Damn Good!!! Frank Popp Ensemble!!!

Frank Popp Ensemble is the shit! The first time i've heard of this band it really blew me away. It was 2004 or 2005 that I first heard this band from a scooter buddy of ours, Bryan Laxamana in one of our drinking sessions in their abode in Superville, Paranaque. We were doing the usual music (ska, some mod stuff, northern, soul, Weller etc) while talking and drinking and then he went inside, showed us his recent buy and played it in his portable player. It was FPEs first release called "Ride On" with a Vespa SS 180 riding pair on the cover. Really smart ei? It sounded fresh and it's just like hearing Dexy's Midnight Runners "Searching for the Young Soul Rebels" for the first time. It's that exciting! They play hard, loud but melodic. At first impression based on the cover and on the overall design is that you'll judge firsthand that this is a retro/revivalist band. You may be right on some point but I beg to differ. Yes, they may have a large dose of soul and rnb in them but you could hear some garage rock thrown in , funk , pop and acid jazz flavors to complete the musical stew. And most importantly they sound really good, tight and positive. It's like having sunshine on a cloudy day - cheesy but true hehehee. This band is an all season music maker and provider, you can play them all year round - in your car, your ipod, riding cross country on your scooter, drinking, on a gig, on your room, mopping the floor, meeting women etc. I mean everywhere and whatever your mood is after listening to this band, you'll end up bobbing your head, tapping your fingers and smiling. "Their sound is special, it unites modern music production and the pop sound and appeal with musical style that ranges from 1960 to 1972" as quoted on their website. They are creating their own style so successfully and they are timeless and this band should be played loud! Obviously their music is considered mod music, the Austin Powers type of mod that went into the direction of the Freakbeat scene then evolving into the Northern Soul afficionados as we know today. But as far as I'm concerned, they are more pop than anything else. This is what pop should sound like, pop with brains not the manufactured pop that you see on MTV mostly or any other pop station on the radio. I wonder why this band was overlooked in the UK, they've been around since 1999 and instead the labels focused on the over drugged and junkie Amy Winehouse. Well, I'm not complaining. The band is really doing well in the UK specially on big scooter rallies such as the Isle of Wight rally, they also did Glastonbury and regular gigs on mod and northern soul clubs in the UK. I never got a hold on their debut release though. I saw this "Ride On" cd up on sale at half the price at Tower Records 4 years ago. I didn't have enough money then so i hid the disc on the standards rack and came back the next day and the cd is nowhere to be found. I asked one of the store clerks to check on their inventory if they still have some copy, negative on my inquiry. But if you happen to come across any of their album, buy them . It 's a good addition to your music collection.
I've embedded a music video from their first release. The video is called "Hip Teens Don't Wear Blue Jeans".



The Bands core line up is as follows:
Sam Leigh Brown - vocals
Frank Popp - Farfissa organs and samples
Stephan Mohr - hammond organ and fender rhodes Lele Lugosi - lead guitar
Fredie Rococo - lead guitar
Tino Turner - lead guitar

There are arguments around the scene if the German founder of the band Frank Popp is his real name. I don't mind really what his real name is as long as they produce good music. Also, one good thing about having your own band is that you will gel really well, get really tight as time goes by compared to a solo artist with a separate back up band. We rarely feature full length albums here at Soundblasters but friends I have to share this with you. This is FPEs second release called "Touch and Go". Same as their debut release, you need to play this loud. Amy Winehouse who? Lilly Allen who?This is Frank Popp Ensemble! Ride on and enjoy.

1. Business and Pleasure
2. Leave Me Alone
3. Just Say Goodbye
4. Gettin' Down
5. The World is Waiting
6. Fonce Dans Le Coeur
7. All I Need 8. Enough
9. Don't Waste My Time
10. Touch and Go
11. Psychedelic Girl
12. Slaughter at Primrose Hill

DOWNLOAD HERE

[Posted by Joneighbors]