Addison Groove Project'Wicked Live 2'

Addison Groove Project

Grade: A-


Addison Groove Project was founded in 1997 and has its roots in Boston. Due to their blend of funk, jazz, soul and other styles of music to create a unique new sound, they have quickly become an East Coast phenomenon. The group considers their genre to be "fusion" and their group to be a "jam band."

Their previous album, "Allophone," achieved moderate success and put them out onto the music scene. This album, Wicked Live 2, had a limited release during December 2002, and it has recently been released nationwide in order to promote highly anticipated upcoming concerts on April 11 and April 12 at the Paradise Rock Club. The album was recorded live at that same venue on Oct. 25 and Oct. 26.

There are only seven tracks on this album, which is not completely a bad thing. The CD makes for relaxing music to listen to while studying or hanging out with friends. The blend of instruments is very cool and definitely has a modern blues feel to it. Some of the songs, like the first track "neo-geo," have an eclectic smoothness that provides catching rhythms. The guitar work is impressive and accompanies the saxophones well. The fourth track, "phrenic," is another notable and upbeat song with great guitar and drum work backed by classy saxes. I personally feel that the CD is a bit boring to listen to straight through.

I prefer music with words to those without, so I liked the track "just so you know" the best; "juniper," which also has lyrics, is a bit too long for my tastes. It sounded like a mix between an Eric Clapton and a Dave Matthews Band song, with slow vocals and great instrumental backup. Brendan McGinn's voice really seemed to fit the flow of the music.

Addison Groove Project is original, talented, and I hope that they will go far in the music industry. If you like blues and jazz with a bit of a modern flair, you will love this disc. My only complaint is that the songs are a bit lengthy, but this may be due to the fact that this is a live album. Addison Groove Project is a great example of the talent of young people in Boston, and I hope to see more bands stepping outside established musical boundaries as this band does.