Ouroboros
In the ancient world, the ouroboros symbol was used to represent a cycle, and the New Orleans Suspects use it for their latest album for that reason; though the band formed just five years ago, the long-running and accomplished local musicians, including Mean Willie Green, Jake Eckert, Jeff Watkins, Reggie Scanlan, and CR Gruver from bands such as the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The James Brown Band, and the Neville Brothers band, have come full circle with their third release. The ten tunes are groovy, happy, and contain a lot of soul. I love the way “Cigarette Smile” begins; Scanlan’s funky bass line sets the tone that the horns played on the keys by Gruver follow and complement. Jake Eckert uses a devious and decadent distortion on his vocals to help characterize the seductive lady he’s singing about. His guitar wails during the bridge exemplify his rollercoaster of emotions. “Magdalena” is a sultry piece with some fantastic organ and piano work, and the quiet but gritty guitar adds just a little more Southern flair. The entire album is Southern-identified, of course, and that’s certainly obvious with “Pocketful of Grit,” which is a multi-percussion-driven instrumental piece that uses the sax, guitar, and organ as its vocalists. The New Orleans Suspects have collectively come a long way in their careers, but I believe that they are right where they need to be because their sound is tight and just right.
