The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.
Stories from the Battlefield
***and1/2 out of *****
The studio debut from The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. titled Stories from the Battlefield is a mix of the past, present, and future of Mardi Gras Indian sounds as the group add to the already stacked New Orleans music scene. Taking their name from the chaos that follows the Big Chief coming down the street on Mardi Gras Day, including singing and shouting, stomping and dancing, the group brings the party atmosphere and tries for more.
Crafted in the vein of The Wild Magnolia's and Wild Tchoupitoulas records of the mid 70's with backing from The Meters and more, The Rumble are in good company, musically flexing in the same swampy waters. On their live debut they showed off their muscular chops while reclaiming the songs they crafted when the majority of the band was in the group Cha Wa and recorded the fantastic album My People.
Having those tried and tested songs helped out on their live coming out party, now for the studio debut things are a bit more hit and miss. One thing that can be counted on is the funk as opener "Now You Know" gets the party moving with bumping bass and an excellent trumpet solo while "Golden Crown" uses a confidently strutting groove and a dynamite sax solo.
The head bopping of the band's theme song "The Rumble" is impossible not to dance to as a burning guitar rips through the funk while "Up Until The Morning" just may be the best of the bunch. The tune uses greasy upbeat funk that never lets up as a sowing skit is dropped in the middle and a trumpet outro pumps it up.
Things aren't as successful in the middle of the record which finds the band pulling back on the tempos and delving into ballad territory. Both "Down In The City" and "Take It Back" use spacey keyboards/synths, spiritually searching lyrics and easy flows that aren't as effective as the upbeat jams.
The band is Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. - vocals, tambourine Aurelien Barnes - vocals, trumpet, percussion Joseph Maize - vocals, trombone, cowbell TJ Norris - vocals, bass, percussion Ari Teitel - vocals, guitar, percussion, Andriu Yanovski - vocals, keyboards, percussion along with now ex-member Gladney - tenor saxophone and three excellent NOLA based drummers Trenton O'Neal, Isaac Eady, and Alfred Jordan, seem to still be working on the slow down nuances.
When the players shifts into hip-hop mode things improve as the drums pop and the keys swell on "Trouble" while "Keep on Fighting" pushes righteous political vibes stretching way beyond New Orleans as the group adds their voice to the fight of racial justice and equality. The tune that brings all of the bands influences and desires to the forefront is the title track, using an R&B light groove, Mardi Gras Indian percussion, bright horns and a mix of rhyming and singing as the group discuss the culture only found in New Orleans.
While not as strong as their live offering, Stories from the Battlefield is still a stout studio debut from a very talented band. The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. are moving in the right funky direction telling intriguing tales and keeping the flame burning bright with tradition and innovation.
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