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Product Description
Review
Fans of New Zealand's most critically acclaimed band since The Clean have had a lengthy wait for the follow-up to their gorgeous international debut of 2005, Based on a True Story.
Wellington-based 'seven-headed soul monster' Fat Freddy’s Drop are renowned for taking their time to distil onstage jams into meticulously crafted studio creations, and once again that approach has paid off. Dr Boondigga & the Big BW is every bit as good as their last record.
The music is still based firmly in their uniquely sweet, relaxed mix of soul, reggae and jazz, but peppered with diverse new flavours, some obviously picked up on their globetrotting tours. Crucially, none of these novel influences feel like they’ve been forced by fashion, and Fat Freddy's Drop still make music with an unmistakeably South Pacific swing.
With most tracks clocking in at eight or nine minutes, and often traversing several moods, everything is woven into a seamless whole that makes perfect sense as one style flows into another. So it is that The Nod – arguably the album's highlight – somehow incorporates bluesy harmonica, P-funk synth squelches, a rap about food and fishing, and a wonderfully queasy Dixieland jazz cameo, all tied down by a deep, skanking groove.
The epic Shiverman is probably the most radical departure, driven by an organic, dubbed-up house beat, and featuring a fiery performance by lead singer Dallas Tamaira. Big BW airs another new direction, with its trippy broken beat/nu-soul feel rather reminiscent of D'Angelo, while Boondigga is an affectionate homage to producer Willie Mitchell's classic Memphis soul sound, best heard on Al Green's mid-70s albums.
As usual, references to family ties, culinary matters and the sea make up the bulk of the lyrical subjects. And even if Tamaira does rhyme “waters” with “daughters” on the highly aquatic, driving dub of The Raft, the way he chews and savours his words for maximum musicality throughout ensures he's still one of the most soulful singers of his generation.
This is a satisfyingly roosty, late-summer soundtrack, which could make it onto many an end-of-year list. --Jon Lusk
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I have been following FFD for a few years now and been waiting for this to be released eagerly.
Boy was it worth the wait. Asked to describe it to friends I have had to say jazzy, souly and dubby, and each genre flows seamlessly and tightly.
If you like Based On A True Story you'll love this straight out of the box and it gets better with each play.
If you don't know FFD, then give them a go and if you get a chance, see them live. They have recreated the live feel on a studio album real well.
This is a fabulous album!
Boy was it worth the wait. Asked to describe it to friends I have had to say jazzy, souly and dubby, and each genre flows seamlessly and tightly.
If you like Based On A True Story you'll love this straight out of the box and it gets better with each play.
If you don't know FFD, then give them a go and if you get a chance, see them live. They have recreated the live feel on a studio album real well.
This is a fabulous album!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
How can somebody give this 1 star?
Fat Freddy's Drop are simply awesome and this album is no exception.
Some of my favourites are Shiverman, Pull the Catch, The Raft & The Nod.
You must be tone deaf not to like some of these!
Can't wait to see them live again!
Fat Freddy's Drop are simply awesome and this album is no exception.
Some of my favourites are Shiverman, Pull the Catch, The Raft & The Nod.
You must be tone deaf not to like some of these!
Can't wait to see them live again!
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Lots of bands come out with fresh and creative debut albums; the fans and critics love them until their eagerly awaited second album comes out and just thoroughly disappoints. Luckily for us FFD fans, this is well and truly not the case here! 'Dr. Boondigga & the Big BW' seems, to me, to represent a whole new depth for the band.
Listening back to 'Based on a true story' after replaying and replaying 'Dr. B...' it is so apparent that they have been working really hard on these compositions. They've really honed in on that fusion of eclectic elements/genres that make up their original sound. Apart from anything else, FFD have really stepped up their production quality, too. Worldwide, they are renowned for their weighty 'dub' sound, with throbbing bass lines and reggae off-beat bass drum grooves. But there is something else about the 'depth' that seems to emanate from this album. FFD seem to have fallen into a deep, rhythmical stupor on many of these tracks- almost as if, when they were jamming the material for this album, their producer had to say to them, finally: "Guys, it's a wonderful groove, but you'll have to cut it down from 18 minutes to at least 8!".
I suppose, if there was one criticism I would make about this album it would be that some of the tracks seem to be extended longer than necessary. Track 6, "the Camel", for example, which features the warm harmonies of the guest vocalist, Alice Russell, seems to have an unnecessary 4 mins tagged onto the end. I actually bought this album on the strength of watching a YouTube video of this track but was really surprised when listening to the album that the song continues on for an extra 4 minutes after the YouTube-'radio edit'- finishes. I can't really work out why they've released this track at the length it is...it works really well as a 5 minute track. Why the extra 4 minutes? I suppose this would allude to what some of the other reviewers have said about this album being "aimless" at times...
