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We know Nostalgia 77 (Benedic Lamdin) and Natural-Self (Nathaniel Pearn) for their adventures in afro-(Ghana Soundz)-soul-(I Don’t Need This Trouble)-breaks-modal jazz in their own work. So the collaboration of these two to form The Broken Keys would seem to be a natural progression.

The album starts with ‘The Introduction’ (what else?). This could have been a very desirable 20-minute modal piece but gets cut to a mere minute and a half. I wasn’t at all prepared for ‘Redlight’, which is do-wop. Do-wop? ‘The Witch’ is another vocal track that has some Magic Band/Jim Morrison elements in it and ‘Razorblade’ is suitably scary.

It was probably the initial shock but I’m getting more into the vocal tracks now — but I suppose that’s what The Broken Keys as a project is all about: finding out what works outside of their respective comfort zones, being good at what they’re good at and having fun.

‘Bone Train’ is like an instrumental Quantic/Russell track, heavy on the organ. You can more or less guarantee these guys will be going to see Brian Auger when he plays Concorde2 in Brighton.

It’s no surprise that ‘Slingshot’ (Parts 1 and 2) has come out on a 7” and it’s very much similar to the funky breaks/ big horns from their solo days. Talking about what they are good at, ‘Why Jupiter’ is one for fans of cosmic breaks and well worth the price of the album.

This is another album that the more you listen to, the more you get out of it. Like Joy Division’s Closer, this may go on to be thought of as a future classic. Why wait I say, get it now along with this year’s must haves, Borderlands and Let Peace Be The Ruler.

Hectic Mix Nominations: ‘Why Jupiter’, ‘The Witch’, ‘Redlight’ (check out their MySpace site to hear the last two, see links below)

Reviewed: The Broken Keys — Gravity (Tru Thoughts) Cat. No. TRU LP 103 Release date: June 2006
Tracklisting:
A1. An Introduction (1:30)
A2. Redlight (3:34)
A3. Bone Train (3:10)
A4. The Invisible (1:20)
A5. The Witch (3:25)
A6. Black Farr (3:15)
B1. Stepping Stone (1:03)
B2. Burnt Popcorn (3:06)
B3. Slingshot Pt.1 (4:13)
B4. Slingshot Pt.2 (3:39)
B5. Razorblade (3:06)
B6. Why Jupiter? (4:22)

Links:
www.myspace.com/thebrokenkeys
Tru-Thoughts www.tru-thoughts.co.uk
http://www.nostalgia77.com
Breakin Bread www.breakinbread.org
www.myspace.com/brianauger
Brian Auger UK Tour:
11/27/2006 - Stratford upon Avon
11/28/2006 - London
11/29/2006 - Brighton