Daily Loaf

When it comes to music, I’m a creature of habit. My record collection, and by record I mean vinyl, is still organized neatly in a cabinet waiting for the day I can find a stylus for my antique Technics turntable. Until then, I have learned to live with an iPod, which I own only because my 12-year-old son purchased a new one and shamed me into taking his hand-me-down MP3 player. Although I have given in to this new digital techno-magic, my taste in music has not come so far. The collection on my iPod reflects many years of listening to songs repeatedly and filtering out those that don’t make the cut. It’s a very exclusive group that I make changes to about as often as a Clear Channel radio station changes its own playlists (read: not very much). Adding a new song to my iPod is a major step for me and one that I do not take lightly. In the event I die while enjoying my music, I don’t want some paramedic picking up my headset and remarking that it must have been the shit I was listening to that killed me. With that said, I trust you’ll understand that the addition of Primal Incantation to my eternal playlist is a very big deal.

Although I’ve been familiar with funk-rocker, bassist-extraordinaire Wyzard for many years, it was mostly due to his fulltime gig as bassist for Mother’s Finest, another band that made the cut many years ago. Released in 2008, Primal Incantation features 11 tracks of pure funk-infused rock that make you want to get up and strap on your air guitar. Think Lenny Kravitz meets Earth, Wind and Fire, throw in a little Seal, and a sprinkling of Living Colour, and you’d be close. But don’t think that Wyz is copying anyone; he’s been a true original since hitting the road at the tender age of 13 with legendary singer Jackie Wilson. As a matter of fact, his work is often credited with originating the funk rock genre, but who can really pinpoint a thing like that? While most of the tracks on Primal Incantation feature Wyzard’s unmistakable bass work, the quality of the melodies and lyrics shine through the music. It’s one of the few releases that doesn’t have me skipping over the songs I don’t like because there aren’t any. Stand out tracks include “Monkey Burns,” “Down Inkline” (a perfect song to listen to while driving with your top down) and the stripped down, no frills production of “Blind Faith.” In all, Primal Incantation is a well-written, extremely well-produced collection of songs that fit neatly into my iPod and it’s an album that should be owned by any true fan of funk-rock.

Wyzard will be in Tampa sometime in late January with Mother’s Finest (the band’s November 28 show at The Ritz was canceled), so don’t miss a chance to hear one of the finest funk-rock bands around. Maybe then I can ask him when we can expect a solo tour.

To hear some clips from Primal Incantation, go to CDBaby

To read more about Wyzard, go to his MySpace page

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