New ESG Album

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There appears to be a new ESG album out tomorrow on Soul Jazz called 'Step Off'. Anybody heard it yet? Is it everything a new ESG album should be, or merely great?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Sunday, 1 September 2002 16:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I've not heard it but a friend who is a major ESG fan says its very short but very good.

― tigerclawskank, Monday, 2 September 2002 07:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I said - NEW ESG ALBUM!!!!!!!

Anyone out there!

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Monday, 2 September 2002 08:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I heard "My Street" (the first single) a few months ago, and quite liked it. I thought it was far better than the more recent ESG songs tacked onto the end of A South Bronx Story. That's all I got.

― Vic Funk, Monday, 2 September 2002 12:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm going to have to get this, love the compilation I bought a few years ago, thanks for the heads-up.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Monday, 2 September 2002 19:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Time Out New York gave it a glowing review--said it was better than anyone could have hoped for...

― Mary (Mary), Monday, 2 September 2002 19:54 (twenty-two years ago)

it's fab! unmistakably esg but a leap forward at the same time. 9/10

― stirmonster, Tuesday, 3 September 2002 08:57 (twenty-two years ago)

oh yeah, and for some reason the guitar playing keeps making me think of 'script for the bridge' by the chameleons!

― stirmonster, Tuesday, 3 September 2002 09:10 (twenty-two years ago)

three years pass...

from: http://www.souljazzrecords.co.uk/index.php
The legendary ESG return with a new single and album and a tour of Europe, Japan and the UK. The single "Insane" is released 29 May (with a very few limited promos available here)and the album "Keep On Moving" is released on Soul Jazz Records in July. Tour dates are:
May 26: FRANCE-Lyon - Nuits Sonores Festival.
May 28: FR-Paris - Fondation Cartier,
May 31: PORTUGAL -Porto - Casa Da Musica,
June 1st: PORTUGAL-Lisbon – Lux,
June 2nd: SPAIN-Barcelona - Primavera Sound Festival.
June 12: Unit, Tokyo
June 13: Unit, Tokyo
June 14: Unit, Tokyo
June 16: Noon, Osaka
UK Tour follows in September.

― lf (lfam), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 06:25 (nineteen years ago)

i had no idea about 'step off,' so this is a very big surprise for me. i knew they were playing out again, but this? should i be excited? how was step off?

― lf (lfam), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 06:26 (nineteen years ago)

'step off' was ok. it had a few great moments. but live, they are still on fire.

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 07:29 (nineteen years ago)

Aw Step Off was better than OK, I really liked it!

I'm quite excited about a new album and a UK tour!

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Wednesday, 17 May 2006 12:05 (nineteen years ago)

New single "Insane" is wunderbar.

― Telephonething (Telephonething), Friday, 26 May 2006 03:36 (nineteen years ago)

the snippet at the souljazz site sounds great.

is the ESG on this bootleg off the new album? or is it some hip-hop ESG i dont know about?

― grady (grady), Friday, 26 May 2006 03:47 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=11:h9881vd1zzva

― Telephonething (Telephonething), Friday, 26 May 2006 04:36 (nineteen years ago)

thanks.

― grady (grady), Friday, 26 May 2006 05:57 (nineteen years ago)

with hindsight Step Off wasn't very good, and I can't say that the snippet of Insane moves me either. Pity.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Friday, 26 May 2006 06:10 (nineteen years ago)

The clip of "Insane" on their site sounds great.

― Dr. Rodney's Original Savannah Band (R. J. Greene), Friday, 26 May 2006 07:16 (nineteen years ago)

UK Tour follows in September.

WOOHOO!! I'm there. They were excpetional at KOKO last year.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Friday, 26 May 2006 08:56 (nineteen years ago)

I'll file this under "strangely satisfying Dr. C turnaround"

― Twitchety Twitch Manic Toy System (Bimble...), Saturday, 27 May 2006 07:18 (nineteen years ago)

I think the new album is great. Very, very funky and groovy. Fantastic, repetitive bass lines and great production. Great to dance to.

