electric who? - caught in the wind

Electric Who?

Caught In The Wind
self-released; 2014

3.8 out of 5

By Ethan Skelton

Temple University. Philadelphia, PA. You find yourself in the basement of a party house belonging to some deep thinking art majors. The vibe is electric and bodies are loose in expression. The lights dangle like tempting globes of tactility, but all you can think about is the group on the corner stage. They command the room with their in between sound. The horns blow but it’s not jazz, the singer belts but it’s not  a diva, and the rest do their part in setting the rhythmic foundation for the off kilter toppings of sound that taste like a deliciously sloppy pizza.

At first listen I can hear the combination of indie rock, jazz, free form, and funk, especially evident on “Helluh?” It bears stating that this original is then followed by a wonderfully different adaption to Bill Withers’ classic, “Ain’t No Sunshine.” A band of mine plays this in our set and I think we could take some influence from Electric Who? and their true-to-style execution. 

"Baby" mixes in bass, percussion and drums to sound similar to a tune you may hear in a 1970's movie like Foxy Brown or Shaft. Colby delivers a a very inspired vocal performance as she sings "Baby, won't you kiss me". The song is constantly of the verge of falling apart and often dips into free jazz territory. 

You have to hand it to a group with trumpet and sax, more specifically, a band that uses these elements without being overly jazzy or ska. Electric Who? balance them with tasteful compliment and the occasional solo.

Caught in the Wind is carried like the wind by the lovely female lead vocal. Every song floats along with her passionate reserve and calming control. I can’t vouch that any track really resonated with me besides their cover and for that I have to take this review with a grain of salt. The songs are a touch quirky and too out of the box for serious interpretation in my opinion. But like I said, audiences will cling to that vocal and find their way through this eclectic blend of sounds.

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