22 Nov 2024
Blue River Baby - Single Review: Black Yard Town
19 Feb 2019 // A review by Trevor Faville
The Blue River Baby band have been working and evolving in Wellington for the last two years or so, and this tune is a clear representation of the style and sound that they have developed. Black Yard Town moves through a range of tempo and dynamic
changes in a funk/ soul context, with an arrangement that is in one way tight and at the same time fluid.
You can hear the band working together in this recording, there is a real sense of experienced performers who understand the concepts of dynamics and groove, and how to add flavour with improvisation.
The end result is powerful, and confident. Kudos to Blue River Baby for releasing this song-as a “single”- that is 7 minutes long. It's an emphatic musical statement, and It requires a full listen (right to the very end!). Any edits that would cut the time down a traditional 3 minute format would do the song a grave disservice.
This is certainly a band that would be worth seeing live, and this release categorically demonstrates their collective impact and skills.
Rating:
( 4 / 5 )
About Blue River Baby
The bands self-titled debut album was recorded with Dr. Lee Prebble who has been instrumental in projects from L.A.B. and The Black Seeds. Released 2019 B.R.B's first album hit #1 on the NZ Indie (IMNZ) Top 20 Album Chart and #8 on the Official NZ Music Top 20 Album Chart, and held three weeks in both charts in the company iconic acts like L.A.B., Six60, BENEE, Drax Project, Troy Kingi, Katchafire & Aldous Harding.
B.R.B received a bunch of ongoing commercial and student radio play around NZ 2019 and into 2020. In March 2020 they re-entered the (IMNZ) Top 20 Album Chart at #12.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Blue River Baby
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