Can't stop listening to this stuff (funk content)

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BucketBucket Frets: 7751
I posted this track by Vulfpeck a month or two ago:



I was utterly staggered by the bass playing, and remain so. Now I've branched out into the rest of their material and boy oh boy, do they have some good shit. More mental bass playing here - the solo at 3:05 is unbelievable. Love his tone as well. Warm and fat, and sits in the mix perfectly - blends amazingly well with the Rhodes.



But even when he's not going quite as mental, he still sounds great. And the rest of the band - again, wow. Just so, so, so tight and groovy. They all have great individual sounds, which blend into something amazing. Some nice vintage soul vibes here:



In this one, notice that the usual drummer is playing guitar, and the keyboardist (and primary songwriter) is playing drums, and they are just as amazingly tight as ever. Wtf?



And in this one, the drummer is back to playing drums, but is also singing. This track is SO Jackson 5:



They have guest vocalists occasionally - I love this one:




They're so fucking good. I love them.
- "I'm going to write a very stiff letter. A VERY stiff letter. On cardboard."
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Comments

  • mixolydmixolyd Frets: 826
    edited January 2017
    This is great stuff!

    I'm not surprised that they're able to swap instruments: this kind of playing is pretty technically simple (occasionally rapid bass aside) but requires a very developed attention to groove which translates between instruments.  I've never played drums beyond Guitar Hero but when I have borrowed a drummers sticks between songs I sound like the drummers here.  

    The other aspect of their sound is the dampening: everything apart from the keys is either set up to be damped/compressed or is muted by the player.  This is pretty much the most important step to being funky as a collective and why most rock bands can't pull it off like this - they've not done the setup.

    Edit: watched a few more and it gets much more complicated!  Are these mimed to a DAW track, cos they don't seem to be mic'ed for recording?  Wonderfully conceived balance between groovy licks, songlike tunage and jam-esque textures in these arrangements.
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  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16253
    edited January 2017
    I put on the first couple and then put on some The New Mastersounds. Phat and funkay. I'll have to get back to the other clips at some point. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • BucketBucket Frets: 7751
    mixolyd said:
    Edit: watched a few more and it gets much more complicated!  Are these mimed to a DAW track, cos they don't seem to be mic'ed for recording?  Wonderfully conceived balance between groovy licks, songlike tunage and jam-esque textures in these arrangements.
    I'm not sure. Wikipedia says "Recordings are done live with real instruments, and very seldom are different takes cut and mixed".
    - "I'm going to write a very stiff letter. A VERY stiff letter. On cardboard."
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  • I think they mostly use room mics and a ton of compression! Very rare you'll see stuff close mic'd!
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  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24209
    WOW.  ...just WOW.

    Thanks for posting that @Bucket ;
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • mudslide73mudslide73 Frets: 3049
    I put on the first couple and then put on some The New Mastersounds. 
    I had to resist this too Eric. Great post @Bucket their stuff is on Spotify - I will be giving it the beans on the way home from work.
    "A city star won’t shine too far"


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  • NPPNPP Frets: 236
    I'm late to the party as usual but thanks for posting @Bucket - excellent stuff, I enjoyed that. 

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  • That is unreal, what a band.
    Only a Fool Would Say That.
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  • boogiemanboogieman Frets: 12314
    edited January 2017
    Very nice, cheers for posting @Bucket The bass player is superb, think he makes the band that extra bit special, although the others are no slouches. 
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  • JalapenoJalapeno Frets: 6378
    Ta.

    Loved the unison riffs guitar & bass played.
    Imagine something sharp and witty here ......

    Feedback
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  • BucketBucket Frets: 7751
    Bumping because these two songs are unbelievable.

    If you like your Jackson 5 (who doesn't) :



    And if you like your Chic-esque disco, with some mental bass playing:


    - "I'm going to write a very stiff letter. A VERY stiff letter. On cardboard."
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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    @Bucket and anyone else who likes this band - they're playing 2 dates in October at the O2 Brixton Academy (4th & 5th) and 2 dates in Dublin at the Olympia Theatre (1st & 2nd October)

    Cracking band!
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  • robinbowesrobinbowes Frets: 3021
    I thought I recognised the style and sound, and at least one face, and sure enough this is on the same label and features the same bass player, Joe Dart:




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  • BucketBucket Frets: 7751
    edited June 2018
    I thought I recognised the style and sound, and at least one face, and sure enough this is on the same label and features the same bass player, Joe Dart:




    That's fantastic.

    Cory Wong is one of Vulfpeck's regular guests, and Mark Lettieri is in Snarky Puppy. Hell of a line-up they have there...
    - "I'm going to write a very stiff letter. A VERY stiff letter. On cardboard."
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  • robinbowesrobinbowes Frets: 3021
    And the sound - they have their own compressor plugin! See here:

    https://goodhertz.co/vulf-comp
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  • Matt_McGMatt_McG Frets: 321
    Bit of bass solo action:


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  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    Bucket said:
    I thought I recognised the style and sound, and at least one face, and sure enough this is on the same label and features the same bass player, Joe Dart:




    That's fantastic.

    Cory Wong is one of Vulfpeck's regular guests, and Mark Lettieri is in Snarky Puppy. Hell of a line-up they have there...
    Indeed - loving those 3 players at the moment!
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