Coolbone’s first two albums showcased their unique style, which they dubbed brass-hop. Named for its innovative jambalaya of rap vocals and brass band rhythm, brass-hop was funky, beat-driven and powerfully delivered, and relied heavily on the lyrical stylings of frontmen Steven and Ronell Johnson.

For this reason Coolbone’s newest release, Bone Swing, will come as a bit of a shock to brass-hop followers. Opting to drop the rap vocals and instead stick strictly to brass, Coolbone’s Bone Swing departs for a mellower sound. Instead of rap, they’ve chosen to do interpretations of traditional jazz and swing standards, with a few originals thrown in. The band’s modified title, Coolbone Swing Troupe, is indicative of this change, and a tribute to jazzman Louis Armstrong’s upcoming centenary.

The originals, most notably “A Multitude of Blues” and “Blow That Horn,” give the band an outlet to flex their brass muscles. It’s Coolbone at their bombastic best—lively, decadent swing with some excellent lead horn. There’s also an arrangement of “Mellow Roo” on the disc that brings back some old brass-hop memories.

More mellow is the band’s choice of cover material. Sometimes it meets with mixed results, such as the stilted vocals on “Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans.” But on tracks like “Take the A Train” the band is on fire, playing a subdued swing that threatens explosion.

It’s not traditional Coolbone, but Bone Swing proves that the band’s got pleat of talent and intensity, and more than one ace up their sleeve.