The Budos Band

I had the occasion to walk into a record store while out of Chico recently and jumped at the opportunity to try out some new music. On a bit of a whim, I took a staff recommendation and bought this album by The Budos Band, their third full-length for Brooklyn funk/soul label Daptone. Now I can’t take it out of my car stereo! The album of instrumentals is infectiously fun, with a whole host of horns leading the charge, followed closely by organ, drums and guitar. The sound is a funky mix of what the band describes as “instrumental Afro-soul.” The 10-member band’s list of influences ranges from jazz to African beats to hardcore metal, but it’s hard to describe this album as being any one genre. Some songs, like the opener, “Rite of the Ancients,” sounds almost like retro soundtrack music while “Nature’s Wrath,” smack in the middle of the album, is slower than the rest, with a haunting refrain likely to stick to your brain like the catchiest of lyrics. The final entry is “Reppirt Yad,” and as the album’s only cover (read the title backwards), it plays as an almost psychedelic homage to the Beatles. The lively rhythms will make you want to dance, unable to wipe a wide grin off your face, making The Budos Band III a perfect addition to any party playlist.