Third Coast Kings - West Grand Boulevard (2014)

West Grand Boulevard leans more towards energetic funk grooves and a rich vintage soul sound than the polished, polished approach of classic Motown. But Third Coast Kings clearly value songs that can fill the dance floor, no matter where they come from. These tracks reference the music scene of Memphis, New Orleans, Chicago, and New York as much as the “automotive capital” of Detroit.

Jim Roll’s engineering lends the recordings a natural, live sound, and the performances are clear and expressive. The musicians have enough freedom to sound like real people, not machines, but their playing is consistent enough to make the album a cohesive, coherent musical whole.

The band goes above and beyond on this record. The instrumental compositions are almost as enjoyable as the songs featuring Sean Ike’s confident vocals. While many funk revival artists sound like they're trying so hard to get the old style "right" that they forget to enjoy the music, Third Coast Kings proves with a dozen old school grooves that you can still bring back the vibe and energy of the old show bands without being afraid to work hard to entertain the audience.

Third Coast Kings is one of the best, funkiest, and most honest bands of the funk revival, and West Grand Boulevard proves that the group can continue to grow and get better.