Shin Terai - Unison (2001)

Bernie Worrell sets up the Shin Terai experience with a welcoming organ piece "Clue." Next the positive vibe of the record is established with "Dinner of Heaven." Bill Laswell's bass is happy and Nicky Skopelitis' rhythm guitar and sitar is nothing but a good time. 4 minutes into the song, Buckethead enters and he really pushes the song into pleasantry. In "Emotional Intelligence" the band bonds to take you to a higher level of listening pleasure. Every note, beat propels the song forward. Shin Terai's beats, loops and programming lets Laswell, Skopelitis and Buckethead shine.

"Dusk" gets down with a nasty beat and Skopelitis hypnotic rhythm guitar. Damn, Laswell can groove the hell out of that bass. The soft guitar touches by Skopelitis and Buckethead are pure magic. Just when you thought you were safe from the groove, the band lays it on you again with the next song "Tag of War." Huge, deep foundation will pull you down into its core. Shin Terai's beat and Laswell's effects are staggering. The little funky sounds infect the song with musical pixie dust. Buckethead's lead guitar is out of this world. The keys at the end of the song are awesome.

Skopelitis rhythm in "Dream Catcher" mesmerizes me and then Bucket slices his electric guitar in like a machete. Worrell's organ synthesizer or clavinet makes some unusual pretty sounds in this track. Four and a half minutes in Buckethead blasts off into the heavens with astonishing lead playing. "From Texas" is funky, with Worrell's organ dominating the sound. (fearsmag)

TRACKLIST

1 Clue 1:59 

2 Dinner Of Heaven 7:46 

3 Emotional Intelligence 7:25 

4 Dusk 7:18 

5 Tug Of War 8:15 

6 Dream Catcher 7:52 

7 From Texas 8:10

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Limbomaniacs – Stinky Grooves (1990)

With the Red Hot Chili Peppers' ascension in the 1980s, it became downright fashionable in "alternative rock" circles to combine rock and funk. One of the better funk-rock releases of the early '90s was the Limbomaniacs' Stinky Grooves -- an inspired fusion of P-Funk, Washington D.C.-style go-go, rap and hard rock/heavy metal. Drawing on influences ranging from Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix to Parliament/Funkadelic to Trouble Funk to Public Enemy and Run-D.M.C., the sweaty, intense band is much more individualistic and recognizable than many of its peers. Though the Limbomaniacs sometimes employ sampling, they do so sparingly and are far more reliant on "real instruments" than technology. Bootsy Collins and Maceo Parker appears as distingushed guests on Stinky Grooves, a CD that should have enjoyed much recognition, but sadly, was all but ignored. allmusic

TRACKLIST

1 Butt Funkin'
Vocals – Bootsy Collins
2 Maniac 
3 Freestyle
Saxophone – Maceo Parker
4 Porno
5 Shake It
Percussion – T-Bone 
6 That's The Way
Saxophone – Maceo Parker
7 The Toilet's Flooded
Lyrics By – Bosco, Cobwebz
8 Pavlov's Frothing Dogs
Saxophone – Maceo Parker

FLAC