Binghamton based Honk ‘n Roll group The Neo Politans released their third full length album, Where the Magic Happens, in March. This is the final album in a trilogy that was recorded over two weekends at local recording studio Abandoned Studios. Four days in the studio yielded foundation recordings for thirty songs. The band then layered slide guitar, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, aux percussion and vocals for songs that would be released across three different albums.
This album is arguably the most upbeat rockin’ album of the three. The first three songs let the listener know this album is going to have classic overdriven guitars, grooving drum and bass, energetic vocal harmonies, and tight aux percussion.
There are a few slower songs on the album but those might be some of my favorites. “Side the House,” possibly my top track on the album, is a slower song in which the groove carries the listener through a story of an idyllic family. Even though the overall tone is not one of happiness, learning at the end that this idyllic family image is actually a veneer. Following each verse is a distant horn solo that feeds into the melancholic feeling of the song. The song comes to an end with overlapping saxophone, trumpet and trombone solos, giving the feeling of a chaotic family where everyone is talking over each other.
On the other end of the spectrum, “My Back Door” is a driving track that keeps the momentum up the whole way through. Something that is all over this album, and the previous two, are fantastic conga performances, which we don’t typically hear in classic songs like these, but they fit in so well. This track begins with a bassline that introduces the congas, and eventually the rest of the band. I love the cut in the chorus that highlights the main hook of the song: it leaves just enough silence for the listener to miss that main riff.
The Neo Politans have several shows coming up throughout the summer where they will be performing new unreleased material. Check out their latest album Where the Magic Happens and look out for their upcoming shows!