Galactic Albums (7)
'From the Corner to the Block'
Release Date 8/20/2007
Tracks 14
Label Anti
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What The Critics Say
On their fourth studio album proper -- Vintage Reserve was a best-of, and We Love 'Em Tonight was a live offering -- Galactic wholeheartedly move not so much away from their past as a bad-ass New Orleans jazz & roll concern, as they move toward another of its traditions: Voodoo funk. There is a twist though. Not merely content to grasp the Mardi Gras Indians or Dr. John esthetics, Galactic points firmly toward the technological present with their primordial groove machine music. Drummer Stanton Moore uses as many loops as he does organic drums, bass, bass, and more bass is the order of the day, and strange keyboard sounds come bubbling under like some lost Lee Perry session gone digital. Does that make this a techno or an electronica record? C'mon. Ruckus is a spooky ride to the other side of midnight. The party is either gonna break out or break up; it exists on the edge of that fine distinction, that moment in time when anything is possible. And possibility is what Ruckus is all about: simmering organ grooves encounter striated acoustic and electric guitars under a series of syncopated rhythms by Moore on "Bongo Joe." Jagged synth lines by Richard Vogel meet ragged-then-overdriven guitars from Jeffrey Raines on "The Moil," and monstrous tom tom loops collide with basslines and keyboard riffs before Raines comes in on the acoustic bottleneck to smooth out the off-kilter funk on "Kid Kenner." This is music as the deconstruction of a sonic palette, as the deconstruction, death, and rebirth of a band. And, like Medeski, Martin and Wood before them, Galactic is all the better for its brave new world direction. Ruckus is no less a roots album than Coolin' Off was. But perhaps it is more so because in order to use all this gear and create the kind of ass-burning grooves the band comes up with, there is only one place to go to find the source: rhythm itself (if you need further evidence check out "The Beast," and let it mess your head and backbone up). Highly recommended. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
'We Love 'Em Tonight: Live at Tipitina's'
Release Date 6/25/2001
Tracks 13
Label Capricorn
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What The Critics Say
A jam band from the same New Orleans as the Meters explicates the infinite groove before an appreciative local audience too busy sweating up the dancefloor to notice the jokesters on stage covering Duke Ellington, Allen Toussaint (by way of the legendary Lee Dorsey), and Black Sabbath. Occasional lapses into artiness for its own sake (always a risk with ironic jazz-chop slummers) are forgiven easily enough, because the charitable young hippies who comprise the majority of the band's boogie-minded fan base are kind people that way. ~ Brian Beatty, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Marketed as an acid jazz band, New Orleans based Galactic has little to offer to jazz fans, but is popular with younger audiences who like to dance. They have an infectious groove well suited for the arm waver crowd, and occasionally live up to their name with spacey sounds, but fall way short of Sun Ra, and on an R&B level, Tower of Power or Stuff. Still they're good at what they do, Theryl de'Clouet is a fine soul singer, Stanton Moore a rock-solid drummer, and saxophonist/harmonicist Ben Ellman can play deep bluesy or avant garde themes on command. The band splits time between instrumental funk or R&B pop. Most creative on "Hit The Wall," they play Balkan flavored funk with Ellman on baritone sax and Roger Lewis (Dirty Dozen) on soprano. Organ fired funk rock informs "Black Eyed Pea" with Ellman going outre, while overdubbed sax and harmonic trade off before contrasting industrial clattering during "Doublewide." Of the vocal tunes "Action Speaks Louder Than Words" is an excellent message and a real potential hit, "Thrill" a pleading love song, "Century City" a ponderous dinosaur rocker laden with electric guitar of Jeff Raines, "Running Man" a basic soul pop tune, and "Baker's Dozen" is a second line funk reminiscent of "Hollywood Swingers." Fans of Maceo Parker, Medeski, Martin & Wood, or Groove Collective should gravitate toward Galactic, but they have a way to go before establishing themselves as any kind of innovators or trend setters. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide
'Crazyhorse Mongoose'
Release Date 9/1/1998
Tracks 12
Label Capricorn
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What The Critics Say
New Orleans funksters Galactic return with Crazyhorse Mongoose, the follow-up to their superb 1996 debut, Coolin' Off. While the band takes the same approach as the debut ('70s production, soulful singing from vocalist Theryl de Clouet, long but memorable instrumental jams, etc.), Crazyhorse Mongoose is the better album. Since the band tours constantly, they've grown even tighter musically. And Galactic are one of the few young bands of the '90s that plays as a unit; they know that the most important thing is to keep the song's groove going. As on their debut, de Clouet is limited to showing his vocal talents on just a few tracks ("Change My Ways," "Love On the Run," "Start From Scratch," etc.), while the talented instrumentalists of Galactic never let the red-hot funk cool down. The title track, "Quiet Please," "Meter Maid," and "Tighten Your Wig" are all prime examples of Galactic doing what they do best. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After listening to Galactic's 1996 debut release, Coolin' Off, it's hard to believe that the band isn't comprised of seasoned funk veterans. Instead of showing off their instrumental chops at every given opportunity, the members of Galactic play as an ensemble, who know when to step back and let their soulful music groove and breath on its own. Vocalist Theryl de Clouet is only featured on a few of the album's tracks ("Something's Wrong With This Picture," "Everybody Wants Some -- Part 3," etc.), but his voice often steals the show when it's featured. The majority of Coolin' Off consists of funky instrumentals with a sound straight out of the '70s, but the band knows how to mix it up and avoid monotony. The opening "Go Go" is a good example of Galactic's sound: a prominent bassline is merged with horns and wah-wah guitar, while an organ creates a memorable melody. Other groove-oriented tracks include "Funky Bird," "Stax Jam," "Doo Rag," and "Church." Coolin' Off is an excellent debut from a band that is destined for great things. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
