Maui

disappointed in the music - -not my type

I don't usually dig this kind of music but I chanced upon these guys at Glastonbury this year and they blew me away - I just had to buy some of their recorded stuff and I wasn't let down at all by this epic CD.

Kava Kava Maui (Chocolate Fireguard Records) Wow. Love this band! Kava Kava come across somewhere between a Manchester baggy beat crossover with acid funk, rock and breaks influences. And they have a great singer too who really shines on songs ‘Space People’ and ‘Terrorists’ hitting hard with passion, soul and some fine cutting lyrics. The instrumentation is wonderful. Shaft guitars, horns, electronics, beats and some great bass guitar licks. Title track ‘Maui’ enlists a string quartet and a 4 Hero-esque groove, while ‘Tic’ is more disturbing, a Tricky meets Red Hot Chilli Peppers mash that could easily be the soundtrack to some weirdo cult sc ifi movie. All in all ‘Maui’ is a refreshingly diverse album from a highly original musical force. Single anyone? I’d pick the perky “Funked Up ‘n Freaked Out” or maybe “Don’t Stop The Music” for unashamed funkin’ boogie tendencies with a positive message.

You know when you are in the store browsing, you dont know what to buy so you pick up a cd that catches your eye (no, am not a rapper)? Well, thats what happened with me and Kava Kava and i have to say that i am glad that i followed my instincts. It has sooo many different elements to it that i wouldn't know what catergory to put it in. I have since seen it in the rock section (nah its not rock), i have seen it in the dance section (nope its not dance), i have also seen it in the electro section (and...you guessed it, it isn't electro either). I really think its in a league of its own, i would like to know what the members of Kava actually think. In my words.....PHUNKT UP FUNK!!! Its got the catchy riffs, smokey but smooth vocals, funky break beats and foot tapping grooves . Some elements actually remind me of the fun loving criminals. Whatever the weather, get it - i dont think you will be let down.

I read somewhere that Kava Kava's "Maui" could be the future of dance. Yeah right!? Still, I bought the Cd (albeit a tad cynically) and you know I think that reviewer could have something there. "Maui" has it all...stonking grooves and beats, huge brass and string sections, the MASSIVE soulful vocal presence care of Fulgoni....... "Don't Stop The Music" is simply the freshest live disco/funk/house track i have yet to hear, the more downtempo "Maui" (title track) has Gilles Peterson factor 10 (go on you know you want to Gilles...i know this is a small Northern label but there's HUGE potential here) and the Kavas know how to seriously rock out on tracks like "Terrorists" and champion choon "Funked Up and Freaked Out" This is Northern Soul for E heads, Psychedelia for four on the flour Freaks. Be a dance commander in a club or use it for foreplay in bedsit, its working for me baby! Halleluya. I bought the 4 track 12" version and that is awesome too. Then i caught them live playing in a club in Wales. LARGER THAN LIFE. Marc

I am ecstatic right at this moment. HBO has a new series "John From Cincinatti". In episode 2 of the show, there is a song playing as the guys are waxing their surfboards inside the surf tent. It is MESMERIZING! To my dismay, and apparently hundreds of other people, the song credits were not listed. The bulletin board was filled with people begging to know what the song was. I even e-mailed HBO to ask them to release the name of the song. Luckily, someone replied and said "The song playing in the surfer tent scene was TIC by Kava Kava." I immediately went to amazon, found the cd, and clicked on the song Tic with my fingers crossed. Low and behold, that was it! I'm giving the rating of a 5 even though I have no idea about the other songs, just because I am soooo in love with that one song and happy that I found it.