MOTU – Roadhouse Jesters

MOTU – Roadhouse Jesters / 2008 Dr. Richard Michelson / 13 Tracks / http://www.motu.net /

This is the eighth release by MOTU, and individuals will be immediately attacked by the brand of blues and funk that the band inserts into each and every track. However, individuals should know that the band did not play together before this disc was recorded – some of the members did not even know each other in the slightest! Coupled with the allure of the band’s compositions on “Roadhouse Jesters”, the production on the disc is impressive enough to confuse individuals into thinking that the act went into the studio to create this album.

The first track on “Roadhouse Jesters” is “Smokestack Lightening”, a track that shows individuals that there does not need to be vocals at every point during the track. In fact, when the vocals do show up, they are just a garnish – an additional element – that makes the track more memorable. The female vocals on “Little Red Rooster” change things up considerably, with only the instrumentation remaining as a constant through the two tracks. MOTU move back towards an instrumentation-heavy approach with their third track on “Roadhouse Jesters”, “Every Day I Have The Blues”. “Every Day I Have The Blues”, despite the genre associations that the title elicits, has a funkiness to the instrumentation that will remind listeners of the original Blues Brothers soundtrack. However many approaches or styles MOTU takes during their time on “Roadhouse Jesters”, it is really during “People Get Ready” that the act solidifies and provides listeners with their first single.

The dual vocals, male and female, perfectly lie on top on the smooth and sedate arrangements on the track. Despite the fact that MOTU plays a type of blues that is rooted in the classic sounds of the genre, Dr. Richard Michelson and the rest of his band are talented enough to make their sound attractive to fans that like contemporary styles of music. The fact that individuals can take the stage and have little familiarity with the other members of their band and still create such passionate and impressive music says volumes about the talent possessed by MOTU. Here’s to hoping that word of “Roadhouse Jesters” increases to the degree that the album gets airplay on college and independent stations throughout the United States. Check out “Roadhouse Jesters” even if you would not typically consider yourself a fan of blues or other related genres of music.

Top Tracks: It Ain’t None of Your Business, It Hurts Me Too

Rating: 7.3/10