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The Great Socio

Find the Time

Review by Gary Hill

I don’t know how to categorize this music. I do know that it rocks. It has leanings in all kinds of directions from progressive rock to jazz to hip hop to electronic music and a lot more. It often mashes things together in the same song and sometimes in the same musical passage. The thing is, as odd as some of this is, it’s strangely accessible and compelling. This might defy labels, but it is great stuff.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2014  Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
The World's Alive

The music here is kind of a combination of classic rock, electronic and more. In some ways it’s not that far removed from progressive rock. The vocals range from raps to sung. At times the vocals make me think of Faith No More. At other points I’m reminded of Lenny Kravitz. This is unusual and quite effective.

Criminals
This has a mash-up of sounds, too. It’s part metal, part punky alternative rock and part hip hop. I dig the keyboard sound on this and the whole thing is oddly compelling. The horn sounds later are great, too. There is a bit of a keyboard solo later that’s quite progressive rock oriented.
Let Go

There is a great groove to this. At times it feels like hip hop at times it’s more like progressive rock. Sometimes it’s both, like when the proggy keyboards swim over the arrangement while the rap carries the lyrics. There are also bits of jazz in the horn sounds. I can make out hints of some of the electronic pop of the 1980s, too. This is a great song. In fact, it might be the best piece here. It’s a powerful one.

Paradise
A hard rocking tune, this has a great jazzy groove blended with something a bit like Lenny Kravitz.
Anything Everything
The major hard rock meets jazz and more concept is all over this one, too. I love the funky groove to it and it gets spun toward space music at times. The female vocals are a nice touch here.
Vultures
Another contender for best song of the set, this is a real jazzy rocker with a great groove. The horns are powerful but so are the vocals. This is a real screamer. It’s a great choice for closer. I like this one a lot.
 
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