Editor-in-Chief Ben Woody takes a look at the new album by the Herbaliser Band.

The Herbaliser Band
Session Two
  

     Seemingly back from the dead, the gentlemen from The Herbaliser Band have released a new album, Session Two.     

     It has been about ten years since Jake Wherry and Ollie Teeba recorded Session One, and they were accompanied by the Easy Access Orchestra as they played live all over Europe.  Session One paved the way to a larger audience base, so that Same as It Never Was and Session Two could be released to a wider audience.   

     But here it is—Session Two.  The album kicks off with an upbeat and funky rhythm getting you off your ass and making you jump around.  Not like House of Pain “Jump Around,” but something you would find off a George Clinton and Funkadelic record.  The beats mashed against the sounds of the Easy Access Orchestra bring a touch of class to your jam session.   

     The next track, “Geddim!” keeps the pace of the first and pushes an image of an opening scene in a generic blaxploitation film.  Note—when playing it in your car, feel free to roll down all your windows and blast it: you do everyone a favor by increasing their sense of purpose and anxiety for the day.   

     Session Two tends to dip in interest until the eighth track.  Nothing between the second and eighth tracks is really that interesting.  The third track is an interlude, the fourth just spices up the interlude, which is like trying to add oregano to condensed chicken noodle soup.  Honestly, the fifth through seventh are disposable and sound like they have the commercial potential of an Animal Collective b-side.    

     That’s not what they’re going for, though.  They’re splicing jazz and hip-hop beats and creating something powerful, as they’ve done for years live.  The last few tracks on the record seem to revive the excitement the same way Extenze claims to save relationships: everything is bigger.     

     The beats are stronger and faster.  The rhythm is quickly paced.  It’s great!     

     All in all, the album is a fun change to the rest of the stuff on your iTunes.  Throw it on a playlist with TV on the Radio and you’ll have a good time.

4/5 Woovies
Track to pirate illegally—Mr. Chombee Has a Flaw.