Staff writer Stu Ruiz reviews Galactic's fifth album, Ya-Ka-May (2010).

How tall is Galactic drummer Stanton Moore’s kick drum?  Judging from tracks like “Double It” or “Katey Vs. Nobey” it has to be a good 60 feet in the air, or at the least, a staggeringly large 45.  There’s just no other explanation for the bass drum sound on those songs.  Throughout Galactic’s fifth LP, Moore proves himself yet again as one of the funkiest and most versatile drummers around.  From the aforementioned pounding beats to head-nodding soul-jams, break-beat influenced funk storms, and Latin-tinged dancers, this album makes you move.  Speaking of break-beat funk jams, go out and listen to “Cineramascope.” If that beat doesn’t convert you, no review could.

For those uninitiated, the band Galactic hails from New Orleans, and while they could be tied down to a jazz-funk label, I hesitate to use it.  That’s because the past 15 years has seen the band conquer the jam-band circuit, successfully dabble in electronica, collaborate with a ridiculous number of musicians, and put out a quality hip-hop album.  In other words, if the music’s got a groove, Galactic is probably trying to branch into it somehow. Ya-Ka-May (2010) sees the band working with a host of musicians all from their hometown, the band reveling in embracing the local music that’s spawned all of these artists. 

The guests on the album range from legendary to underground, and all turn in some great performances.  Irma Thomas sings on the exceptional “Heart of Steel”, a song with a head-nodding beat and light touches of swirling psychedelia that builds its momentum, drops off into silence, picks itself up again, and finally packs a wallop of soulful singing from the hardly aging songstress, while elsewhere, city luminaries Allen Toussaint and the Rebirth Brass Band turn in some stellar performances.   The hip-hop tracks on the record come courtesy of some underground emcees part of the Bounce style popular in New Orleans.   For those not in the know, Bounce is a type of hip-hop where the emcees are called sissies, the rhymes are loud, and videos like the one for “Do It Again” are allowed to exist.  The examples on Ya-Ka-May sound like reggaeton and crunk injected with a good dosage of funk and the songs are great club fun as long as you’re not expecting clever lyrics and dexterous flows: “I want some Popeyes, some French fries, and a mediummmm Sprite” is about the farthest the lyrics get from their booty-popping ambitions, but it totally works thanks to an outrageously hilarious delivery.

The liner notes of the album assert that this isn’t “your grandfather’s New Orleans record,” but in a lot of ways it is.  Songs like “Boe Money” and “Katey Vs. Nobby” bring in Latin and reggaeton influences from the city’s gulf neighbors, something that Louis Armstrong was doing almost a century ago when Caribbean rhythms brought from local immigrants were a part of the sound that became Swing music.  The namesake for the album is a traditional New Orleans food that consists of making a soup of essentially whatever food you’ve got left.  It’s just about a perfect name for an album that takes practically any type of music being made in the city, and flies it all under Galactic’s groove-drenched banner. 

Galactic keyboard player Rich Vogel calls the band a “glorified rhythm section,” and this album can back up that statement, showcasing his group’s flexibility and strengths.  If you’re looking for an album trying to make a statement thematically or consciously attempting to make a piece of art you should have no problem looking over Ya-Ka-May.  But those looking for a band at the top of their game, making excellent music for music and a good party’s sake, and occasionally stepping into genius, this is not one to pass up.

If you like this album, try out:

The Roots – Do You Want More?!?!?!?!

Medeski, Martin, and Wood – End of the World Party (Just In Case)

Orange Blossom – JJ Grey & Mofro