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...

By Nick Hutchinson

January 27, 2005

Audio By Carbonatix

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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."

Nick Hutchinson is the author of the books Channeling Jerry: How the Music Plays His Fans and High on a Mountain: An Oral History of Jamgrass in Colorado (both available at BookBaby.com). Nick enjoys playing music when he's not writing about music.

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