Search - Soulive :: Up Here

Up Here
Soulive
Up Here
Genres: Jazz, Pop, R&B, Rock
 
  •  Track Listings (9) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (6) - Disc #2

March 2009 marks Soulive's 10th Anniversary, ten years since Eric Krasno, Alan Evans and his brother Neal Evans got together for the first time at a home studio just outside of Woodstock, NY and recorded Get Down. — Over th...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Soulive
Title: Up Here
Members Wishing: 2
Total Copies: 0
Label: TVT Records
Original Release Date: 1/1/2009
Re-Release Date: 7/7/2009
Genres: Jazz, Pop, R&B, Rock
Styles: Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo, Funk, Soul, Jam Bands, Rock Jam Bands
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 687480081929

Synopsis

Product Description
March 2009 marks Soulive's 10th Anniversary, ten years since Eric Krasno, Alan Evans and his brother Neal Evans got together for the first time at a home studio just outside of Woodstock, NY and recorded Get Down.
Over the past 10 years, Soulive has covered a lot of ground musically and literally.
The band has traveled to nearly every corner of the world, touring Ghana, Russia, nearly all of Europe, Brazil, and Japan (nine times!). They' ve been across America on dozens of tours. New Orleans Jazz Fest has become a home away from home. And in their actual home, New York City, they are closing in on their 100th show.
Not many bands can say they've recorded with Chaka Khan, Dave Matthews, Talib Kweli and John Scofield. Nor can many bands open for The Rolling Stones on one tour and have Stevie Wonder sit in with them on the next tour. Jazz, hip-hop, rock, soul, funk, R & B, blues-- musically, there is not much the band hasn't done.
In developing their own history, Soulive has been in the company of legends both new and old. In 2000, Bruce Lundvall signed the band to Blue Note Records and Soulive became part of recorded music's greatest jazz legacy. Six years later, Soulive would be the first band signed to the new incarnation of Stax Records, joining the incredible soul tradition built by Isaac Hayes, Sam and Dave, and Otis Redding.
Soulive has always been creatively restless, never content to ride a sound (or a look) for too long. Consistent through all of the different line-ups, though, was the groove Neal's club-shaking left hand pounding out bass lines, Alan's ride cymbal propelling the music forward, and Eric's solos soaring on top.
Now unencumbered by a record contract and fully equipped with a state-of-the-art recording studio, Soulive is embracing the new music business model by launching their own record label, Royal Family Records. With a focus on digital distribution, the label will be an outlet for all Soulive recordings as well as numerous Soulive affiliated projects.
Soulive will launch their label with the release of their new studio effort Up Here. The LP was recorded in Alan's new studio in Hatfield, Mass in the fall of 2008. This is the Soulive album I've always wanted to record, it's what I've been hearing in my head for years, says Alan, who also tracked and mixed the record. It's like when people say if I could go back in time knowing what I know now. Well, that's what we did with Up Here. The session had the vibe and energy of Get Down but with all of our experiences from the past 10 years put down on tape in a very meaningful way.
The record's opening track Upright immediately sets the tone with a completely infectious hook featuring Neal on an old upright piano. There are some nods to the old-school on the record. For Granted is a tip of the hat to Grant Green, and Eric plays licks reminiscent of his early solos on Get Down and Turn It Out. Guest vocalist Nigel Hall tears it up on Too Much while Eric's guitar sings like D'Angelo on the laid-back grind of Put on Yo Pajamas. The entire record features tight horn arrangements from long-time Soulive collaborators and friends, Sam Kininger and Ryan Zoidis.
No matter how you listen to Up Here, it sounds like you're listening to vintage vinyl. One of the most difficult things about making a record with a great live band is capturing all that live energy while still making the record that's about songs. Up Here does as good a job as any record could in accomplishing this. Straight up, says Alan, this is the first Soulive album that I can say every tune on it is my favorite on the album.

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CD Reviews

Nostalgic Progression
A. Rodriguez | Rock Hill, SC United States | 04/21/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Quick & Dirty:



Soulive returns with a gritty, soulful, funky musical statement that's sure to please.



