Courtesy Alex Seif/ Union Entertaiment Group
Suburban Legends – “Infectious” Download (Right click and select “Save Link As”)
Suburban Legends have carved an interesting niche as probably the only ska/disco/funk band ever. This California band seamlessly blends these eclectic styles to form music that surpasses the genre of real danceable musisc to incredibly danceable music. You might not want to listen to this band in the library just in case you’re driven to a public display of embarrassing dancing.
In fact, the band’s 2006 release, Dance Like Nobody’s Watching, encourages just that. The album features tracks with light, fun, straightforward lyrics about dancing and partying set to funky rambling bass, bright guitar strumming and swelling horn blasts.
On “Hey DJ,” lead singer Vincent Walker sings, “Hey hey DJ / Come on play the record I like / Ain’t no stoppin’ body rockin’ / ’Til the morning light.” These lyrics aren’t going to change the world or inspire political discussion, but they sure are fun.
Walker also has a surprisingly impressive voice for the lead singer of a ska-rock band. In the chorus of “Come Back Home,” he hits high notes that would turn Justin Timberlake green with envy.
The group has developed the disco and funk elements even further in its latest release, Infectious, downplaying some of the ska and rock elements in previous albums to highlight its disco sound a little more. The album and title track are not misleadingly named. The catchy chorus is sure to bounce around your head for hours. However, the departure from the sestet’s rock and ska roots makes some songs on the album sound too much like pop and sometimes they come off as being just plain hokey.
But listening to their records doesn’t even begin to compare to the experience of seeing Suburban Legends live. They light up the stage, exploding with overpowering enthusiasm. Their shows feature intricately synchronized dance moves that would give OK Go and their treadmills a run for their money. Funny banter provides great transitions between their energetic songs that force the audience into frenzied dancing.
Suburban Legends’ fun, funky and energetic blend of music provide the perfect soundtrack for your preparation for a crazy night out. But even more fun are they’re overwhelmingly enthusiastic live shows that transform the audience into a dance club.
—By Entertainment Blog Editor Alex Blum
