Galactic: From The Corner To The Block : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Like every great New Orleans funk band going back to the Meters, Galactic are an instrumental powerhouse that struggles gamely to make great studio records with songs and vocals. Their latest work is a twist -- guest MCs on charging rhythms that are not quite tunes. Results vary. Gift of Gab's rap on "The Corner" overpowers the high-stepping below. "Squarebiz," featuring Digable Planets' Ladybug Mecca, is over-busy Prince by a band much better at showing the Led Zeppelin in its second-line bones. "What You Need," with Lyrics Born, comes closer to that ideal, a metallic pimp roll with dirty harmonica that sounds like it flew in from a Little Walter single. The title track is all home brew -- NOLA's growling Juvenile and the brass spikes of the Soul Rebels Brass Band atop Galactic's dublike jump. And "Hustle Up," a leaper with Boots Riley of the Coup, is hereby nominated as the anthem for next Mardi Gras -- a call to get down when you've had it up to here with everything else.