Review: Son of Dave - 03

Label: Sparks Music

Released: August 12, 2008

In a world that is so often style over substance, it's easy to get caught up in something clever only to find that there's no substance under the covers. Having been bit more than a few times, it's also easy to go to the other extreme and forget there are artists out there like Beck and They Might Be Giants and the late (and sadly underknown) Logan Whitehurst...and now, Son of Dave.

Son of Dave (ex-Crash Test Dummies guitarist/mandolin player, Benjamin Darvill) creates a quirky melting pot of folk and funk, country and hip-hop with a healthy dose of blues and ZZ Top Texas boogie. From the gospel-heavy "Your Mercedes (Intro)" to shuffling blues of "Roller Boogie," the album takes gritty, everyman folk music and mixes it with funk and hip-hop beats. The thing is, this isn't folk music with samples of funk hits or synth beats. The loops themselves are as organic as the pure folk elements, just used in a manner that still manages to be as funky as the best hip-hop can deliver.

Son of Dave's cover of "Lowrider" discards the most common interpretations of the song and re-creates it in a way that exhibits a deep understanding of its nature. That really illustrates what makes Son of Dave more than just some novelty act. Sure, the music is clever on the surface, but beneath that, there's something real, an understanding and appreciation for music, to come back to long after the novelty wears off.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 8/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 8/10

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