Lettuce - Rage! [LP]

Release Date: 4/22/2008 Lettuce is something of a modern urban musical myth. Formed in the 90's out of common experience and taste, members of the band went out on individual projects before coalescing once again into a powerful funk collective. Rage! Finds the influences of the Impressions, James Brown and Tower of Power coursing through music that never once falls prey to sounding merely imitative. Instead of merely aping what they so obviously love, Lettuce has processed their roots in vigorous ensemble musicianship, and that practice includes assimilating the great craft of the Philly soul team of Gamble and Huff in addition to Earth, Wind & Fire. Their knowledge of structure allows the vocal tracks on the CD, like "Move On Up," to remain with the best of the instrumentals here, lesser though they are in comparison. On "Sam Huff's Flying Raging Machine," the Lettuce rhythm section pumps below the horns of Ryan Zoidis, Rashawn Ross and Sam Kininger and those wind instruments