Harmonious Junk

While difficult to hang a genre on this coaster, it’s hard not to like the musical product of James Brown axman Damon Wood and company. Wood struts his road-tested guitar stuff on Space Cadet and demonstrates creative songwriting ability from track to track, weaving funk, blues, reggae, soul and psychedelia into a musical throw rug that recalls classics such as SRV, Billy Preston, Jimi Hendrix, Albert Collins and even Jimmy Herring. Despite these mostly dated influences, the music feels fresh, with a personality all its own. Keywork by Chad Aman (also of Denver’s Cocktail Revolution and Byron Shaw Projex) simmers and shines throughout, while bass ace Jack Alterman keeps the low end tight as a new pair of loafers. The disc goes out with a bang, not a whimper, stringing together four solid butt-kickers: “Gimme Gimme,” “Only True Friend,” “Magic” and “Luster.”