7/11 's interview >>>

Review of 7/11 new album Hot'n'Funky (2003) >>>

DODGE, SEVEN ELEVEN’s bassist is releasing his second album after his EP ‘Mutronic Injection‘ back in 1998 (This record was followed by ‘Effective Manoeuvers’, another 4-track containing the seeds of the current album) I found hard to digest: you know, Dodge’s bass is as heavy as Bootsy COLLINS’, his idol!!!

With guests mentioned (during the interview in Coutances >>>) like Jara HARRIS from SLAPBAK, it promised the best. Let’s see if the result meets our expectations.

We get down right into it as Jara plays the Guitar and sings on ‘Just Funk’, the first track of this opus… Nowell HASKINS from FUNK’KIN (Fuzz’ son, member of the Parliament clan) kicks off. This introduction gives the musical color of the album: it’s HUGE P-Funk!!! ;o))

LOL !!! Dodge pretends he’s Jam & Lewis ;o))) as he’s sampling himself and also Seven Eleven in ‘Tuned Car Mind (Blow-up mix)’ : it’s good, good, good !!! An irresistible beat, a deep & spotlighted bass (we couldn’t expect less…) a very very efficient horn section = I luv’ it : it’s a must!!!

I’m suddenly quieted down & my body temperature drops while listening to the housy ‘Funky Anarchist ’ with Jewl (Seven Eleven’s singer) on lead vocals. The bass is pulsating tough but ... How can I say ? It’s not one of my favorites ‘cause it’s too electronic dance-music type to my personal taste. ‘Dodgeland’ is a melodious instrumental: it’s only normal for it is played by in the flesh musicians. Indeed, 50% of Seven Eleven’s crew: Dice on guitar, Miguel on saxophone and Captain Hurk on drums… and, excuse me!, three bassists!! This is an abundant supply of groove resources !

‘Heardache’ s overly synthetic atmosphere (à la Jean Michel Jarre who is well-known in France and happens to be Maurice’ son) gives me headaches ;o) (Sorry couldn’t help it!). It’s the kind of housy stuff that I am not really fond of. I won’t linger then.

‘The Struggle’ shares the same sonority with the previous track since the same agitator Oh Jay provides the beats and programming o) But this time the Bpm race and the rhythm have seriously slowed down… It’s another peculiar tune featuring Menace in which I especially like the saxophone solo performed by Miguel from Seven Eleven at the end.

A funky interlude later, comes ‘Eat that Funk Alive’’. With the support of Are MC (Seven Eleven’s Mc), Dodge enacts the ‘National Funkday’. This is the time for him to get back to intense & fat Funk: just the kind I like.

‘Jewl on the Nile’ speaks for itself: it’s the second participation of the singer of Seven Eleven’s. Considering my opinion on ‘Funky Anarchist’ she featured on, my preference goes to what she & Dodge are offering here. There’s something “aggressive & wild” in that one !

!
The first half of ‘This is Dodge’ is cartoonish since voices call out our MC in a rather comical tone before the bass & the keyboards invade the space.

A whole bunch of guests appear in ‘On the Hood’: Gary Shider, Kush Griffith, Fred Wesley, Bootsy Collins… The former three made the horn section arrangements. Even if the tune is good, a more explosive result could have been expected from this ensemble reunion.

‘Talking to the Bass’ is a pleasant aquatic interlude.

Menace comes back into place with ‘Phish Line’ and I find this tune much more convincing ! I really appreciate this mid-tempo that mixes groovy harmonies with talent. A special mention goes out to Captain Hurk and his def Beatring.

Here we go again with the synthetic sound with ‘Mutron Bomb (Incoming Mix)' but I think it sounds much better when Handie Man gives a helping hand to the ‘boss’ !!! Well it’s still a bitsy too housy-housy for me to really wind my body but it’s still Ok.

‘Star Bass Invasion’ closes the album along with ‘Star Child’ an atmospheric ambient ballad (in between Trip Hop & Drum’n’Bass).

In a nutshell, this album is more varied than Seven Eleven’s and keeps exploring the way of a more synthetic Funk (we already had a glimpse of it in ‘Multronic Injection’). Open-minded persons will be satisfied, bass amateurs will be happy. This album grows on you after several listenings.

Dodge definitely has the caliber of an artist like Freekbass under the influence of Bootsy. I must admit I regret the lack of real instrumental parts but as Dodge explained in the interview made in 2001, it always has something to do with the money…

Check out this album and see if you add his personal version of Funk to your top list!

FunkygirlDecember 2003
Traduction : Catwoman

Don't miss them !!! They'll have two dates in France (for the moment) in
2004 :

February 13th : Le New Morning-Paris
February 14th : L'Aeronef-Lille (for a big 6 hours Funk Night Party...)

top