The life of a music reviewer is a strange, but interesting one. This website, as I have emphasised many times, is very keen on new music, and especially new music from artists who are starting out on their creative journey.

I recently received an email from Ryan Pierce of a band named Bakers Duz’n, and the initial link I was sent was for a decidedly modern pop/funk single called Lesson #1. Viewing it, as you can below, gave me a bit of a surprise, because this website is not, it is fair to say, particularly well known for such music.

The website tends not to publish overly negative reviews, rather, I politely tell the artist it is “not my thing” if I really don’t like it – in these difficult commercial times, it is hard enough selling the fruits of their work without a gobby critic putting the work down, and that is not what I am about.

The debut album by this band is entitled Vol. 1. You will see what I meant by Lesson #1 being outside my comfort zone. But give it a chance. The beat is delicious, and the vocals are pretty damned good. The street dance is, well, not exactly my scene. You don’t see many prog rockers in their late fifties giving it large on the street like this, but I rather like the whole feel of it. Upbeat and enjoyable in these dark winter months. You can give the whole of the album a listen at https://bakersduzn.bandcamp.com/album/vol-1

Elsewhere here, we have an album which has some decidedly psych, jazz, and blues undercurrents in part, but the whole will appeal to those who enjoy classic funk, soul, and goodtime music transposed into a modern setting. Opener $cunkytown (We Got the Funk Happening Baby) has a real Northern Soul melted into a Motown vibe to it, with some fine horns, a pleasing feature throughout. In fact, if you loved those Earth, Wind, & Fire horns on a certain Mr Collins’s solo stuff, check this out. There is a similar feel to Born of the Funk, excepting the distinct psych underbelly detected.

Twisting the Screw has a fantastic groove to it, and I have embedded it below. Some great guitar work on this soul funk track and urgent harmonies. The drumming and percussion pushes matters along with a nice urgency. The last minute is frantic with strong vocals and a guitar riff. I love it.

Bumper$tumper is one hell of a title, and the ghosts of classic funk rock awaken with a vengeance.

Let Nature Take Its Course has an interesting synth led opening. The track is embedded below, and the intent of the words is pretty direct and obvious, but the execution is anything but course. It is rather tender and loving in fact, with some nice vocal harmonies and a wonderful guitar loop. A track to cheer you up. 

Light It Up will appeal to those, such as I, who got a lot of pleasure out of the late ‘70’s Two Tone movement with a dreamy sequence halfway in leading to an intense vocal to close. Slow Your Roll has a more commercial feel to it and a return to a sunnier vibe. As I write this, it is about freezing here in West Wales, so the thought of an trip to LA where it’s sunny and hot every day is inviting. The sax in this one is fantastic.

Putthisinyourpipeandsmokeit would, in times past, have been a curse and rebuttal to someone you argued with and won said row. This is rather different, a downbeat piece of blues music with some pulsing basslines. It is impressive with some complex signatures and a track which draws you into its situation. The extended instrumental segment two minutes in is fascinating with the voices and synths swirling above the beat, whilst the close is thoughtful.

Oddyssey follows and is embedded below. I do not lie when I say it is a musical highlight of the year for me, because there is so much going on here, including a sax player who has rather obviously taken a listen to a certain Mr David Jackson in his pomp (and if he hasn’t, he should). There are layers within this which reveal something different in each listen, and I have listened to it a lot. A track which defies simplistic description with a mix of just about everything, ska, blues, jazz, complex music.

Don’t Forget follows and is another dreamy sort of track – think psychedelic blues, with guitars, synths, rhythm section, horns combining so well. The synth outburst just over halfway through could almost have come out of the 1970’s Minimoog playbook.

Thirst Trap is the penultimate piece. If those old Northern Soul dancehalls in the heart of Lancashire were still with us, you could see hundreds of sweaty music lovers jigging up and down, and I might add that this is the type of music that heroes of readers of this site such as Gabriel & Jagger would instantly recognise, but, again, with a thoroughly modern sensibility. Embedded below – get off the sofa and jump around. It is utterly brilliant. Just listen to those drums crashing.

We end with If Ya Got It. It is a funky soul bar blues delight. Imagine you are in that bar with the air thick with smoke and sweat, the horns blasting out, swaying side to side, the saxophonist deep into his craft, urgent, all the while the singer inviting you forward. The end is a funk rock delight, with riffs all over you.

So, let’s go back to the start of this review. Progressive, folk, and heavy rock fans have an unfair reputation, I think, of being blind to anything which doesn’t tick their stereotypical box. In fact, much of the music we love is deeply rooted within the funk and blues which exploded in Britain in the 1960’s. What we have here is another example of musicians who are prepared to cast aside expectations and fuse a myriad of influences into something recognisable, but unique.

I really like it. I think you will too. For those of us of a certain vintage, with fond musical memories of Dexys, Two Tone, Northern Soul (even given the fact they are from North America), there is a lot in this for you to enjoy. To those readers of this review who have never tried the usual fare I review, why not take yourselves off to the 2023 album review pages at the top of the page? I think you will like some of the blues of Francis Dunnery, for example, the jazz funk rock of Jonas Hellborg & Ana Patan, and you might even want to take in some of the progressive rock on offer.

Come on. Let’s cross pollinate!