― Harpal (harpal), Wednesday, 31 May 2006 05:13 (eighteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

repetitive bass lines and great production.

"Repetitive" being the key word. This might be the most repetitive album I've ever heard, not neccesarily a terrible thing. Very VERY stripped-down, dry, and minimal as well. Makes some tracks from the South Bronx comp sound like Phil Spector productions.

― Mark (MarkR), Monday, 26 June 2006 20:28 (eighteen years ago)

whoa, sounds awesome

― lf (lfam), Monday, 26 June 2006 20:35 (eighteen years ago)

i think this is great

― Bea Arthur - Lost COmic GEnius ? (dubplatestyle), Monday, 26 June 2006 20:38 (eighteen years ago)

Do you think the drums on "Insane (Bass Mix)" are real? I can't believe anyone can play that robotically.

― Mark (MarkR), Monday, 26 June 2006 20:55 (eighteen years ago)

They could be quantized in post-production.

― It's Rodney, now in amazing 2-D! (R. J. Greene), Monday, 26 June 2006 21:21 (eighteen years ago)

i think the whole album uses programmed drums which seems odd when they have a powerhouse drummer who plays like a machine to begin with. it is possible they are triggered drum sounds played live but i'm sure this is all sequenced. track 1 - 'purely physical' is fantastic.

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 01:01 (eighteen years ago)

I was going to ask this (whether the drums were programmed). It seems an odd move, to replace the most distinctive element of your sound.

I was underwhelmed by Insane on first listen, but it works. I'd like to hear it out.

It really is minimal. Two note bassline all the way through that thye somehow build a song structure around. I also like the way the two mixes (bass mix and tambourine mix) are EXACTLY the same, apart from a tambourine playing an unchanging rhythm all the way through the latter. Lovely mint green sleeve, two.

― Jamie T Smith (Jamie T Smith), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 11:17 (eighteen years ago)

thye = they
two = too

Sorry! (You wouldn't know I was a sub-editor, would you?)

― Jamie T Smith (Jamie T Smith), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 11:18 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, going from memory here, but I don't remember a single tom-tom roll or crash cymbal on the entire record, which is pretty weird for ESG!

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 11:22 (eighteen years ago)

Where In The World Is Valerie Scroggins?

― It's Rodney, now in amazing 2-D! (R. J. Greene), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 18:22 (eighteen years ago)

the sleeve credits valerie scroggins with drums, percussion, timbales and backing vocals. i swear there isn't a timbale on there!

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 18:55 (eighteen years ago)

Oh yes there are. Short (and actually quite standard-ish) bursts on Keep On Moving. Love the record, bit taken aback at Ex's trad-loungey vibe and lyrical obsessiveness but why the hell not.

― blunt (blunt), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 19:01 (eighteen years ago)

i stand corrected. will go re listen.

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 19:53 (eighteen years ago)

one month passes...

I really liked Step Off, so I had high hopes for Keep On Moving, but I'm a bit underwhelmed by this on first listen. Maybe it'll be the kind of record that takes a while to get into, I certainly don't hate it.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Friday, 28 July 2006 09:34 (eighteen years ago)

This is pretty good. I love how low the bass on some songs is, like you-can-only-hear-it-with-a-good-system low. Some of the drums do sound programmed as someone mentioned earlier. The only song that doesn't work is the piano ballad.

― It's Rodney, currently unemployed! (R. J. Greene), Friday, 28 July 2006 19:34 (eighteen years ago)

i am still disappointed in the programmed drums. i like robotic playing but minimalism is so much more interesting when there is an element of randomness, however miniscule, for it to highlight. maybe some live recordings of these songs will rekindle the love.

― a name means a lot just by itself (lfam), Friday, 28 July 2006 20:03 (eighteen years ago)

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