The Lowdown:



After the experimentation that was "No Place Like Soul", the legendary jazz/soul outfit Soulive strips down to the basics to produce a musical statement that's as familiar as an old 12" and at the same time fresh as the sunrise.



First of all, the mixes on "Up Here" are extraordinary, taking the lo-fi feel of earlier work ("Get Down") and adding the slightest gloss to it to keep things interesting. The panning of similar elements vary from track to track, so things feel less predictable and more like each track is its own little universe. The vocal mixes are excellent, too, with Nigel Hall's work feeling like it is work that was recorded contemporaneously with Sam Cooke and James Brown. As a result, "Up Here" crackles with urgent intensity and unbridled creative energy.



The composition and instrumentation is exactly what we would expect from such a technically sound outfit: sharp, expressive, subtle and intelligent. No one overplays, and even the solos (as outstanding as they are) are kept to a minimum bar count to let the rest of the music breathe and groove. The core ingredients of Soulive (Alan on drums; Neal on bass keys and organ, clavinet and upright piano; Kraz on guitars) do what they do best: interplay, support and compliment. The extraneous elements (the Shady Horns and the afoementioned Hall on vocals) add that little extra garnish to put the project over the top. Just a really pleasing listen all around.



A few outstanding tracks are the hip-hop soul of "The Swamp", the 60's groove of "Too Much", and the slinky flow of "PJs".



That is not to say, though, that "Up Here" is perfect. While "Too Much" is a great blend of old soul, emotive vocals and thoughtful lyrics, "Tonight" shows how easily the same approach can fall flat if not executed well. With its forced vocals (someone should pay James Browns' estate royalties for Hall's plagiarism), trite lyrics and confusing phrasing, "Tonight"'s only saving grace is the groove that takes the song out.



And "Prototype", a cover of Andre 3000's outstanding song from "The Love Below", is uncharacteristically mediocre. Soulive's rendition doesn't take anything off the table, but doesn't bring anything to the table, either. What made Andre 3000's version work was the simple approach: sparse hip hop drums, flowing bassline and the laissez faire, proudly imperfect approach to the vocal work (a la The Ohio Players' Sugarfoot). On Soulive's attempt, the drums drive, but are reverb-heavy, so you lose the crispness of the groove; Hall's vocals are a little weak and vibrato-heavy in the falsetto range; and towards the end the song gets a little muddy, but is rescued by Kraz' flowing solo into the fade. Yes, it's different, and I would rather not have a carbon-copy done when it comes to covering existing compositions, but I was expecting something more, something greater.



The Bottom Line:



Self-produced and recorded, "Up Here" takes a familiar formula (tight arrangements, energetic delivery, amazing solos) and seasons it just right with accentuating elements (funky horn licks, a smidge of vocals), producing a well-rounded and engaging piece of work.



Welcome back fellas. We missed you."
The DVD is the real jewel here...
FenderBender | 09/08/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great package. The CD is loaded with new Soulive grooves and a mix that takes me back a few years, before overproduction became the norm for a large part of the recording industry. This CD has got some definitive groove moments here. Nigel's voice on the vocal tracks is superb. The mix is good and the horns add a great dimension. But the real jewel here is the DVD. This DVD is a cooker. The film work and the sound quality are spot on. I own a lot of music DVD's and this ranks near the top of my list. The band is TIGHT and when the horns kick in, WATCH OUT!! Everybody does great work on this DVD. But the standout in my opinion is Neal Evans. He does double duty -- bass keyboard and Hammond B-3. His bass lines are off the chart and so funky, I can't stand still. True, I'd prefer he play a true B-3 pedal board but whatever, you can't have it all. This package is a must buy for any Soulive, jazz-funk, etc. music lovers.

"
Amazing album, Amazing Art
K. Russo | Fairfield, Ct. United States | 04/16/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Soulive is definitely back with this album. Could be considered one of the best by them. I'm really digging the album art too, very creative compared to their previous ones. This could be a new beginning for this band."