FDF Volume 3 Issue 335 - Limbomaniacs - Stinky Grooves

Album – Stinky Groove

Artist – Limbomaniacs

Key Players – Mark “Mirv” Haggard – guitar. Brian “Brain” Mantia – drums. Pete Scaturro – keyboards. Tony “Butthouse” Chaba – bass and lead vocals. 

Produced By – Bill Laswell

Release Date - 1990

Overview – Formed in the early 1980s in San Francisco, CA the Limbomaniacs fused funk, rock and hip hop. Blending these styles, and being accomplished musicians they'd garner much respect musically, but the juvenile lyrics seemed to be the bands focus. The band was on the cusp of the funk revival of the late 80's but grunge was fast approaching. By 1991 the band had broken up.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – This is a short record. Eight tracks about 35 minutes and it kicks off with “Butt Funkin”. The track sounds like it could have been on any early Red Hot Chili Peppers records. The bass and guitar have a fun groove, with a lot of shouting lines and laughter mixed in. The lyrics are “rapped” over the funk layers. The lyrics are as juvenile as the title suggests. Some of the lyrics are about how some butts have pimples while some have hair...you get it. Even with all that Bootsy Collins offers up some backing vocals on it..  'Maniac"  has some trumpet samples that give it a neat heavy crunch. The guitar is buzzy and the lyrics are still rapped, but it seems to have more of that early 90's alt rock feel. The snare drums seems to have a tight snap to it (perhaps a piccolo snare). The bass has a lot more punch on “Free Style” but we still feel locked in the same style and focus as other tracks. Butthouse pushing it quickly with the vocals and the band seems willing to be right there with him. Maceo Parker offers up the great saxophone section. “Porno” is a slower track, but still is heavy and its about exactly as you'd think. The guitar solo is pretty good, but it feels too silly. “Shake It” is full of samples at the outset and its interesting on some levels. The band adjusts well to the recorded back beats and samples. Maceo is back on “That's The Way”. The guitar at the start is a clean riff and then the bass comes in. The horns fill everything out nice and the bass is tight, then the campy lyrics start. Zzzz. A great moment ruined...Maceo saves this one. Starting up with a sound clip from B.B.King about “this song having really heavy lyrics” the track “The Toilet's Flooded” then starts. Yep..the lines are “the toilets flooded..the log won't fit..the toilets flooded with a great big shit....” Yep...my 8^th grade mentality is laughing too, but wow. The album wraps up with “Pavlov's Frothing Dogs” and Maceo is one this one as well there are more samples of lyrics and the band locks in to one groove letter Maceo take over.

Where are they now? - Mantia has done a lot of work as a session drummer.  Working with the likes of Guns and Roses to Tom Waits. 

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? - There is some good funk on here, and with Bootsy and Maceo you'd expect a lot. It just has not aged well at all. The lyrics are just too campy to take seriously..at all. Even if the guys are special musicians, its almost too campy. One song as a goof, but the whole record of it sort of dumbs down everything.

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Disclaimer – I am just a music fan. Feel free to comment about something that may be written incorrectly about the band/members etc. I strive to have a fun and enjoyable site. This site used to post mp3s but ran in to many issues. The audio clips provided are usually from YouTube. No copy write infringement is intended. Please alert me if something should be pulled. Finally, support the artist featured, or your favorite artist by purchasing their music, seeing their shows if possible and saying hi. They need your support.

 

FDF Volume 3 Issue 334 - The Sheila Divine - New Parade

Album – New Parade

Artist – The Sheila Divine

Key Players - Shawn Sears – drums, backing vocals. Jim Gilber – bass, backing vocals. Aaron Perrino – vocals, guitar.

Produced By – Brian Charles, Mike Denneen

Release Date - 1999

Overview - Formed in 1997 Boston based band “Sheila Divine” met in college and re-grouped in Boston. After gigging for two years the band won a local radio station contest (The WBCN Rock and Roll Rumble) in 1999. “New Parade” was their debut which included new material as well as re-recorded songs from their first ep. The album was met with positive reviews. By 2000 the band added an additional guitar player and released their follow up. Sears left the band for a time to spend time as a new Dad, but the band continued to gain fans with their open taping policy, in that audience members were encouraged to record and trade live shows. After some turmoil the band announced in 2003 they were breaking up. They'd do a few reunion shows amongst side projects before reforming.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The 12 song album opens with “Automatic Buffalo”. The track has acoustic guitars and a really nice bass line underneath. Perrino has a strong voice and as the song heads to the chorus he gets even stronger as the band also gets a bit louder. A pretty, and solid album opener. The urgency continues on “Like A Criminal”. The band is good at mixing the bit of hard edge rock with some fine melodies. Its easy to tap your feet to these tracks, and they have infectious hooks. Gilber has a solid hook as “Awful Age” gets started with the simple Sears drum line laid done. The guitars swell. The band had a modest college radio hit with"Hum" I'll leave that one alone, just listen to it. Its awesome. Enough said. We seem to calm down some as “Spacemilk” starts. A bit more melody from the bass is up front and it is a quick and to the point track. Perrino is a bit compressed as “I'm a Believer” begins, but after the first verse the full band comes in and it has that great power pop feel to it. The band can write hooks! “The Modern Log” continues in that vein of big power chords and soaring vocals. “Opportune Moment” seems to be a bit more on the mellow side (for this band) but you still will get the really great vocals, if fact Perrino might be in his finest form here. “The Amendment” feels like a break from the urgency of many of the tracks. I am sure the band needed a track like this in a live setting. “New Parade” begins with a duo of piano and acoustic guitar. The track slowly builds and builds as the listener would both hope and expect from these guys. A really rewarding listen. The crunch of the guitar is right up on “Kitchen Song” but its offset some with the strumming acoustic underneath and a nice swirling bass line. Again Perrino shines vocally. The album concludes with “Sweep the Leg” a largely shippable track as it is just a series of keyboard type bleeps and bloops.

Where are they now? - The band has had some issues in the past taking time off between 2003-2007 and then 2009. As of 2010 they are listed as a “current” and active band with the three members still intact. Their most recent album was 2012's “The Things That Once Were”.

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? - Yes. Dig it out. Find a copy if you can. Its well worthy our time. A rocking trio with some big hooks. You'll be beyond pleased.

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Disclaimer – I am just a music fan. Feel free to comment about something that may be written incorrectly about the band/members etc. I strive to have a fun and enjoyable site. This site used to post mp3s but ran in to many issues. The audio clips provided are usually from YouTube. No copy write infringement is intended. Please alert me if something should be pulled. Finally, support the artist featured, or your favorite artist by purchasing their music, seeing their shows if possible and saying hi. They need your support