Artist: Ikebe Shakedown
Album: Stone by Stone
Genre: Jazz-Funk, Afro-Beat, Brass Band
Label: Ubiquity Records
Released: 2014
Quality: FLAC (tracks)
Tracklist:
The Offering
Stone By Stone
The Beast
By Hook or By Crook
Rio Grande
Last Stand
Cover Your Tracks
Chosen Path
The Illusion
Dram
If you’ve ever listened to Otis Redding or Al Green and thought, “Gee, they sure don’t make ’em like this anymore,” rest assured, it’s not for a lack of trying. Ikebe Shakedown are part of a growing contingent of musicians dedicated to replicating the feel of classic recordings. They do a good job, and it’s a noble goal, too. This retro-sounding set of instrumentals (made in the same studio where Sharon Jones records) is fun. It’s far more enjoyable, in fact, than I thought possible for an all-white band capitalizing on vintage afrobeat and R&B. Ultimately, though, Ikebe Shakedown are proficient, but helplessly out of their depth. I can’t imagine why anyone would prefer this to something more serious (Fela’s Expensive Shit comes to mind). Still, I’d bet these guys are a blast live. – Dan Vesper
