Album Review: L.A.B – V

L.A.B – V
(LOOP)

Reviewed by Tim Gruar.

Finally, it’s looking like we can get out and party! Someone found the Lockdown keys and the traffic lights are shifting from red to amber. Festivals may actually happen. So thank the gods that kings of the big gig, L.A.B, are back. Their fifth album in as many years. Can you believe it? Their work ethic is huge. Barely had the band sat down from last year’s tour circuit (even with a few interruptions from you-know what) and they are up again laying down new grooves at the Capital’s Surgery Studios. 2020’s ‘IV’ squeezed in a fair dollop of 70’s soul and that flavour continues on ‘V’, mixed in with a few drops of country rock and a heapin’ helpin’ of funk, dub and reggae.

The album starts of in smooch mode with a new lighter-waving favourite, ‘Can You Be The One’. This is all charm, reminiscent of those Teddy Pendergrass/Luther Vandross albums sitting in the back of your parents’ record cabinet. Joel Shadbolt is in full croon mode on this one. It’s not a one time thing, either. He’ll return later with a 50’s inspired swinger ‘Oh Honey’. Both of these slinky ballads are guaranteed to make someone’s wedding dance list in the not-too-distant future.

The real party starts when the superfunk kicks in. The band show off their jam session chops on ‘All Night’, channelling Sly and The Family Stone and George Clinton. There’s not much in the way of lyrics going on here but it doesn’t really matter – it’s about dancin’ and getting down!

The single ‘Mr Reggae’ is pretty much the meat and potatoes for this band. And a little under-whelming and run-of-the-mill. I was hoping for more than a stock standard dancehall number. Letting Brad Kora and Miharo Gregory loose on the tech – a la ‘Scratch’ Perry stylee – would have really elevated this track I think.

I did a double take when I heard the country rock of ‘Under The Sun’ – wasn’t that the intro from The Eagles’ song ‘The Long Run’? The twang is certainly familiar. The track’s direction of travel is full MOR and you just know there’s a full swing sing-a-long a’comin. Out come the lighters, again. It’s not a bad song and I can see the appeal for a good campfire rendition at the next beach bonfire. But, for me, there’s just a little too much cringe to include it on my next road trip playlist.

I definitely will be including ‘Real Ones’, though. On this number, Auckland rapper Kings takes over the mic, rhyming and singing the whole darn thing. It’s a catchy mid-tempo song, with some clever re-engineered backing vocals that sound suspiciously like robotic chipmunks. Now, you’d think that doesn’t work – but it kinda does. Overlay that with cool piano chords and strings and it layers up nicely. I can listen to this over and over.

The better reggae/dub track on here is the stomper ‘Like Fire’. This reminds me of The Black Seeds and John Brown’s Body. It’s that happy mix of 70’s rock, funk and Sly and Robbie dub (RIP to Mr Shakespeare). This is when the band is really cooking with all cylinders and I secretly wish they’d keep doing more of this. With a nice smattering of synth with a heavy bassline from Mr Kora, it totally gets you up on the floor.

Another, memorable moment are the Louisa Williamson’s flutes on ‘Backseat’. I thought of the soundtrack to ‘Shaft’ and songs by Gil Scott-Heron. The groove, layered chocolate sweet strings (courtesy of the Black Quartet) and seductive guitars and more smooth-as silk vocals are simply delicious. Perfect for your next 70’s afro and afghan coat party.

They go full Trojan Records on ‘I know’ and I had to check the Skatelites weren’t credited for this one. The treatment even features a little bit of ‘Perry’ wizardry. Finally, they were listening.

At every party there’s a guy that grabs the guitar and clumsily picks his way through ‘Stairway to Heaven’. The recording of ‘Proud Man’ stumbles into life like this, with someone tinkering away on the keys, massacring a series of Baroque arpeggios, accompanied by mumbles of encouragement before it all collapses into some funky Bootsy Collins styled funk chicanery. Then it’s revealed the band knew what they were doing all along. The tempo ups and the dance floor vibes are laid down. For extra flavour, there’s a few clever nods towards Floyd’s Richard Wright and his keyboards from the ‘Dark Side…’ era. But that aside the groove on this one is near perfect, riding like a silver surfer over the ears, with the charm of earlier hits like ‘In The Air’ and “Personify’. This is L.A.B in their element. If they include this one in their festival sets the crowd with go nuts. It’s the perfect stadium sun downer.

The production on this album is flawless, thanks to the solid efforts of Brad Kora, Ara Adams-Tamatea and Surgery Owner and maestro, ‘Dr’ Lee Prebble. And once again Natalie Mentor adds her special style to the cover, continuing the look and feel started on the first album.

‘L.A.B V’ is not quite as perfect as its last two predecessors. There’s a little too much repetition. Some of these tracks are starting to sound a bit too much like the last ones. And please, guys, don’t go exploring your ‘Glenn Frey’ creative side again. That’s pushing the MOR just a little bit too close to the bland border. On the other hand, opening up possibilities with collaborators like Kings has really paid off. How would this go with Avantdale Bowling Club or producers like Pacific Heights, Paddy Free, Pitch Black, or a hook up with Summer Thieves, Fat Freddy’s, etc? This is something I’d certainly like to see. L.A.B have matured as a group and blown us away with their musicianship, so everything I say here is with the utmost aroha and respect. I’d really like to see the bank expand and truly explore now. I think they’ve got it in them.

On the day of the album’s launch L.A.B will be up for five nominations at this year’s the Aotearoa Music Awards. That’s on top of a heap of other awards from the last 4 years. And, of course, there are tours around the country that are on the calendar to get excited about. So, if you get the chance get to a festival and enjoy this new album live, it’s made for a crowd, heat and a brew or two. L.A.B are a class act on stage. Always. Roll on double-vax supa summer!

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