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Sample Track 1:
"Bizarre Love Triangle" from Occidental Brothers Dance Band International
Sample Track 2:
"Odo Sanbra" from Occidental Brothers Dance Band International
Layer 2
CD Review

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Time Out Chicago, CD Review >>

The cultural rise and hipification of Afro-pop has been well documented over the past year. Frankly, we’re tired of reading about and mentioning Vampire Weekend every time a completely unrelated Malian or Senegalese act passes through town (this is the last time, promise). Overlooked in hype surrounding indie’s appropriation of polyrhythmic drumming and soukous guitar licks are, you know, musicians actually from Africa who are cooking up similar Western pop fusion.

Extra Golden and Chicago’s Occidental Brothers Dance Band International both feature a mixed membership of Americans and Africans. Ian Eagleson, an ethnomusicologist, and Alex Minoff started off as dueling guitarists in Oberlin, Ohio’s Golden. The muscular post-math-metal-jazz-whatever instrumental quartet developed quite a cult with insane live shows and pummeling prowess. In 2004, the two traveled to Nairobi, hooked up with local benga players and formed a new group, seamlessly weaving the “extra” Kenyan style into show-offy workouts.

Thank You Very Quickly, the hybrid band’s third LP, cranks up the amps a tad too much. Flashy, overwhelming prog-rock drumming smothers any subtlety in the six snaking songs. Something about juxtaposing such heavy, Neil Peart–like kit work against endless soloing emits an unwelcome air of the Allman Brothers. EG’s really working the wrong circuit—these are jam-band nugs, bro.

Old Town folk instructor Nathaniel Braddock has no such issues with his more nuanced and organic quintet, Occidental Brothers. Asamoah Rambo’s dense, subtle hand percussion breathes under fellow Ghana expat Kofi Cromwell’s sweet tenor. Greg Ward’s rich sax breezes throughout, and guest fiddler Andrew Bird lubes up tear ducts on the tender “Mafiwo.” You might not understand a syllable of Cromwell’s Akan dialects, but these are clearly love songs. So much so that a cute cover of New Order’s aching “Bizarre Love Triangle” slips seamlessly into the repertoire.

Both acts are best experienced live. Lucky for us, the better one lives in town.

Occidental Brothers hit the Empty Bottle on Friday 17. Extra Golden does the same on Monday 20.

--Brent DiCrescenzo 04/16/09 >> go there
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