STOMP THE BLEACHERS!

Back in the early to mid nineties I used follow a few groups around LA that personified diversity within musical genres. An amalgamation of everything that was considered art fused with passion and soul, and then communicated through the second most powerful force on earth…music. THE WYLDE BUNCH is a group that shows us it's even cooler to be aware of this form of communication and to act accordingly. It's clear from one track to the next that this crew loves what they do. Even if they think they're just doing whatever it is they do….dig? But on a deeper level, they bring together what you like best about your favorite genre and welds it into a unique sound, influenced from other genres. Not easy to do with a large band. But all I can say after listening to their CD is damn, that energy is what we need more of in music today. Hopefully they keep going and can break through to that perfect place called commercial success without compromise. If the music can keep evolving the way they want it too, I don't see why not. I just wanna be there to see it happen.

YEAH, YEAH (STOMP THE BLEACHERS)

I don't know why but I hear this out the box and immediately think of my childhood in Carson, hanging out the park, eating home-made ice cream, cooking barbeque, and listening to Parliament and Funkadelic back to back. But the flavor is only different in one way. The new school rhymes and flowing over top of this image is sweetly contradictory. But wait there's more. That grinding six-string tosses hints of any great Prince funk song, brilliantly respecting the rock element on the low end. I like how WYLDE BUNCH arranges the music. It fills the spaces with more space and keeps us honest to the funk. The beat is tight and I do dig that drum fill during the choruses. The horns are my favorite part of this song. Nice arrangements.I don't know. I kind of feel like partying after hearing a song like this. Most would probably have you believe that this kind of music won't sell, or masses of people can't get into it. I would look at that fool and probably challenge that maybe they haven't been paying attention. They've been saying the same thing about hip hop for thirty years now. About P-funk for longer than that. Everything starts somewhere which is kind of what I get out of this song. Coming out but coming out strong. Pssht! Outkast made it, whatchu you tryin' to say?

DUMB

Awesome! Now I dig this song for absolutely the wrong reason. I like the music because it takes me back to the college days where the rock jam was just as much fun as the party. But the music is the last thing I like about this song. I like the melody of the chorus. I can sing along to this song at just about any given time and twice on Tuesdays. But as catchy as it is, the melody is not why I like this song. Once again the horns deliver a perfect punch to the song, giving it an even more soulful color to the overall musical content. Alas, I must admit, that's not why I dig this song. No really it's simply the lyrical content. That's it. Out of all the things I like about this song, the subject matter grabs me. There's nothing deep about this song, I don't think. (Wylde Bunch holla at your boy if I'm wrong about that.) It's a fun melody to sing along to  but yet, All I kept saying throughout this catchy little tune, "Yeah I KNOW!" We all feel dumb about dumb shit decisions we make from time to time. I think the learning point of the this song is that we all do it. We all been there. It's always worst than the next person. But then again why are we keeping score? Maybe DUMB can help us figure some shit out.

NANANA

Now we talkin'. Musical. Truly artistic. WB is able to color between the lines. Extraordinary horn arrangements, sexy ass sheepskins action, a lively chorus section which double times into an Earth Wind and Fire-esq audio picture. It's all held down nicely by a dope live drum arrangement almost militaristic-funk. I would normally stop right there when a song does it for me. But that's just me. Tell me how do you feel about this subject matter? When I first heard this music it took a while to latch on to the lyrics. But you know when you go through stuff that hits kind of close to home how that make you feel? There's some things in this group of lyrics again, that I can listen to and say, .. "DAMN Yeah ME TOO!!" Well….. maybe I exaggerate a little bit… but just a little. Because once again WB paints a picture that we can relate to. This song is pretty well produced in my opinion, so well done to D Crawford.

CLASH

…Of the titan emotions. "I see that nothing's what I planned it to be…..But in my life I keep on telling myself, It ain't that bad…" I think I had enough of the Wylde Bunch calling me out and shit. These are words that I am just now starting to incorporate into my affirmations and my mantras. You gotta understand, if you are a lover of true art and can immerse your very being into that piece of art, you can truly understand anything. You have to respect that some of us want to hear just a little bit more positivity in the world. I ain't saying we should eliminate negative subject matter in music or even say that we should censor it. But can we please level the playing field a little bit? I'll be honest I wasn't really diggin this one until I paid closer attention to the message of this song. For me, I got the message that I should appreciate the things I have in my life and stop complaining about what I don't have. The message you get out of it might be vastly different than mine. But as long as you pay attention you can pick it up. Whatever your interpretation.

LOSE IT

Hey Wylde Bunch, ya'll were rolling down some Hollywood avenue and this shit just popped out huh? Am I close though? See it's hard for me to hear this obvious club hit and not think of bumping it up to 128db on the block out the back of the Hyundai…. Interesting image for me since I don't do none of that. I don't own a Hyundai. But I will bump some music in the right settings. I dig your vibe on this one because it's guaranteed ass shaking. I like the live sampling. I'm old school so really, back in the day, a live music rap group always had to sample their stuff live because the DJ wouldn't always show up to the show. Another great melody, and another great horn arrangement. I'm starting to sound like a broken record. I only have one extra caveat for this song. What we hear on digital is NOTHING compared to the experience live. I think I honestly would say that even if I never saw them live first. I think it's obvious in this collection of songs that a band like Wylde Bunch would be a spectacle as well as recording performers. 

ON TOP

I don't if anyone remember me saying back in November that I come from Musical theatre. I take great pride in that because I got to learn a little bit of what I was trying to do musically. This arrangement gives me that same feeling. Kind of like I was watching a trailer for a movie. But unfortunately it was only a trailer. I find myself wanting much more of this tune. WB maybe ya'll can add another key change in there or bust out a whole new C section. A sign of a good song is one that keeps us wanting more. Another positive message, but more af a personal flavor to it. I feel you guys. We'll get there. Song is still too short though!

MANCUB SUGGESTION

One of my band's main focus for our album 3-Finger Charlie, was to keep that live band feel within the controls of modern production. It's not an easy task. At least in my mind it can be done successfully. But quite honestly, it seems too hard to keep a perfect balance. Sometimes the scales tip too far one way or the other. Either it'll sound too produced or too UN-produced. Sometimes we get lucky. But as artists I think it's incumbent upon us to make our music BE that balance so that there would be no need for a scale at all. Mixing in some slow jams or slower jams, or more stuff like NANANA, I think will benefit WYLDE BUNCH. I suggest WB keeps doing what they're doing. Keep challenging themselves to create this style of music so that it evolves into something only identifiable by The Wylde Bunch. Good luck!

                                                                   -Mancub Kerijo Solo

THE WYLDE BUNCH

PRODUCED BY DROP SQUAD, DANIEL CRAWFORD AND KEN MICHAEL

CO-PRODUCED BY VERNON HEARD

WRITTEN BY DAMON CRAWFORD, ISHMAEL FERGUSON, BRANDON JORDAN, JENEE DIXON, LARRY BEAN, KEN MICHEAL