James Villa– By Danielle Longueville –
Push Play
Denton, Texas: A city known for its “keep it local” mentality, thrives on raw, unprecedented creations courtesy of their residents. From local eateries and home roasters to indie pop artists and techno fiends, there is an eclectic foliage of artisans here. However, there is a group of some seriously sexy ladies and gentleman who are sticking to their classic roots we all know and love, the roots of funk. Seasoned members of the local music scene in good ol’ Denton, West and the Grooves have a–for lack of a better word–groovy, way of easing their listeners down the road to some seriously tasty jams. This past week these wicked guy and gals released their debut album Serious Whip, an album chock-full of slow grooves, voluptuous vocals and full-toned bass lines.
TRACK-BY-TRACK
Nicotine Brains
If you are a recent survivor of your fifth (or fifteenth) attempt to drop that Nicotine Queen, this song is not for you. Nicotine Brains tells the story many smokers can relate to: Up Tobacco Creek without an American Spirit Paddle. The deeply laden vocals, courtesy of Synth-player Kate Vance, warm the listeners’ ears as she searches for that quick fix. The highly melodic saxophone of Dakota Goode layered with Julia Manson’s funky bass lines tastefully compliments the overall feel of this laid-back groove.
Funky Bird
Our groovy ladies kick up the tempo for this Funkadelic Foul. We’re introduced to Michelle Mitchell’s brassy, reverb-driven vocalizations alongside lead guitarist Tessa Kisielewski’s wah-some licks. This head-bobbin’ tune will pick you up off your feet and set you off to Skank the night away.
Morning Time
This track is about as sexy as its gets, y’all. A tale of two lovers enjoying the sweet sentiments of a morning spent together, the talents of each band mate are perfectly showcased to deliver an overall sublime work of art. The duo work of guitarist and singer Ally Barnes and Ms. Mitchell caress your eardrums like soft sheets, while Grey Vracin’s unfaltering drum beats pull you along with every recurring break of dawn for this pair of lovebirds.
