Review: Sly & The Family Drone ‘With Love’
Sly & The Family Drone are back with a new record, one that was originally set to be released on Valentine’s Day, and yet despite being a band that have always intrigued me, for one reason or another, I’ve never fully invested any time into them.
That is until now, and boy am I glad that I’ve reversed that trend, as from start to finish, With Love is an album full of mystery and intrigue, pulling you this way and that, so get ready for one hell of a ride.
London’s premiere neo-jazz wrecking crew are a quintet of musicians playing a plethora of instruments, who infuse pretty much whatever they want into their melting pot and see what transpires. According to the press release, it was recorded by the band playing ‘organically in the room together’. The noise begins in earnest with Psychic Surgery as James Allsopp lights the soft embers with his tenor saxophone, as a myriad of sprinkling sounds crash around him.
It’s a mysterious beginning, but when drummer Kaz Buckland enters the fray, the dramatic tension increases with more electronic elements buzzing in the background. They are impossible to pigeonhole, and you never quite know what’s going to happen next, but The Guts Of Albion leads with percussion and a pulsing beat to keep you guessing. It’s as if they are tempting to lead you down several paths, and you must pick which is the correct one.
hit your senses with a series of mesmerising and hypnotic noises…
My head is bubbling right now, as the tempo changes explode around the band’s connection and impeccable timing, with tribal beats bursting into the rhythm. There’s a rush of excitement blended with crashing cymbals to create a battering ram of cacophonous content moving around the saxophone. It’s enthralling and compelling in equal measure, leading into their unique rendition of Harold Arlen’s Over The Rainbow, which is unlike any other version I’ve heard before and partly why I love it so much.
A full-on drone attack appears next on In The Oils as the repetitive drums bounce around the composition, adding pace and rhythm. The clinks and clangs are joined further by a mysterious vocal as the sax vibrates across the melody, before a splattering of sharp bangs punctuates the progressive nature of the music. However, nothing that has gone before fully prepares you for the evocative nature of Snagged On Frowns.
Slowed-down beats coupled with moving and tender harmonies allow your mind to wander, contemplating life in general, I suppose. It’s a wonderfully gentle piece of music that directs you to the final instalment, Cloth Control. They return to their frenzied yet thoughtful approach to the production and hit your senses with a series of mesmerising and hypnotic noises. It feels, at times, like they are recreating the whizz, flash and bang of a firework, and with one final hit of the cymbal, it ends.
Label: Independent
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
