

The Budos Band II knocks it out of the park. The opening track "Chicago Falcon" thrums (thanks to Mike Deller on organ - are those the dulcet tones of a Hammond?) with unrepentant Soul. The omnipresent wall of brass the album leans against really hits it's stride off the mark but really shines on "Mas O Menos". This track reminds me of Carlito Brigante, manos down. "Adeniji" is puro Afro-Soul. How do they do so much in under three minutes? There's even brilliant jazz flute via Daisy Sugarman. I wish I could play this track so loud it would crack the pavement. "Adeniji" slinks into "King Cobra". Let me put it this way. If I was a lady and I heard "King Cobra" my panties wouldn't fly off and get hurled at the band. They'd poof right off. "His Girl" starts with the memorable beat from "My Girl" and then turns into, well it sounds like a cut off Bobby Womack's Across 110th St. I have to say that "His Girl" they also lift a cut from "Disco Inferno" on their breaks. In no way is this bad but it caught my ear. "Origins of Man" is the longest track on the album, shaving close to five minutes, and it is a get a drink from the drink from the bar track. If we were looking at Budos Band II like an LP "Origins of Man" is a side two bridge cut that is brought back on task with "Scorpion". "Scorpion" is not my favorite track and I have to fight the urge to skip it just to get to the album's final track. It's sounds too loose after the taut first half of the album. "Deep in the Sand" the album's final track allays all fears. There's still a whisper of noodle but it gets tied together neatly in the last minute.

All in all I give this album a solid Right On, Right On review, while I listen to it again.