If you’ve seen MarchFourth Marching Band live, perhaps at Voodoo or last year’s Halloween show at House of Blues, you know the incredible energy this band is capable of bringing. With an entourage of more than 30 horn players, percussionists, acrobats and stilt-walkers M4 has proven itself to be one of the premiere touring acts. With their third studio album, Magnificent Beast, they attempt to capture this energy on record, which they achieve with mostly positive results.
Based in Portland, Oregon, M4 owes much of its sound and aesthetic to New Orleans’ second-line culture. Yet there is much differentiating M4 from New Orleans brass bands, most notably the absence of tuba or sousaphone. Instead the band uses a Fender bass, often overdriven, to achieve its signature sound. Likewise, the feel of the music differs greatly. M4’s grooves are airtight and click-track steady, lacking any of the push-and-pull commonly heard in New Orleans second-line music.
Where Magnificent Beast really shines is in its unique, genre-bending instrumental songs. The opening track, “Lesley Metal,” kicks off with a repeating sax line set atop a killer hip-hop groove, then abruptly changes into a psycho-beat spy metal juggernaut. “Delhi Belly” combines bhangra beats and catchy horn hooks in a way reminiscent of Brooklyn’s Red Baraat, and it’s a true gem. “Sin Camiseta” bridges the gap between Afro-Cuban and New Orleans second-line with natural ease, while “Fuzzy Lentil” exhibits some deeply infectious funk with a head-banging heavy-metal climax.
The vocal tracks don’t fare quite as well. “Soldiers of the Mind” comes off as self-righteous and a bit cheesy, and “Git It All” with its refrain of “Move / Shake some booty” has no right being released on anything other than a live album. On the plus side, John Averill pulls off a pretty good Jack White impression on “Fat Alberta.” The song “(More) Cowbell,” although slightly ridiculous, is still a great jam.
In spite of any shortcomings Magnificent Beast is still fun from start to finish. Any fan of brass band music would find something to love about this album.
Buy MarchFourth Marching Band’s Magnificent Beast on iTunes
Hear MarchFourth Marching Band’s Magnificent Beast on Spotify
