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Third Coast Kings
Recorded in Ann Arbour and mixed by funk producer Nate Goldentone (Dojo Cuts, The Liberators), Michigan’s finest deep funk combo Third Coast Kings returns with a brand new album. Recorded in Ann Arbour with the full band in one room, a minimum amount of effects, processing and microphones and mixed by much respected funk producer Nate Goldentone (Dojo Cuts, The Liberators), West Grand Boulevard is the awaited new album by Detroit finest deep funk combo Third Coast Kings. Their 2012 self titled debut album made a global impression upon its release, the Kings were invited to Japan to perform at Fuji Rock Festival and gained fans all over the world such as Charles Bradley, Craig Charles (BBC), Kenny Dope and Dj Muro. Now the guys are back with a mission: to carry the torch of Deep Funk heritage across the planet.
Named after one of the city's most wide-reaching thoroughfares, West Grand Boulevard was also Motown's HQ, however here we’re much closer to the dirty jazz-funk sound of the Meters and Lee Dorsey than to the typical "Motown sound". The band decided to pay homage to Detroit, a city of music and muscle, and this is the sound it makes when it flexes. Every track on the album is inspired by the sights, sounds, smells and history of the city. Funky instrumentals range from gas-guzzling burners like Lead Foot, to high strutting cruisers like the title track, West Grand Boulevard. Punch out of work at your back-breaking job to High Tops, then suit up for the club with Errol Flynns. Ice Cream Man is an atmospheric funk caravan, dishing out sweet horn licks, smooth basslines and an organ solo straight from church. The Kings' alternating vocal duo are back as well with the sultry Michelle "The Belle" Camilleri calling all to the dancefloor with her party starter Just Move. Acting as James Brown while the Kings play the part of the JBs, charismatic singer Sean Ike displays his range, telling the tale of legendary hero Jack Johnson in the American anthem I'm A Man and then leads everybody to a jar of honey with stunning deep soul cut Birds & Bees.
Looking to present this history lesson/house party in a raw and real manner, the group enlisted engineer Jim Roll and producer Nate Goldenton to capture the music in the most authentic (and these days, difficult) way possible. This is how Detroit did it in the '60s and'70s, so get to work on that time machine, or just let the Kings take you on a vintage tour of West Grand Boulevard.
Michigan eight-piece Third Coast Kings inhabit a similar musical space to Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings. Like that outfit, Third Coast Kings offer an authentically rasping, horn-heavy, low-slung take on deep funk and soul that shamelessly harks back to the sound's glory days of the 1970s. This sophomore full-length comes two years on from their debut and continues to offer plenty of reasons to be cheerful, from the sax-laden, clav-happy rush of "Turns To Sunshine" and Hammond wig-out "Ice Cream Man", to the hazy, laidback soulfulness of "Birds & Bees" and Meters-ish "Errol Flynns". As you'd expect, West Grand Boulevard features brilliant playing, sympathetic production and dancefloor energy by the bucket load. In other words, it's a fine deep funk album.
THIRD COAST KINGS
You can listen to the best of Third Coast Kings on our Featured Artists Airtime Program on
Mondays, Thursday, Saturday and Sundays at 18h CET on OneLuvFM
West Grand Boulevard
