Arcadia

The band are making noises (literally!) with this, their fifth album with critics making comparison between the Butts and the Daptone sound _„_ more specifically, the sound of Sharon Jones. That_„Žs chiefly down to leather-lunged lead singer, Ciara Thompson. Ms T is an American but relocated to Lyons, France in 2008 where she eventually teamed up with the musicians who would become the Buttshakers.

_„ƒArcadia_„Ž was heralded a summer single, _„ƒNot In My Name_„Ž_„_ a tough and gritty funk tune featuring full on horns and a take-no-prisoners vocal from Ciara. In essence that_„Žs the signature sound of the 10 tracker. But, maybe more important‘_ than that sound, is the message in the music. The title of that single actually sums up where it_„Žs coming from. You see, here Thompson and her team have taken the opportunity to take a look/swipe at what_„Žs going on politically and socially in America. Ciara says in France she_„Žs found a freer mode of expression _„_. _„ñuntethered from the idealistic veil of my childhood, my America now appears in its crudest reality; disfigured by violence and racism, the streets transformed into makeshift shelters for those without a home_„!

That said, you_„Žd expect _„ƒArcadia_„Ž to be po-faced and heavily didactic, but it_„Žs not. Sure much of the music is tough _„_ that_„Žs the essence of the funk, that the band peddle but in places there_„Žs a pleasing lightness of touch that somehow makes the message more relevant. Case in point is _„ƒKeep On Pushing_„Ž. No, this isn_„Žt the Impressions_„Ž classic (but possibly a nod to dear old Curtis?); rather it_„Žs a pacey, frantic Northern-flavoured workout that sweeps you along. The sonic reference is Daptone. Hear that too on the slower _„ƒGone For Good_„Ž, the brassy _„ƒNever Enough_„Ž, the loose and funky _„ƒDaddy Issues_„Ž and ‘_the moody _„ƒNight Crawl_„Ž. Elsewhere, (try _„ƒGo On_„Ž and _„ƒBack In America_„Ž) on which Ms T is maybe more Janis Joplin than Sharon Jones _„_ but by now, I_„Žm sure, you_„Žre getting the sonic picture and from the song titles you can work out where the album_„Žs coming from.

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Credit: soulandjazzandfunk.com