Gruvis Malt'... With The Spirit of a Traffic Jam ...'

Lake Shore Records

Grade: B-

On their major label debut, self-proclaimed "futurockers" Gruvis Malt offers a progressive mix of hip hop, jazz and funk. The six-piece band from Providence, R.I. has been touring the east coast since 1996, before signing with Lakeshore Records this year. Their new, aptly titled release, "… With The Spirit of a Traffic Jam …," combines elongated jams with wandering lyrical scenarios that incorporate dance-hall beats reminiscent of early 311 and nu-metal bass riffs.

Building upon already established formulas for musical success, the only drawback to this conglomeration of sound is the band's inability to pick a concrete direction. In essence, "… With The Spirit of a Traffic Jam …" brings very different musical genres that have their individual merits into a sonic traffic jam. Those that remember the inexplicable success of the California outfit Mr. Bungle will note that mixing wildly unrelated musical genres is not always bad. Gruvis Malt's sound is successful in its attempt to introduce jazz into the current rap/rock scene. The band's vocals bear a striking resemblance to Incubus's, and it is no surprise that they are complimented by a guest appearance by Incubus's DJ Killmore.

Speaking of their new major label affiliation, Gruvis Malt aspires to appeal to a wider audience while maintaining their indie reputation. For those of us weaned on a pre-Carson Daly MTV, it is understandable that the mention of a band's upcoming music video causes some to wince in pain. After all, it was not so long ago that indie grunge outfit Stone Temple Pilots went from the controversial record "Sex Type Thing," to the favorite song of Buffy fans everywhere, "Sour Girl."

The unabashed, self-deprecating humor that ties the tracks together on the album shows Gruvis Malt's ability to proliferate their art and have fun. Lyrical highlights include "Nonsanity 2037X," in which the vocalist muses, "my best thought is a crumpled up piece of paper in Emerson's garbage can." Also, check out the new single, "Mr. Prince."

Despite a wandering stylistic repertoire that seems unable to make up its mind, Gruvis Malt presents a refreshingly new, upbeat sound in a dismal market dominated by the bottled up rage of nu-metal acts. Their album showcases their musical prowess, especially a tight horn section. With seamless transitions and good production lacking, the stripped down sound of Gruvis Malt leaves much hope for their future. Be sure to check out Gruvis Malt on tour all summer long headlining East and West Coast club tours before going on a national arena stint as a preliminary act.