Audio By Carbonatix
Here we go again: another party band trying to imprint the good times on plastic. The results are spotty, but Always Been‘s top moments suggest that Environmental Stimulation Project (which celebrates the new disc’s release on Friday, April 14, at the Oriental Theater, with Bop Skizzum and the Flobots) has more going on musically than the typical get-down group.
The disc’s biggest drawback is its production, which lacks a persuasive bottom end — a terrible problem for tuneage that draws so heavily on funk and hip-hop. In addition, material like “Tarantula” tends to meander, when moving straight ahead would take the players further. Still, Kenny Dameron is a promising vocalist, Carlos Goodwin’s harmonica adds an entertainingly rustic touch, and some of the jams are actually tasty. When the Stimulators lock onto a memorable groove, as they do during “Warrior,” their instincts are strong.
That’s the kind of ESP they should keep in mind.
