I love irony. At times it can take you by surprise, sometimes it makes you laugh, and other times it just leave you walking around with this look on your face like you’re trying to divide 238 by 14.7. In any case, it captures your attention and typically runs in the opposite direction of redundancy and predictability, which I loathe.
“Pop A Cap In Yo’ Ass” from Ben Watt’s (aka Buzzin’ Fly) latest music escapade tells a story of survival, strategic manipulation and thievery, all with the a lovely backdrop of soulful house melodies and floating keyboard clouds. It adds cerebral matter to what could be deemed and escape from thought, at least the kinds of thoughts that cause one to pay attention to the pharmaceutical TV ads touting the latest cure-all for the everyday trials of life. I recommend you turn off the television, slide this puppy in with a PBR or a fine glass of red wine, close your eyes, and let the Fly whisk you away.
On any journey one typically goes into a mode of observation, and such is the case with Replenishing Music for the Modern Soul. Your senses become more acute and you notice intricate details you would otherwise pass by as you’re on your way to your next meeting with your double half-caff latte with no foam. This is the beauty of music made for the soul; it reminds us that there’s more to life than just keeping up with our schedule and paying our bills. From track to track the neck tension slowly subsides, immersing you in the chunky defiance of “Lone Cat,” the bubbling Bombay beats of “El Wahrania,” then on over to “A Night of Music,” which seems to capture a live concert setting of close-your-eyes groove. Then, Watt’s own Blackness of Night remix of “I Love You” showcases the lovely vocal talents of Sade type of diva singer.
Within the hand-written CD case Watt states he has gotten bored with the relentless pumping DJ sets. I’m relieved to see this, because I thought I was just getting old and not getting this trend for incessant repetition that has plagued the dance music scene for almost years…one that relies on little white pills and Red Bull to sustain the crowd. This time around he returns to the early DJ where the lyrical tone (remember Fluffy Clouds?) was as important as the groove. I would venture to say that Watt has definitely filled the well on this one, delivering a badly needed dose of musical cures for the soul.
