Analog Son is a super funky band comprised of Josh Fairman (SunSquabi) on bass and Jordan Linit on guitar joined by complementary artists for recording. “Keep It Coming” is a shimmy-shaking, earth-quaking ride. It’s their first full release since Funky Mother in 2018 (Funky Mother Review), which was also a killer album. In addition to the two founders, veterans Joe Tatton (The New Mastersounds) on keyboards and Neal Evans (Dopapod) join the mix, as well as stellar guest musicians on each track including songstress Adryon de León, trumpeters Eric “Benny” Bloom (Lettuce) and Gabe Mervine (The Motet), and saxophonist Nick Gerlach who all make standout contributions.
Here’s my track by track coverage of Analog Son’s “Keep It Coming” and the full range of funkiness embodied within. (Liner notes from the three singles included in the box).
Track-By-Track
Crystal Mind is a great kickoff number, with a a major horn intro led by Gabe Mervine on trumpet. Josh’s bass line is booming, and Jordan’s guitar is lyrical and cinematic. Jordan has a nasty solo halfway that segues into a more spacey, zooming synth section. Towards the end, a sax solo emerges, and it spars with the guitar right up to the finish.
To the Moon and Back starts with a volley between the drums and horns and slides into the main theme led by Linit on guitar. Each break falls back to the drum and horn opening line. Midway there’s a break that leads into Eric “Benny” Bloom’s marvelous trumpet solo here. He starts with a free-flowing jazzy tune that soars into the stratosphere by the end with stellar fingerwork and control. It’s an album highlight for sure.
The instrumental jazz-funk single was recorded at Flóki Studios in Iceland and features Lettuce trumpeter Eric “Benny” Bloom. “To The Moon and Back” has a hard-hitting feel with strong guitar licks from Jordan Linit, paired with an impressive trumpet solo from Bloom. The single tastefully blends elements of funk and jazz with nods to legends such as Tower of Power and The Meters.
Insatiable is a lush, extremely catchy, disco-funk tune. For music historians, it has a Corey Daye – Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band feel. Adryon de León (formerly of Orgōne) is a long-time favorite and she shines here with buttery, crystal clear vocals. The band is also superb with great work all-around from the horns, guitar and rhythm section.
“Insatiable” features vocalist Adryon de León on this powerful funk single. The upbeat and driving track captured at Floki Studios in Iceland includes a expert lineup of musicians, including The New Mastersounds keyboardist Joe Tatton and Dopapod drummer Neal Evans, in addition to the core duo of bassist Josh Fairman and Linit.
Keep It Coming is a funk vehicle with a heavy bass line intro worthy of SunSquabi. This one sounds like it could be out of Bootsy Collins’ catalog with the spacey synth work a la Bernie Worrell. The horn work is sharp, including a light-touch sax solo. The guitar solo midway brings a bit of psychedelia to the table. It’s power funk all the way through.
Take Me starts with a major horn chorus that drops down to the drum-bass-guitar foundation for a short bit before the horns return as the main theme delivery vehicle. Joe Tatton and Neal Evans work well together for brief interludes between horn sections. As mentioned in the notes, there’s a Wong-like guitar riff before another slinky trumpet solo that rides to the fade out.
“Take Me” is an upbeat and tightly arranged instrumental funk track. The single highlights organ licks from Joe Tatton (The New Mastersounds), tight drum grooves from Neal Evans (Dopapod), as well as a clean and funky guitar guitar break a la Cory Wong from Jordan Linit.
Suspended Animation is one of the slower tunes on the album, befitting its title. The break features the outstanding keyboard work of Ian Gilley (Flamingosis). The focal point for this tune is the horn work. The tenor solo midway is mellifluous, and it gives way to a scintillating trumpet solo that closes it out.
This Time Around again features Adryon de León, and she crushes it. The tune is danceable, has catchy lyrics, and has a 1000-watt bass line. The backing vocals are a nice throwback touch. The piano solo break is bright and airy. It’s followed by a terrific sax solo from Nick Gerlach up to the ascending closeout.
Freekionomous is a derivative crossing Parliament/Funkadelic and Lettuce. It’s got a freaky-deeky bass line and a locked-in cruising horn line. The pocket is as deep as it gets on this booty-shaking ride. The midway break gets low and it’s interjected with some affected trumpet and fuzzed guitar work from Linit.
King James has a really jiggly foundation laid down by Evans, Linit and Fairman and a great horn theme. The highlight is a masterful tenor solo from Nick Gerlach. He’s super funky every time out. The successive organ and guitar solos that follow all add to the cauldron of funk. Neal Evans even gets to take a couple of turns at the end.
The Amber Door is another deep funk tune with a classic bass line, ray-gun synth, and jangly guitar. Faiman gets the bop-gun synth revved up, sending out missiles and lasers at the break. Of course, the horn work is top-notch and melds in perfectly. For the closeout, we get some prog rock guitar work coupled with a great horn chorus and hard-hitting drum work. Outstanding way to finish!
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