Picture this: A rustic cowboy sauntering down a desert road into the sunset, cowboy hat on, head bent down while chewing on a piece of straw. Good. Now picture the music that should be playing in the background. This is Galactic's newest album, Ruckus, produced by hip-hop veteran Dan the Automator.
This compilation of funky jazz tunes and soul music has a very upbeat sound. If the whole cowboy scenario doesn't strike you, think about an episode of The Sopranos and the music included, or even the movie Ocean's Eleven. Ruckus has that hard and edgy, yet cool and relaxed melody that could only accompany cowboys, gangsters, and thieves.
The perfect word to describe this album is "chill." It is a cool combination of catchy drum beats, saxophone, guitar, and harmonica. Galactic has successfully created an album that combines a jazz sound with dark country flair.
"Bongo Joe" is a hip and edgy, yet relaxing tune that is one of the favorites of many listeners. "Uptown Odyssey," is also a great song and shows the classic jazz side of Galactic. This track also has great lyrics and begs to be clapped along with. One of the biggest treats of the CD is Galactic's own rendition of the '80s pop hit "Tenderness." It is an extremely relaxing song and in many ways is more tolerable than the original.
Galactic has created albums similar to Ruckus in the past, yet this one is much more coherent. While old tracks are a bit eclectic and random, this album has a blatant theme. The only negative aspect to this album is that it has a somewhat repetitive beat. While switching through the tracks, it is sometimes hard to distinguish one song from the other. On the other hand, that makes the CD flow, and it provides much easier listening. It is perfect driving music and could even be played while pulling an all-nighter during exam week. It is a must-have for your car CD changer or backpack.
Ruckus also includes a video of Galactic playing "Space Headz March" at Manchester, Tennessee's Bonnaroo Music Festival last June. This bonus is quite a treat because the live footage and the songs are great. Galactic has created a CD that should be appreciated by jazz and soul fans alike. If you are looking for some music to make you look cool, I would definitely check out this CD. Any girl would swoon for a man with such great musical appreciation. And ladies, any man who listens to this album definitely has great taste. All in all, this CD is a hit: two thumbs up for the chill Galactic crew and the new Ruckus it has created.
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