DUMPSTAPHUNK: Where Do We Go From Here (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

On the eve of blowing out their twentieth candle, the Americans of Dumpstaphunk are back with a fourth album, "Where Do We Go From Here". And what a long way they've come in these two decades! Recognized as one of the most emblematic funk bands of New Orleans, the US band has never stopped growing over the years thanks to its groove, its feeling and its impeccable technicality.

Released just before the summer, this new opus presents beautiful summer colors throughout the eleven tracks it contains. Impossible to resist to the terribly addictive groove of 'Let's Get At It' and its simple but super efficient chorus, or to the one of 'Justice 2020' where the musical symbiosis displayed is masterful. In addition to a great spontaneity, we feel there all the experience and the control of the musicians of Dumpstaphunk whose play is of a relentless cleanliness. Each instrument is perfectly in its place and at the service of the others: the keyboard a little in the background, knowing how to be more cutting on the opportune moments, the enormous and omnipresent bass (the excellent 'Backwash' and its sounds proper to the Boston Horns, 'Make If After All', 'Do You'), the brilliant trumpet, the inhabited, anchored and powerful vocals... It is necessary to say that the musicians are not at their first try, and besides the cohesion of group and the pleasure to play together show indisputably in the listening, giving immediately the smile to the lips.

At times, Dumpstaphunk seems to make some tracks a little too long, especially 'In Time' which didn't deserve its 7 minutes, or 'Itchy Boo' and its 6 minutes not all necessary, even if the Fred Wesley vibe here is devilishly effective. Besides, a little more diversity would have been welcome, especially since the band has been famous in the past in jazzy and soul registers. Some tracks are nevertheless off the beaten track like 'Sounds', a real rock UFO in the middle of the record with its crunchy sounding guitar riff, but also 'Justice 2020' with the featuring of Chali 2na on rapped vocals, or the eponymous track with its incursion of gospel vocals.

Very good waves emanate from this record smelling good the sun and the fine sand. "Where Do We Go From Here" is a very accessible album, perfectly mastered, catchy and heady which calls for communion between men and the simple pleasures of life thanks to a funk of masterclass level. - Official website

DUMPSTAPHUNK

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE

MASCOT LABEL GROUP

ROCK