Fraudprophets: Poptosis

Seen regularly on TV as the drummer on The Voice in America, Nate Morton is a hugely in demand percussionist who has teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Sean Halley to create the quintessentially quirky funk fusion of Fraudpropets, a project who go out of their way not to live up to their album name of Poptosis. The beats and rhythms may well be key here, but it’s the bass that often rules the roost as deep rooted lines burrow and bulge their way to the fore and allow the piercing guitar work from Halley to push its way into focus. Along the way Oz Noy turns in a trademark guitar foray on “The Phlebotomist�, where he takes things in a new direction that adds a welcome flavour to what can too often feel like a singularly pointed excursion.

B3 player Matt Rohde also lends a hand or two on the opening four encounters before packing up his talents and heading off into the distance. His presence being missed later on, even though Oz Noy and a couple of other guests do move in to fill the spaces left behind. Wilfully experimental in places without ever really pushing new boundaries the likes of “Moths & Mosquitos� manage to convey their instrumental intentions but the all too literal “Sad People Music� feels as lacking for insight as its title suggests.

However, when things click, the really do come together and there’s no denying the technique and skill on show throughout, even if, as an album, it doesn’t always quite hang together as you hope it would.

I must admit that I’ve found Poptosis to be just a little less exciting than its constituent parts often promise and no matter how many times I step back into this world it all feels just a little too forced for me to fully immerse in. That said, the musicianship is stellar and there’s no doubt that all involved seem to have had a blast putting this album in place. If that feels like enough to snag your ear then you may well be able to unlock this playful conundrum of an album in a way that I never really have.

Track Listing
1. I Think I Just Said That
2. Scrubs
3. Homer’s Journey
4. Moths And Mosquitos
5. Eat A Frog
6. Sad People Music
7. The Phlebotomist
8. Skronktastic
9. The Climb
10. Two Steps Back

Added: December 8th 2019
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Fraudprophets online
Hits: 651
Language: english

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