The New Mastersounds are back with a new album, Breaks from the Border, which is not only a break from the touring, but a break from their usual sound. Our favorite funk imports from England consisting of Eddie Roberts (Guitar, Vocal, Tambourine), Pete Shand (Bass, Vocals), Simon Allen (Drums, Vocals), & lastly Joe Tatton (Hammond Organ, Fender Rhodes, Tambourine) take us aboard their funky journey through touring.
The first cut Take What you Need is the wah-bluesy opener which lasts about 3 minutes and is primary lead by the guitar. It sets the audience for the show, to come to the show, take what you need for the show, and then take what you need from the show, the give and take that music has.
The next tune, Run the Gauntlet has a simple organ lead tone, while it seems like the whole song the guitar, drums and bass are trying to keep up follow or catch up with it. These guys barley use effects, maybe a volume pedal or a wah-wah here and there, it's nice to see that in an electric band. I know for sure that a tambourine is Eddie's other pedal. It is raw talent in the fullest. They are also very tight and this is shows in the organ solo in this song, a very fun song indeed.
Next up is On the Boarder, which explains their travels overseas. It's has some vocals I think that it's Eddie Roberts on the vocals, who is the main focus. It starts off as if it's taking you back to the Chicken Shack a la Jimmy Smith. When the chanting of the vocals starts up, it takes the song into a guitar lead breakdown. These guys have been going back and forth from the UK to the US for a couple tours now, so this song hits the nail on the head. There's a terrific piano solo by Joe, then the song resumes as both the guitar and the organ are the main focus.
Free Man starts off like a nugget left over from the Motown era. It seems that the lyrics have to do with their constant touring, which makes them free and not have to be tired down in their personal lives. How when they are on the road, all they are no longer trapped, and free to play their music. Freckles is the next song up. It has a beautiful beat, the bass and drums are main focus, while there is are a few notes sprinkled in between by the organ and guitar. It takes a few minutes for the song to build up, it keeps a steady groove with a lot of guitar noodling over it. Around the 3 minute make it when the all the musicians go out on different tangents, until the song comes to a fade out.
Back to their new style of adding vocals to the song of their journeys to the boarder and back, Passport, is up. It's a story or day in day out traveling, with their signature groove. There's a great organ solo in the middle of the song which is really impressive & of course a guitar solo to end the song. We Walk in these Shoes, has the same feel to it, though rather than taking the funk approach to this song, the Mastersounds decided to go with more of a 60's rock era feel.They describe the shows as either hits or misses. "We walk, we walk in these shoes, whatever we choose, we win and we lose" Life on the road, it's hard sometimes.
In return to usual form up next is Josus. I don't know who this guy is but he's got a 5 minute song dedicated to him that is piano lead, and keeps the head grooving & the body moving. Can You Get It is the longest song on the record. It rolls in at 7:22. When they tell people what's up "Can you get it? This is British soul, Can you get it? This is rock & roll." This song encompasses that as well as a little jazz also. It seems at about the 4 minute mark the song takes more of psychedelic route. The solo is all over the place, where it lasts about 2 and half minutes to the song comes to a halt.
The cheeky Turn it up, sounds as though it's a song celebrating them playing their music. While being a lot more poppy then the other tunes on the album, it fits in perfectly with the other tunes. I'd image it's probably when the look out into the audience and see the fans or the people who are becoming fans what them turn them up, so they can forget about their worries for a while. Up In the Air sounds like it could be an encore for a show. Hence, the name Up in the Air, I wonder if they are thinking, I know you don't want to go, we don't want to go either, but we will stay make you groove for our allotted time.
Overall I feel that it is a solid album. The more I listen to it I tend to like how they instituted more vocals. They have started singing rather than their usual chanting. Though I do like to hear them jam more the vocals don't overwhelm the fact that they are some of the Funkateers on the scene and that they will be around longer, for the fans benefits as well as their own.
...the more you know..
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