Bubonik Funk’s third release “Zabooki” begins with a typical
blues lick, but the direction and scope grows from there. When the fourth
track “Mung Beans” bursts from the speakers with vocalist Dylan Ellett
declaring “Life isn’t fair!” like the extroverted offspring of Anthony Keidis
and David Lee Roth, the group really hits its stride. Ellett approaches the
half rapped vocals like a blues singer while guitarist Stefan Kallandar
provides playful notes that are just as engaging as the lyrics about origami
birds and a cane-playing bum that fancies himself a member of ZZ Top. It
escalates into a fun guitar workout even adding some bouncy, subtle horns to
the track's close.
Since the Charlotte jam-funk quartet’s first EP, “OTB,” in
2008 the band’s arrangements and vocals have become more refined. Ellett’s low raspy
vocals and interplay with Kallandar is more seamless. The direction
isn’t always obvious. Take “Organized Crime.” It swells into a soulful funk
with a nice layer of backing vocals, while “Mystic Feeney” grows from a
hypnotic intro that’s fairly serious and sympathetic to its subject into a wild
blues-funk romp about mental instability and hallucination. The dynamics drive
it back and forth between those two extremes. That approach works well considering its subject matter.
“Baby Equipment,” which closes the album, is another highlight.
With its synthed-up bop-bop-bop-bop verses it’s easy to imagine it on classic
rock radio (although it varies between `70s and `80s in feel). But it would
also fit on modern rock radio today. And while guitar solos can often sound
stuck-on last minute and extravagant (more for the player than the song), “Baby Equipment” includes
one of the most fitting solos in recent memory. It begins with an irresistibly
classic feel then swerves into a psychedelic funk frenzy of wah wah and
distortion aided noodling.
As usual the lyrics are quirky and interesting. I can’t tell
if the vocals are a more prominent part of the mix on this record, but the
lyrics certainly draw listeners in. Some are direct such as “This’ll
Be the Day” - a hopeful tale of romantic chase - and “Mystic Feeney,” which
riffs on mental illness. Others, like “Organized Crime,” are more
mysterious (“My trophy wife bites”, huh?).
The songs sound less improvisational and more intentional,
possibly because some of them were written through email exchanges while its
members were off at college. Bubonik Funk didn't seem absent from the
Charlotte music scene because it’s gigged fairly regularly, but in actuality
tonight’s show at Evening Muse marks its first in four years as a truly
Charlotte-based band. In that time Kallander has studied music at Berklee in
Boston while Ellett (who also plays keys) was at Eastern Carolina University
studying film. Meanwhile the rhythm section of Daniel Allison (drums) and Nick
McOwen (bass) remained in town.
The band celebrates the release of “Zabooki” tonight, June
29, at Evening Muse at 10:30 p.m. with Vagabond Swing. Admission is $5 to $7.
704-376-3737; www.eveningmuse.com
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