On the other hand, however, track 2 ("Shiverman") - which weighs in at a whopping 10 minutes 36 seconds (!)- seems to take us on a real voyage. We get sucked into the pulsating rhythms and just as the bass and various synth effects, cow bell etc starts to make us feel really heady, in comes a signature FFD horn line, completely elevating the track! I'm sure that the DJs buying this album will be rubbing their hands together with the various 'clubby' beats for their decks, too! Elsewhere on the album we get a different kind feeling from the more orthodox 'song' based tracks, such as 'Boondigga' (track 3) itself and 'Pull the Catch' (track 5) and this is where "Dr. Boondigga" as really distinguishes itself as a second album. This is where we get much more of a mature sound in comparison to 'Based on a true story' and it is what makes us thirsty for more...
Let's just hope that FFD 'don't leave it too late' before the next album...!
Listening back to 'Based on a true story' after replaying and replaying 'Dr. B...' it is so apparent that they have been working really hard on these compositions. They've really honed in on that fusion of eclectic elements/genres that make up their original sound. Apart from anything else, FFD have really stepped up their production quality, too. Worldwide, they are renowned for their weighty 'dub' sound, with throbbing bass lines and reggae off-beat bass drum grooves. But there is something else about the 'depth' that seems to emanate from this album. FFD seem to have fallen into a deep, rhythmical stupor on many of these tracks- almost as if, when they were jamming the material for this album, their producer had to say to them, finally: "Guys, it's a wonderful groove, but you'll have to cut it down from 18 minutes to at least 8!".
I suppose, if there was one criticism I would make about this album it would be that some of the tracks seem to be extended longer than necessary. Track 6, "the Camel", for example, which features the warm harmonies of the guest vocalist, Alice Russell, seems to have an unnecessary 4 mins tagged onto the end. I actually bought this album on the strength of watching a YouTube video of this track but was really surprised when listening to the album that the song continues on for an extra 4 minutes after the YouTube-'radio edit'- finishes. I can't really work out why they've released this track at the length it is...it works really well as a 5 minute track. Why the extra 4 minutes? I suppose this would allude to what some of the other reviewers have said about this album being "aimless" at times...
On the other hand, however, track 2 ("Shiverman") - which weighs in at a whopping 10 minutes 36 seconds (!)- seems to take us on a real voyage. We get sucked into the pulsating rhythms and just as the bass and various synth effects, cow bell etc starts to make us feel really heady, in comes a signature FFD horn line, completely elevating the track! I'm sure that the DJs buying this album will be rubbing their hands together with the various 'clubby' beats for their decks, too! Elsewhere on the album we get a different kind feeling from the more orthodox 'song' based tracks, such as 'Boondigga' (track 3) itself and 'Pull the Catch' (track 5) and this is where "Dr. Boondigga" as really distinguishes itself as a second album. This is where we get much more of a mature sound in comparison to 'Based on a true story' and it is what makes us thirsty for more...
Let's just hope that FFD 'don't leave it too late' before the next album...!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great back ground party music
We first heard this CD at a bar in Portugal. We were having a great time and this music made it even better. The best music is always that one track you like at the time. Read more
Published 6 months ago by HaggisFanClub
Gets better and better the more you listen!
Although the album starts in a less than upbeat way, it builds up to a tour de force that gets you in the groove in a very natural way. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Kolka
Absolutely Superb
Another fantastic album from Fat Freddy's. At least as good as the last album. This has a number of stand out tracks and is a consistent pleasure. Read more
Published 17 months ago by TLP
Great Album, Fast Delivery and Great Condition.
Fat Freddy's Drop as always serve up some great sounds, a noticeably different style to 'Based on a True Story' but still good ole' fat freddy's. Read more
Published 22 months ago by A. Tollan
A good follow up, even if a bit inconsistent
I loved Fat Freddy's Drop's first album "Based on a True Story". Every track on the album was great and I listened to the whole album many times. Read more
Published on 11 April 2010 by consumer0001
Recommended
I have their first, love it, and I like this as much or more. I've got four stand-out tracks but I dig the whole thing. Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2010 by B. Marshall
well worth it.
I have never bothered to write a review before as I dont really take into account what other people say about albums as everyone has diferent tastes, but for someone to give this... Read more
Published on 21 Jan 2010 by Matt
Bring it on!
Lovin the new album. More upbeat than 'Based on a True Story' but the tunes are still as funky as ever. Read more
Published on 19 Oct 2009 by J. Norris
Dropped
I am a great fan of FFD and Based on a True Story. Bought them, seen them, relaxed with them at home at played them to great rooms at parties. Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2009 by S. Denness
A little disappointed
I had heard a lot about Fat freddy's from friends so when I bought this album I was pretty disappointed, I've heard other albums which are much better though so just go for one of... Read more
Published on 7 Sep 2009 by J. T. Arrowsmith
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