CD Review

by Tim Van Schmidt

"Band Together Volume II" Spokes Buzz Fort Collins

This record made me sweat. I mean that literally- I work out in a private gym where I can put on any music I want at any volume and the new Spokes Buzz compilation of Fort Collins area music helped me eat up MILES on the tread mill. This isn't a frivolous review- I found Spokes Buzz's "Band Together Volume II" upbeat and energetic, just what you need for a good work out. The whole collection works together in a unified surge of blood pumping musical creativity that says something big about this bit of home turf- we're not just playing around here, we're playing hard.

As the name suggests, this is the second volume in a series of CD releases by the Fort Collins organization Spokes Buzz. That's the group that is taking Fort Collins area music seriously- nurturing and promoting bands that are already working their butts off, getting them onto compilations like the "Band Together" CDs and onto stages like at the SXSW music industry showcase in Austin.

Diversity, of course, has to be the first word that comes to mind when spinning "Band Together Volume II." The music here swings from countrified cornbread to deep electric passion. Hip hop and reggae, funk, soul and roiling rock- it's all in there. This isn't simple stuff either- production values are high- horns, strings adding to the finely textured music arranged and recorded with technical saavy.

The highlights are plentiful on "Band Together Volume II." It all gets going like a jet taking off with Post Paradise's "A Way With Words." Common Anomaly's "Funnel Down" is the other big rock standout track- stirring up both sonic power and passion. Just as energetic but way on the other side of delicacy is the Holler!'s "Gratitude"- a pleasing ode to the bike culture- and the Euforquestra's bright, crisp "Soup." Peace Officer lays down some righteous lyrics and effective grooves on both "New Day" and "Dollars" and Musketeer Gripweed whips up a little Southern-fried gospel rock on "Dyin' Day."

My personal favorite, however, is the Lindsey O'Brien Band's "Fast Forward." It had just the right groove at the moment I heard it- starting out so scratchy and "tired" then gathering power until, indeed, you can believe that nothing's gonna stop it- not now, not yet. Of course, that's not all there is here- there're 18 tracks altogether, also featuring the Honey Gitters and Constitution- helping represent the more rootsy side of area music- and funky, groovy Trichome. The package contains a booklet which gives each band its due and it's ready-made as a primer to the best of what's happening in the Northern Colorado music scene.

Somebody from out of town is going to hear this and get the impression that Fort Collins is a humming little music spot. Little will they know that it is all that and much more. Which means Spokes Buzz has its work cut out for them- how do you help such a deep pool of talent? Just keep churning out those CDs for one thing- you can fill volumes and volumes more.