My last post to this blog was back in December 2023. Not coincidentally, this is when I started as volunteer music reporter for the Evanston Roundtable. Digging into the local music scene and writing several thousand words each week gobbled up my free time and fulfilled my need to tell stories about music and musicians. I woke up a couple of days ago and realized - I missed my good ol' blog.
It should be easy enough to write some stuff that complements my efforts as a music reporter. I've decided to inflict my extremely quirky musical recommendations upon readers of this blog. To keep this manageable, I will restrict myself to one track each week. I'll publish on Humpday, which is today.
Today's Humpday Happytrack is Procrastination by the Slickophonics. Click on the link and check it out.
What do I love about this track? Well, it is an intense funk shuffle, very heavy on the syncopated horn riffs. There is awesome trombone work - Ray Anderson is the trombonist's name, and he really knows how to work a plunger mute! I also love the lyrics - the tune opens with a spoken word intro that defines procrastination as "irreplaceably and irrevocably continuing to gaze at one's navel," Ray Anderson is also the lead singer on this track, and his vocal style is a cross between a carnival barker and your drunken uncle at the end of the wedding reception. Hey, it works!
Slickophonics was an innovative proto-funk band that had five members - Ray Anderson on trombone & vocals, Steve Elson on sax and keyboards, Allan Jaffe on guitar & vocals, Mark Helias on bass & vocals, and Jim Payne on drums and vocals. The band was popular in Europe - they toured extensively in the 1980's. This is loose-jointed funk with a touch of anarchy - not clean and precise like the Vulfpeck version of funk. I love it!
All of Slickophonics tracks stand up under repeated listening. This group wasn't famous and only lasted for a few years, but they created awesome music! Enjoy it, and tell your friends!!
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