Album Review:
By Marc Lovely
I
’m going to admit it. I just
tried to write the most elaborate intro to an album review
ever. In fact I erased two entire
pages of ongoing drivel for something I can probably describe in
a few paragraphs, so I’ll stick to
the abridged version, spare the
dramatic effect, and cut straight
to the facts.
Turkuaz,
the
nine-piece
power-funk group based out of
Brooklyn has a new concept album that just dropped called
Digitonium. It’s a reach far outside the cookie-cutter boundaries
of everyday funk and has a bit
more of a pop sound than their
previous albums. But man, it is
catchy. After your first listen to
the new album, you tend to just
want more. It follows you everywhere like a shadow. You wake
up with it playing in your head.
You sing it in the shower, hum it
at work. You basically get yourself through the day until you
can finally sit down and really
listen to the album again. Completely unshakable.
While it’s an album most
certainly to be enjoyed from
start to finish, there are specific
songs that really pique my interest. From the synth and bass
Turkuaz
Digitonium
drenched “Introduction," the album is put in motion and threatens a savage 80s funk feel.
Like the snowball effect, the
album gathers substance and
gains momentum as it moves
along, weaving a few instrumentals--“The Cup Runneth Over,"
“Fish Out of Water," “Home
Again," “Barking Up the Wrong
Tree," “Bird of Prey”--in between
the big flashy numbers. It doesn’t
really stop until the last note; a
ruthless 24-track onslaught of
flashy funk.
“Generator” is the album’s
first single. Think of MTV right
on the brink of the explosive music video era. Think big bright
lights and fog machines.
“European Festivity Nighmare” takes the listener on a virtual road trip, zipping through
alleyways of crisp beats and fresh
guitar licks from drummer Michelangelo Carubba and guitarist Craig Brodhead. At times the
song can bear a small resemblance to the Talking
Heads.
“Lika," is the absolute
standout on the album for
me. It starts soft with a
sort of Caribbean beat that
quickly adds a methodically captivating guitar riff.
It’s layered with a ton of
synth and is just one of
those songs you find yourself frantically swaying
to. Brodhead shines in his
solo right off the bat. He’s
a hardworking musician,
much like the rest of the
band, who is constantly
looking to expand and try
new things. He’s rapidly
becoming one of my favorite guitarists in the scene.
Some of the songs have
already been a part of the
live repertoire for quite a while,
but they still seem to shine brand
new on the album. Songs like
“Murderface," “Nightswimming,"
and “Bijou Drains the Birddog”
have been successfully tested on
audiences around the country
and the true verdict has being
nothing but praise and admiration.
From first listen you know
that Digitonium just won’t ever
go away. It seeps into your mind,
curls up in a cozy, dark corner
and just chills. As I stated before,
it’s a funk that sticks with you.
Not the nasty kind of funk that
sticks with you after you’ve spent
the night feverishly dancing at a
Turkuaz show, however. No, on
the contrary, it’s the nasty kind
of funk that needs to be enjoyed
at eardrum-bursting levels. You
need to be able to feel it in your
chest and let it all out through
your feet. Please enjoy responsibly. ■